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Ready action before combat starts? Advantage on initiative?
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<blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 6609874" data-attributes="member: 6787503"><p>You disagree with my thinking because I referenced a <em>rule?</em> The OP <em>did</em> ask about the Ready action and its timing in, or out of, combat, so that's ostensibly what we're talking about. While I don't object to using healthy doses of "DM adjudication", I disagree with the sentiment that the rules don't fit the OP's situation, or that attempting to apply them would bring the game to a grinding halt.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Here's how I would adjudicate this situation by simply following the rules for a combat encounter:</p><p></p><p>The encounter begins with the party coming face to face with the first group of bandits. The second group of bandits are not making enough noise for the party to notice their presence, and since the battle hasn't started yet, I'd assume that the second group of bandits are unaware of the presence of the party. So without rolling for stealth or anything, I've determined that the second group of bandits are going to start the encounter in a surprised state (DM adjudication).</p><p></p><p>Initiative is rolled for all, and the battle ensues. During the first round, the second, <em>surprised</em> group of bandits becomes aware of the party because of the sounds of battle on the other side of the door. During the second round then, being cowardly sorts who don't come to the aid of their fellow bandits, they Ready actions set upon the trigger of the party coming through the door. Depending on how long it takes the party to kill all of the first group of bandits, the second group will be using their actions on every round to <em>hold</em>, or refresh, their readied actions until the trigger occurs, at which point they could use their reactions, if they so choose, to complete their readied actions, shooting at the party as soon as the door is opened.</p><p></p><p>It really isn't very complicated and, to my mind, is exactly how the rules suggest an encounter be conducted. Of course, you are free, <em>and encouraged,</em> to adjudicate in whatever way that seems best to you and your group.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Hriston, post: 6609874, member: 6787503"] You disagree with my thinking because I referenced a [I]rule?[/I] The OP [I]did[/I] ask about the Ready action and its timing in, or out of, combat, so that's ostensibly what we're talking about. While I don't object to using healthy doses of "DM adjudication", I disagree with the sentiment that the rules don't fit the OP's situation, or that attempting to apply them would bring the game to a grinding halt. Here's how I would adjudicate this situation by simply following the rules for a combat encounter: The encounter begins with the party coming face to face with the first group of bandits. The second group of bandits are not making enough noise for the party to notice their presence, and since the battle hasn't started yet, I'd assume that the second group of bandits are unaware of the presence of the party. So without rolling for stealth or anything, I've determined that the second group of bandits are going to start the encounter in a surprised state (DM adjudication). Initiative is rolled for all, and the battle ensues. During the first round, the second, [I]surprised[/I] group of bandits becomes aware of the party because of the sounds of battle on the other side of the door. During the second round then, being cowardly sorts who don't come to the aid of their fellow bandits, they Ready actions set upon the trigger of the party coming through the door. Depending on how long it takes the party to kill all of the first group of bandits, the second group will be using their actions on every round to [I]hold[/I], or refresh, their readied actions until the trigger occurs, at which point they could use their reactions, if they so choose, to complete their readied actions, shooting at the party as soon as the door is opened. It really isn't very complicated and, to my mind, is exactly how the rules suggest an encounter be conducted. Of course, you are free, [I]and encouraged,[/I] to adjudicate in whatever way that seems best to you and your group. [/QUOTE]
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Ready action before combat starts? Advantage on initiative?
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