Readied Actions?

[DeathOfRats]

Just how specific do you have to be when readying an action? Recently we as a group were hunting in the Star Cairns in Greyhawk, where we were being tormented by a shadow who was hiding in the walls and spring attacking out to kill us. My wizard was running around the dungeon taking a move action, readying to cast a spell if he saw a target that he thought was valid.

1) Do you have to specify a specific target as the target for your readied action?
2) If your readied action is to cast a spell, do you have to specify the spell when readying the action or are you free to choose as and when you see the target (assuming you don't have to specify your target.)

I think that it is reasonable enough to say that you are readying to cast a spell when you see an enemy, but you can only cast on creatures that appear in your field of vision (unless a shout from behind makes you aware of something elsewhere), but you have to make a spot DC 13ish to realise it is a valid target (unless you specify exactly what you are targetting when you ready).

Thanks !

 

[Camarath]

This is the way I use readied actions and I am not sure if this is by the book or not.
1. The character must give a specific target or criteria for targeting.
2. A specific action must be given and all chocies that need to be made while taking the action must be made when readying the action.
3. I present the character with a very brief desprition of a pontetial trigger (i.e. something that meets their criteria for targeting) and ask if they wish to perform their readied action or lose it. No additional questions or decisions are allowed at this point.

 

[CalrinAlshaw]

Based on the Third Edition rules, having a readies action in combat basically means you give up your current initiative and it continually starts to count down through the characters, you character can decide when they WANT to act. So, if you are standing there with a sword, and nothings happening, you need simply say "I hold my actions until I choose to act next." If your action is in response to something someone is doing, like a wizard casting a spell, your action would then be to charge the wizard, etc.

As for wizards casting spells as readied actions...well, I wouldn't allow this UNLESS they had a spell quickened with the feat. The ONLY exception to this would be the touch-spell rule where you can keep it until you touch something, of course, casting a spell while it is held causes you to lose it.

Anyhow, if you allow him to take a move action then hold the standard action, I'd say the shadow/s would get a first action, since the wizard is RESPONDING to something, and last I remember, fireballs couldn't be delayed until when needed, theres a MUCH higher level spell for that kind of precision.

Ohh yes, do remember that the shadow is considered BLIND while within walls, so if PC's move around while it's floating around, it won't know they moved. However, they can stick their eyes outside to check the situation then pop in, and there are spot-check rules for that kind of thing from incorporeal creatures.

Calrin Alshaw

 

[Spatula]

Based on the Third Edition rules, having a readies action in combat basically means you give up your current initiative and it continually starts to count down through the characters, you character can decide when they WANT to act.

That's Delaying, not Readying. Readying allows you to prepare an action (a partial action in 3.0, standard action in 3.5) in response to a specific event. If the event occurs, you get your action at the same time and your initiative changes to that time. If it doesn't, you lost part of your turn.

There's no problem with casting a spell as a readied action (or a delayed action, for that matter). Otherwise, counterspelling would be impossible.

 

[Li Shenron]

1) usually yes: imagine you are reading to shoot a crossbow, you can picture your character holding the xbow up at eye's height, aiming and keeping his trembling finger on the trigger; not that it is strictly necessary (since by the rules everything is included in the standard action), but to me it's how it would look like, and it doesn't feel like you can easily change the target, otherwise you could just change the whole action

2) you can definitely choose the spell when you cast it as a counterspell; now the doubt may be when it is not a counterspell... if I can choose the spell when I take the action, why can't I choose the target at the same time? What if I decide to cast an area spell instead of a targeted spell? In general, we have always readied a specific spell, but maybe it's not the same by the rules...

 

[Pielorinho]

First, I think they leave the specificity up to a DM judgement call. As long as the DM is clear on what will and will not work ahead of time, and as long as the NPCs play by the same rules, it's all good.

That said, I'm pretty lenient with readied actions. They make combat more interesting, and the stricter you try to be with readied actions, the more you get into legalese. "Regdar the fighter (hereinafter referred to as "Actor") will ready an action until such time as anyone whom Actor has reasonable cause to believe intends harm toward Actor or Actor's companions (defined as those whom Actor believes will work to defend him in battle and fight the same creatures as Actor fights), hereinafter referred to as Enemies, makes motions, noises, or other indications that Actor has reasonable cause to believe entails casting a spell, notwithstanding such Enemies as might be charmed, dominated, or otherwise influenced by Actor's companions. See rider A for description of readied action to be taken."

I'd much rather let someone say, "I ready an action to beat on the next guy I see casting a spell," and then stretch that to include only enemy spellcasters, allow it to apply to creatures using spell-like abilities, allow partial charges, trip attacks, grapples, or anything else that fits remotely in the "beat on" category.

In your example, I'd be very generous: the wizard is turning round and round watching for the shadow, and is presumed to see the shadow as soon as it appears to attack; her readied action goes off normally. The shadow bopping in and out of walls is already an iffy proposition -- incorporeal creatures have no special senses allowing them to see through walls, so they shouldn't know well where their enemies are -- and it's already a very nasty tactic; being generous with readied actions partly ameliorates the tactic's uberness.

Daniel

 

[the Jester]

Well, the more specific you are the better.

I'll allow someone to ready an action with a target area of up to their dex bonus in adjacent squares- "I'll shoot anyone who comes within these two squares"- or a well-definded area such as, "anyone who comes through that door."

I'll usually make the character declare what spell he readies, too.