Should you be able to dodge a fireball by readying an action?

[Hypersmurf]

So, if I ready an action to move if Sorcerer Bob attacks me, and Sorcerer Bob casts scorching ray, what happens?

1/ Spell comes into effect, all decisions come into effect. Bob targets me.
2/ Bob declares an attack on me.
3/ My readied action goes off.

... ?

And your action occurs before the triggering action - which was, in this case, "Cast A Spell".

So your action occurs before the Cast A Spell action, which means it occurs before the spell has come into effect, which means it occurs before all pertinent decisions have been made.

The thing that triggers YOUR action is a condition, not necessarily an action.

But your action 'occurs before the triggering action', so the condition is caused by an action and it's that action that determines timing.

-Hyp.

 

[Mistwell]

And your action occurs before the triggering action - which was, in this case, "Cast A Spell".

So your action occurs before the Cast A Spell action, which means it occurs before the spell has come into effect, which means it occurs before all pertinent decisions have been made.



But your action 'occurs before the triggering action', so the condition is caused by an action and it's that action that determines timing.

-Hyp.

I disagree that it's universally going to be an action that triggers it. You can ready versus a non-foe even. For example, you could ready versus a trap like spinning blades, or against a set of ocean waves, or temperature, or whatever. You ready against a condition, which is often but not always caused by the action of a foe. Which is why it also says "If the triggered action is part of another character’s activities..." If meaning it's not always going to be part of another character's activities.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I disagree that it's universally going to be an action that triggers it.

In which case, when does the readied action occur?

-Hyp.

 

[Mistwell]

In which case, when does the readied action occur?

-Hyp.

I think they meant by "action" in that sentence more "event". So "I move 5' left before the event of the trap's blade coming down on my head" or "I move 5' back before the ocean's wave hits me" or "As soon as the temperature rises to the point where I start to feel pain, I take a step back through the door". I don't see any issues of adjudicating when things happen for most of those issues.

Are you claiming the intent of the rule is for it to ONLY apply to creatures taking actions, and not to non-creatures like traps?

 

[Innocent Bystander]

As cool as the cinematic is/would be, I'd rule no. Only because this opens a veritable pandora's box of worms, as is obvious by the various posts.

 

[mvincent]

But your action 'occurs before the triggering action'

I don't believe that's going to be a universal truism in regard to readied actions. Indeed, taking this literally for all readied actions could lead to problems.

 

[Nifft]

And your action occurs before the triggering action - which was, in this case, "Cast A Spell".

So your action occurs before the Cast A Spell action, which means it occurs before the spell has come into effect, which means it occurs before all pertinent decisions have been made.

So you think I can use my Ready action to cause a melee or ranged attacker to waste an action (or at least one of his iterative attacks), but I can't cause a spellcaster to waste one of his rays -- assuming there are other targets around, of course.

(Language quibble: you mean to say that my action occurs before the Complete-A-Spell action, not Cast-A-Spell. Otherwise spells with multiple-round casting times are a problem.)

And you think that if a spellcaster uses a targeted spell (say, chain lightning) and I use my readied move action to run 30 ft. away from my companions (to keep them safe from the secondary bolts), the spellcaster is free to choose a new primary target?

Cheers, -- N

 

[irdeggman]

"specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it."

The thing that triggers YOUR action is a condition, not necessarily an action.

Yes and no.

Readying an Action: You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, any time before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character’s activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.

You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

It is pretty clear that it is a condition of an action and not a condition in and of itself. That is not to be confused with "condition" like "fatigued", "helpless", "dying", etc.

If not then you could ready a spell for when "I'm helpless" and cast it just before you pass out, thus preventign the "condition".

 

[Hypersmurf]

(Language quibble: you mean to say that my action occurs before the Complete-A-Spell action, not Cast-A-Spell. Otherwise spells with multiple-round casting times are a problem.)

For a multiple round casting time, you take the Cast a Spell full round action multiple times.

For Scorching Ray, you take the Cast a Spell standard action once.

And you think that if a spellcaster uses a targeted spell (say, chain lightning) and I use my readied move action to run 30 ft. away from my companions (to keep them safe from the secondary bolts), the spellcaster is free to choose a new primary target?

Sure - he makes all pertinent decisions, such as targets, when the spell comes into effect.

If not then you could ready a spell for when "I'm helpless"...

Well, that's similar to the example I used earlier - readying against an attack that hits, as opposed to an attack that misses.

-Hyp.

 

[irdeggman]

Are you claiming the intent of the rule is for it to ONLY apply to creatures taking actions, and not to non-creatures like traps?

You can't ready an action outside of initiative order.

The key on this one is the fact that

Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.

I don't see a problem with substituting "trap" or "monster" for "character", but the limit of you have to be in an initiative order already before you can change the result still applies.