Ready-Move action

[Cloudgatherer]

A player in my game made a suggestion I thought I'd put here. The idea is simple, a player can use his MEA to try and move "with" an enemy, up to the base move speed. For example, a character uses his action to attack an enemy once, then declares he wants to move with the enemy using his MEA. When the enemy moves, the character follows (up to his base move).

Is that clear? Any feedback regarding the idea? Thanks!

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Is the idea so bad or does no one want to comment on it?

 

[Artoomis]

You always have the opportunity to move with the enemy, sort of. The problem is the abstract way in which D&D takes simultaneous actions and forces the into a turn-based system. You'll create more problem than you solve if you do as your player is suggesting. He can already do this by waiting for his turn and then moving up to close with the enemy again.

The suggestion you present will quite radically alter tactics - perhaps not a bad thing, but that would be the result.

 

[Enkhidu]

Actually, you might be able to justify this action with a readied move - without the attack. Readying an action is a partial, and that leaves only the move with no attack.

To do it the first way you suggested would do things like negate the reach, which is something that I don't think you want to do...

 

[twjensen]

Keep the mage down!

I know that any change to the rules in this area opens up a can of worms, balance-wise, but here's the situation that bugs me:

Rogue character: I ready an action to attack the wizard when he casts a spell.

DM: K.

Wizard NPC: Walks 20 feet casts a spell.

The rogue doesn't get his attack! So, the rogue's just standing there looking dumb while the wizard *walks* away to cast a spell!

It seems like I should be able to "act with" another target character or NPC, maybe with a skill check or feat or something. It makes logical sense for a character to be able to say "Ok, I want to tail the wizard and bop him whenever he starts chanting, waving his arms, or even looks at me in a spell-casty sort of way."

Right now, the mechanic is I might get a melee AoO from across the room if he moves, then casts. I don't actually get the AoO when he moves, but I do get it if he chooses to cast a spell after moving (move only doesn't get AoO, move and do anything does).

I'd rather the rule be that I do NOT get an AoO if the wizard is not in melee when he casts, but I CAN ready an action to move with and attack the wizard.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Re: Keep the mage down!

I know that any change to the rules in this area opens up a can of worms, balance-wise, but here's the situation that bugs me:

Rogue character: I ready an action to attack the wizard when he casts a spell.

DM: K.

Wizard NPC: Walks 20 feet casts a spell.

The rogue doesn't get his attack! So, the rogue's just standing there looking dumb while the wizard *walks* away to cast a spell!

He could do a partial charge, he could throw or shoot.
He could make an AoO as the Wizard leaves (suggest Trip, to stop the wizards movement.)

If your rogue wants to act dumb, that's his choice.

Geoff.

 

[twjensen]

Re: Re: Keep the mage down!

He could do a partial charge, he could throw or shoot.
He could make an AoO as the Wizard leaves (suggest Trip, to stop the wizards movement.)

If your rogue wants to act dumb, that's his choice.

Geoff.

It's not about the rogue acting dumb. Its about the rules doing something unexpected. The expected thing is to be able to totally focus in on a single opponent, following that opponent and waiting for an opportunity.

The reality is the PC can't act out of turn and so the wizard gets away.

The partial charge is pointless, the spell is already cast.

The shooting bit works, but the idea is the rogue has a sword out and is standing 5' away.

Ready to trip as the wizard walks away is about the only thing that really deals with the issue within the rules of readied actions.

If the rogue just plain hits the dumb pointy hatted prestidigitator he can still get an AoO when the wizard moves and casts. My point is that it seems kinda dumb to make an AoO with a sword from 20' away, that's all.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Re: Re: Re: Keep the mage down!

The partial charge is pointless, the spell is already cast.

No.

 

[Artoomis]

With the current system, the following is the likely series of events for the wizard backing off and casting.

1. Rogue declares a readied action to strike when the wizards casts his spell.

2. Wizards backs off to cast spell.

3. Rogue gets AoO for wizard's movement.

4. Wizard starts to cast spell.

5. Readied action kicks in - Rogue partial charges and attacks, which may interrupt the spell.

6. If the wizards gets hit AND makes his concentration check, spell goes off.

And, lo and behold, the rogue is next to the wizard - not only did he move with him, he got to hit him TWICE.

The system, while far from perfectly simulating simultaneous events, works. Your change is not needed.

 

[Alaxk Knight of Galt]

Artoomis, not to question your understanding of the rules, but

1. Rogue declares a readied action to strike when the wizard cast his spell.

2. Wizard backs off to cast spell.

3. This is a question, if the wizard backs off only 5 feet, then no AoO from the rogue, if the Wizard backs off more then 5 feet, then the rogue does get his AoO.

4. Wizard starts to cast a spell.

5. Readied action kicks in, but what was the readied action, to attack the wizard. Unless the rogue has a ranged weapon or a weapon with reach, he will be unable to do his readied action. Now, my understanding was any partial action can be readied with a readied action, so the rogue, if he was expecting the wizard to back up and cast, he could have readied a partial charge to attack the wizard, if so, he could then leap and attack. However, what if the wizard never moved and cast instead on the defensive, the rogue decided to partial charge the wizard if he started to cast, well, he is in melee with the wizard so he can't charge and thus receives no extra attacks on the wizard.

6. Resolve spell.

Now, I could very well be wrong, but I believe this is the set of actions to take.

1. Rogue readies a partial charge when Wizard begins to cast a spell.

2. Wizard backs off 5 feet, not provoking an attack of opportunity.

3. Wizard starts to cast spell.

4. Readied action of the rogue happens, partial charge against the wizard.

5. Resolve spell.

Someone please correct me