rules question - taking something from an adjacent willing ally

[Festivus]

Player A would have to use a minor action to put it in his or her hand before he or she can drop it, which (in the OP's case) he or she doesn't have time to do.

Unless you want to rule that you can wiggle your butt as a free action, thus causing all your items to fall off you like ornaments from a Christmas tree.

Yep, you are right. I rather assumed that Player A would have been holding it, but yes, you are correct.

-Or-

Player A hands a note to the DM that reads "I ready a standard action to pull the item away from Player B when they go to grab it. Can I include a free action to make a snappy comment about how slow they are?"

 

[fba827]

thanks all,
at the very least you helped confirm that i wasn't just missing something (that it's in fact not already spelled out) and also given me some potential ways to handle it ---

I may split the difference and call it a move action, but i'll really just think about it more and also see what the other players think if/when it comes up again based on the other circumstances at the time.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Based on the advice "minor actions are enabling actions", I'd make it a minor. Taking an item from a buddy in itself isn't going to have much of an effect: it's setting up something that will take a real action.

 

[TarionzCousin]

First, you gotta soften up the ally with a surprise punch to the face. That's a standard Strength vs. Fortitude. If you hit, he is stunned and you can grab whatever of his stuff that isn't tied down with a minor action.

 

[fba827]

First, you gotta soften up the ally with a surprise punch to the face. That's a standard Strength vs. Fortitude. If you hit, he is stunned and you can grab whatever of his stuff that isn't tied down with a minor action.

You know, with some of the people I play with, this may be just how it goes down

 

[Dan'L]

You know, with some of the people I play with, this may be just how it goes down

Punch to the face!

Did I get it?

Edit: looks like a miss

 

[Jack99]

I used standard action with no check. However, if the ally has his immediate action available, he can help, making it a minor instead.

 

[Joshua Randall]

FWIW, Essentials says minor action (at least the way I read it).

Pick Up An Item
Action: minor
Unattended: [...] the creature can't use this action to pick up an item that another creature is holding or an item on another creature's person, unless that other creature is willing or helpless.