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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rod Staffwand" data-source="post: 7417666" data-attributes="member: 6776279">It's most often used in our group to delay an attack, grab, shove, etc. until an enemy moves into range, out of cover or concealment or otherwise into a position where it is possible to affect them. It comes up maybe once every 2-3 combats.Using the ready action is often a gamble, since the trigger may not occur. However, every action is a gamble. Attacks might miss, enemies might save, and you might defend during a round when no one attacks you. Yes, spellcasters might lose a spell slot on a ready action to no avail, but this may be an acceptable risk for optimal fireball placement, critical healing spell or other combat-winning tactic.However, the existence of the ready action is less about the number of situations in which it is useful (or optimal), but in the introduction of a mechanic in which dealing with such situations is possible. Without the ready action, any time a player says "I hold my arrow until the goblin comes into view" requires ad hoc adjudication or is plain impossible. It adds some much needed flexibility to the rigidity of D&D turn-based combat.</blockquote>