D&D 5E Legal Ready action triggers and order of resolution

[morikahn]

That's true since attacking the first enemy to pass a doorway is a typical trigger which means we should never use "first creature" as it can mean your trigger could be an ally of yours too

Using qualifier like "the first" or "the last" also restrict your trigger further. Simply readying to attack when an enemy pass the doorway leave you open to attack any enemies that will do so rather than the first of them for exemple.

I don't think so Plague, because once the ready action triggers, you have to use it or lose it. Since the 'first' enemy walking through a doorway would qualify as 'any' enemy, the Ready action is triggered.

Maybe I misunderstood you.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

There is no rule that you lose the readied action if you choose to ignore the trigger, so if you want you can ignore the first occurance of a trigger and instead react the second time it occurs.

The wording of ther rules is not explicit though, so I could easily see some DMs ruling that you only get one opportunity to take your readied action.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I don't think so Plague, because once the ready action triggers, you have to use it or lose it. Since the 'first' enemy walking through a doorway would qualify as 'any' enemy, the Ready action is triggered.

Maybe I misunderstood you.

As Sorcerers Apprentice said, you don't loose your readied action if you're not taking the reaction when the trigger occurs., you can either take your reaction or ignore the trigger - this every time it happens.

 

[Maxperson]

Yeah, the 'pre-selection' part is dependent on how you worded your trigger.

If your wording was like, 'I shoot the first baddy that I see', then you have self-selected 'baddy' as a limit to who or what will trigger your shot. Pretty wise really; you won't shoot a 'goody'.

The only issue I have with that trigger is that the circumstance has to be perceivable and many "baddies" and "Goodies" don't have baddy and goody tattooed on their foreheads, so it's not always perceivable which group they belong to. You'd have to have some visual clue to tell you or know in advance who's who.

 

[TheEvilDM]

I can do you all one better! Here's how I'd word my Readied Action:

I ready the attack action, and I want to take it when I move my finger!

Certainly, moving your finger a tiny little bit doesn't take any sort of action, and the only conditions that would prevent you from doing that also prevent you from taking a reaction. I can do this whenever I want and it only takes a millisecond, so I can now interrupt anything the DM describes!

But wait, there's more! Instead of the attack action, I ready the spell Eldritch Blast. Being a Warlock with Repelling Blast, I can now interrupt any enemy that's making an attack, and if i hit, I push him back 10 feet, causing his attack to automatically miss! Boy, readied actions are awesome.

You can't tell me this isn't allowed, this is perfectly legal by RAW! Take that, stupid DM!




/Rules lawyer out

 

[Arial Black]

The only issue I have with that trigger is that the circumstance has to be perceivable and many "baddies" and "Goodies" don't have baddy and goody tattooed on their foreheads, so it's not always perceivable which group they belong to. You'd have to have some visual clue to tell you or know in advance who's who.

Oh, yes, absolutely.

In fact, this is part of the Ready action, as the trigger has to be 'perceivable' by the Readying creature. And by default he perceives things from his own POV. Not just in terms of line of sight, but also in terms of who is or isn't a baddy. Or any other trigger that has a value judgement on what meets the trigger condition, this will not be an absolute objective judgement but the subjective judgement of the Readying creature.

 

[Corwin]

Since you are able to ignore a trigger for another trigger that may or may not follow, it's usually easier just to say, "I ready my bow to shoot something coming through that doorway!" Then, every instance of that trigger is open for you to decide if you wish to use your Reaction to shoot. An ally runs in? Wait. A wimpy goblin chasing him? Maybe not. I'll save it in case something scarier comes in. Oh, look, an ogre lumbering in next? Now we're in business, FIRE!

 

[Plaguescarred]

I ready the attack action, and I want to take it when I move my finger!

Certainly, moving your finger a tiny little bit doesn't take any sort of action, and the only conditions that would prevent you from doing that also prevent you from taking a reaction. I can do this whenever I want and it only takes a millisecond, so I can now interrupt anything the DM describes!

But wait, there's more! Instead of the attack action, I ready the spell Eldritch Blast. Being a Warlock with Repelling Blast, I can now interrupt any enemy that's making an attack, and if i hit, I push him back 10 feet, causing his attack to automatically miss! Boy, readied actions are awesome.

You can't tell me this isn't allowed, this is perfectly legal by RAW! Take that, stupid DM!

These ridiculous trigger dates way back to 4E. It may be kosher, it doesn't mean it will fly with your DM, even less if you call him stupid while trying so

 

[TheEvilDM]

These ridiculous trigger dates way back to 4E. It may be kosher, it doesn't mean it will fly with your DM, even less if you call him stupid while trying so

Right, I thought this was pretty obvious, but apparently not; that entire post was sarcastic.

 

[Plaguescarred]

So was mine loll