How to Ready an action - trying to get to grips with it, as dont usually do it

[Istar]

I was thinking of taking my AP (and minor action, and move) on my turn.

But readying my "Standard Action" to happen on the trigger / enemys turn.

Something like “flee now or you will add die” !!!! / “Surrender” / “Do not attack the party of Istar the Black” !!!
As soon as one enemy disobeys my Immediate Reaction comes into play.

Does this mean I shift back a bit in the initiative order ??

Basically I want to do this once per encounter.
Just to give them a chance to surrender.

This is what I have found so far :

1. Ready an Action is an immediate reaction? It is triggered by an action (RAW) but think that any observable event can be used as the trigger ?

2. Readied Action is in and of itself a Standard Action.
You state the trigger & action. The DM tells you when the trigger is met (or you remind him) then your action occurs and your position in the initiative order moves to the slot before the creature that triggered the Readied Action.

 

[Radiating Gnome]

The information you've got there is correct. As a standard action, you declare a trigger and an action you'll take if that trigger condition is met. If that condition happens, you act as a REACTION to that event.

So, in your case, you can make a declaration "I'll ready my Reaping Strike to attack either of the two orcs if they attack my friends."

If either orc attacks, your reaction would go off AFTER the attack on your friends is resolved. Which is why creating the right trigger is important -- if you really meant to interrupt the attack, you'd need to pick a trigger that would be the target's action just before making the attack -- typically something like moving into reach to make their attack.

-rg

 

[MatthewJHanson]

Yeah, you'll shift back in the initiative order.

Say this is the order on the turn you ready:

You
Goblins
Orcs

The goblins are cowerdly enough to surrender, but the orcs attack. You get your reaction on the orcs, then the initiative order for the next turn will be:

Goblins
You
Orcs