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

[Corwin]

No on your turn you take the Ready an Action to shoot the rogue when he moves, you take the Attack action to attack the wizard (Action Surge) and a bonus action to heal yourself (Second Wind). Then on the rogue's turn when he moves, you shoot him with your bow, drawing an arrow as part of the attack.

I think we are having two different conversations. I'm taking about what the archer is perceived to be doing as it comes around to the rogue's turn and what the rogue sees. Also, I think you are creating an artificially quirky scenario that can easily be corrected by performing those various parts of the archer's turn in a more logical, natural order.

 

[Corwin]

Attacking when a creature swing back his sword or bind/cork (cross)bow (or pull ammunition) should be enought to interrupt before the target actually swing forth its sword or fire the ammunition.

So the readying archer (who is standing there inertly with bow in hand, but no arrow nocked) can draw an arrow from a quiver, load it and fire at another archer who is already pulling back on his loaded bow, and *before* this other archer can shoot? I just want to make sure I am understanding your POV in total.

 

[Plaguescarred]

So the readying archer (who is standing there inertly with bow in hand, but no arrow nocked) can draw an arrow from a quiver, load it and fire at another archer who is already pulling back on his loaded bow, and *before* this other archer can shoot? I just want to make sure I am understanding your POV in total.

If you Ready an Action to shoot an archer when he pulls an arrow, yes you'd draw an ammunition and fire it before he fire his according to Ready an Action.

 

[Plaguescarred]

I think we are having two different conversations. I'm taking about what the archer is perceived to be doing as it comes around to the rogue's turn and what the rogue sees. Also, I think you are creating an artificially quirky scenario that can easily be corrected by performing those various parts of the archer's turn in a more logical, natural order.

The rogue will see an archer with a bow in hand. The rules don't require a readied attack to be pulled, aimed, corcked etc... specifically. You just make yourself ready to do something when something else happens.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Attacking when a creature swing back his sword or bind/cork (cross)bow (or pull ammunition) should be enought to interrupt before the target actually swing forth its sword or fire the ammunition. Like i said, it can be made clear if a Ready An Action ir meant to interrupt the action its trigger contain and easily achieveable.

Sure, if you want to rule that such a trigger is acceptable. I rather like not encouraging Ready with "careful wording let's me interrupt" triggers. I prefer they be limited to reacting to full events. Prevents weirdness at the table like being able to drop a wall of force to bounce a lightening bolt while the bolt is being cast. Not my idea of fun.

 

[jasper]

....In the 5E Ready action, if you want to Ready a spell then: it takes your concentration (even if it doesn't usually require concentration), because you are concentrating on maintaining a spell you have already cast, and the spell slot is already used even if you don't actually release the spell. Why? Because you already cast it!....
" I used to be a great wizard adventurer, " exclaimed Wally Half Nose, " Until I ready a fireball, then sneezed. 10d8 up my nose. Ouch. But my sinuses no longer drip!".

 

[Plaguescarred]

Sure, if you want to rule that such a trigger is acceptable. I rather like not encouraging Ready with "careful wording let's me interrupt" triggers. I prefer they be limited to reacting to full events. Prevents weirdness at the table like being able to drop a wall of force to bounce a lightening bolt while the bolt is being cast. Not my idea of fun.

Not only the trigger is acceptable, its not something unheard of, in fact its often seen in cowboys movie during gun duel where a readied gunman draw his gun and fire before another can do so.

In the case of readied spell, its different though as you can see its a spell cast and held while the caster concentrate on it.

 

[morikahn]

Yes, and no. Reactions cannot interrupt their trigger unless they specifically say so. Both counterspell and shield are examples of reactions that can interrupt their trigger because they say so...]

Yes, I'd come to this conclusion later in the topic.

A good example would be using the Ready action to attack someone if they draw their weapon (free action), for example, or move towards someone to attack them. You'd probably couldn't prevent a melee attack on an ally if they were already within melee range.

 

[Dausuul]

Prevents weirdness at the table like being able to drop a wall of force to bounce a lightening bolt while the bolt is being cast. Not my idea of fun.

If a PC wizard wants to burn a 5th-level spell slot bouncing a 3rd-level spell, and is willing to take the very substantial risk involved in readying that 5th-level spell, I'd totally allow it. Moments like that are what D&D is made for.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

narratively would you say the archer has an arrow pulled back and aimed at the rogue?

Yes, that is exactly what I would say. The player spent their Action preparing to shoot, so that when the archer perceives the trigger (the rogue moves) they can quickly react. Readied Actions are, generally, themselves perceivable.