Ready action FAQ?

[Lucius Foxhound]

According to the rules, I don't think Thag or Thog could ready an action before initative began.

 

[Grog]

According to the rules, I don't think Thag or Thog could ready an action before initative began.

Is there a rule that specifically states this?

 

[Artoomis]

Is there a rule that specifically states this?

Yep. "Ready an Action" is a comabt action, thus it can only be done in combat.

The situation you described is best handled with the surprise rule - the result, though, is basically the same.

 

[Grog]

Yep. "Ready an Action" is a comabt action, thus it can only be done in combat.

The situation you described is best handled with the surprise rule - the result, though, is basically the same.

Well, with the surprise rule, the fighter in the above example would be denied his Dex bonus to AC against Thag, which isn't the case with the readied action. That's a pretty significant difference.

And how would the surprise rule work, in that case? When would Thag get to roll initative? Would it not be until after he made his surprise attack, in which case he might get another turn immediately after his surprise round?

 

[dkilgo]

I think using the above mentioned examples, I would rule that a readied action could only be used outside of combat when in reguards to an ambush.

Setting ambushes are the only things that I couls see that beefuggle the rule of readied actions.

What say you to that?

EDIT: Beefuggle is my own word that I created a few years back. Do you like it?

 

[the Jester]

The dmg is very specific about this. Pg. 64, last paragraph above "Attack Rolls"-

Don't allow players to use the ready action outside of combat. While the above examples are all acceptable in the middle of an encounter, a player cannot use the ready action to cover a door with his crossbow outside of combat. It's okay for a player to state that he's covering the door, but what that means is that if something comes through the door he's unlikely to be caught unaware. If the character coming through the door wasn't aware of him, he gets a free partial action because he surprised the other character, and so he can shoot the weapon. Otherwise, he still needs to roll initiative for his character normally."

However!

I have a custom feat....

OVERWATCH (General, Fighter)
You can ready a missile weapon and cover a specific area outside of initiative.

Prerequisites: Dex 13+, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Benefits: You can cover an area of up to your dex bonus in adjacent 5’x5’ squares with a ready action with a missile weapon, even outside of initiative. You may then fire a single shot as a partial action before surprise is checked for.
Normal: You cannot ready an action outside of the regular initiative system.

How's that?

 

[Grog]

Don't allow players to use the ready action outside of combat. While the above examples are all acceptable in the middle of an encounter, a player cannot use the ready action to cover a door with his crossbow outside of combat. It's okay for a player to state that he's covering the door, but what that means is that if something comes through the door he's unlikely to be caught unaware. If the character coming through the door wasn't aware of him, he gets a free partial action because he surprised the other character, and so he can shoot the weapon. Otherwise, he still needs to roll initiative for his character normally."

That seems to settle it. Thanks.

But now my question is, if the party is aware of some monsters, can they still be surprised by other monsters? Going back to my earlier example, the party would be surprised when Thog shot them with his bow, but when the lead fighter charged in, could Thag surprise him too? If so, would Thag roll initative right after he got his surprise action?

 

[Artoomis]

That seems to settle it. Thanks.

But now my question is, if the party is aware of some monsters, can they still be surprised by other monsters? Going back to my earlier example, the party would be surprised when Thog shot them with his bow, but when the lead fighter charged in, could Thag surprise him too? If so, would Thag roll initative right after he got his surprise action?

This is DM discretion territory. I'd say no surprise, but I'd also say combat has begun and Thag would be able to have readied action.

 

[Zad]

Okay, consider this example. Thag and Thog are two orcs defending a room in a dungeon. They know the PCs are coming. There's no door to this room - the hallway just opens into it. Thag stands right by the entrance (where he can't be seen from the hallway) and readies an action to hit the first PC through with his greataxe. Thog stands a ways back from the entrance, in a straight line so he can see down the hallway, and readies an action to fire his longbow at the first target he sees.

Nope. First off, nobody is really in combat yet. So you can't ready an action - it's a combat action and therefore kind of requires you to be in combat. What you have here is two orcs who are aware of the approach of evil adventurers and are laying in wait.

The party comes down the hallway. They see Thog and he sees them at about the same time. Thog's readied action goes off and he shoots the lead PC.

Again, no. They see Thog, he sees them. Roll for initiative on the surprise round. On Thog's turn, he can shoot at anyone he wants. Thag, who is aware of the party, can act this round. He can, if he likes, ready an action to swing at whoever comes through the door.

Then, the PCs roll initative to determine the order they go on. Thag doesn't roll initative because he still has his readied action. And Thog doesn't roll because his action just went off, so he can't go again until all the PCs have gone. Is this right?

No. After the surprise round you're just in normal rounds.

Say the lead fighter wins initative, and he decides to charge Thog. As soon as he enters the room, Thag's readied action goes off and he hits the fighter with his greataxe. The fighter is still charging, so Thag gets an AoO on him as he leaves the threatened square right in front of the entrance, and he hits him with his greataxe again. If he survives, the fighter can then complete his charge against Thog.

Yes, assuming Thag had readied that swing on his surprise round.

 

[Grog]

Again, no. They see Thog, he sees them. Roll for initiative on the surprise round. On Thog's turn, he can shoot at anyone he wants. Thag, who is aware of the party, can act this round. He can, if he likes, ready an action to swing at whoever comes through the door.

Okay, I see. So Thag and Thog both surprised the party, even though Thag wasn't technically part of the engagement yet. This all seems to work, but I do have one more question. Readying is a standard action, and you only get a partial action on a surprise round, so could Thag use his surprise round to ready an action?