Ready Action Question

[DracoSuave]

If the DM allows metagaming hostility, yes. Because of the way many powers work, enemies and allies can be determined by rules, but is sometimes less clear within the role-playing narrative.

Well he's not using enemy OR ally in his terminology.

And 'enemy' as a game term does not necessarily mean 'enemy' as in an antagonist.

I have a different question about this subject, one that I assume has been discussed, but I coulsn't find a thread that dealt with it.

Given the rule that one can't use immediate actions or opportunity actions during your own turn, how do folks deal with readied actions that would otherwise trigger such actions but do not because of that rule? Is it fair that a savvy monster readies a charge against the party squishy during the defender's turn so as to avoid triggering opportunity attacks? Is it legitimate if the players take advantage of the rule?

It is -very- legitimate. However, generally such an enemy gives off signs he's doing something. Readied actions are NOT 'sneaky stealthy gotcha' type stuff (without some sort of bluff check -minimum-) and so the party, particularily the squishy, can then do some form of counter. Such as 'I ready the action such that when the evil monster enters an adjacent square, I step back one square.'

At the end of the day, the monster gains nothing.

Also, the player in question can simply move behind the defender, in such a way that the defender is occupying the closest square, invalidating the charge.

The other thing is, the charge is the only move that monster can do, and charges can be countered in quite a few ways.

 

[chitzk0i]

My DM would probably penalize me a healing surger if I tried to use "anything" as a trigger. YMMV.

Why? You've still definitely lost a move action and probably lost a minor, too. Plus, if you fail the save, it's entirely likely that your readied action will never trigger.

 

[Ferghis]

It prevents PCs from setting up overly powerful chain reactions. They move and provoke, and then, get at free reaction with some class feature or power, and then.... etc.

It's simply a balancing tool, as it's too hard to predict what could be done with future powers/feats/features.

I can see the logic behind preventing such shenanigans seems like a good idea. But don't the tactics described above smell like shenanigans too?

How would you react to simply not allowing those kinds of maneuvers? For example, when slowed, no readying an charge that triggers on the next action taken (which is otherwise rules legal). And, on the other side of the screen, no readying to charge past the defender on his turn.

 

[Ferghis]

It is -very- legitimate. However, generally such an enemy gives off signs he's doing something. Readied actions are NOT 'sneaky stealthy gotcha' type stuff (without some sort of bluff check -minimum-) and so the party, particularily the squishy, can then do some form of counter. Such as 'I ready the action such that when the evil monster enters an adjacent square, I step back one square.'

That sounds effective for those instances in which you know clearly that the monster will charge you, but that stinks if the signs don't clearly indicate what the prepared action is (or who the target is). Thus, the shenanigan costs the PC, or several PCs their standard action, which seems like a raw deal.

The other thing is, the charge is the only move that monster can do, and charges can be countered in quite a few ways.

Aside from occupying the closest square, or moving out of range, any others that always apply?

 

[SquareKnot]

You might be interested in the "Ready An Action FAQ" on the WotC message boards found here

 

[DracoSuave]

That sounds effective for those instances in which you know clearly that the monster will charge you, but that stinks if the signs don't clearly indicate what the prepared action is (or who the target is). Thus, the shenanigan costs the PC, or several PCs their standard action, which seems like a raw deal.

Aside from occupying the closest square, or moving out of range, any others that always apply?

Anything that can prevent an attack, prevent movement, occupy the square, move the target out of range, and given that each square of the charge allows for both immediate reactions AND immediate interrupts, it's not exactly the hardest thing in the world to counter.

If you have a counter, chances are there's a way to make it work on a charge.