D&D 5E (2014) Take the Ready action.

[MarkB]

Thanks!
Re: 2, I don't see how that's different from what I said, sorry. It's an intentionally suboptimal option you generally shouldn't be using that's confusing given similar options in previous editions were solid. That should be highlighted. But I totally agree that it needs a explicit bullet-point list of things that you can/can't do.

I feel like it's one of the worse pieces of design in 5E for several reaons really:

1) Yeah no explicit list of how it works, just a sort of mumbly and confused three paragraphs.
2) Secretly limits you to one attack without explaining that - you have to infer it - most players, even smart ones, do not - many DMs do not.
3) Weird usage of Concentration that comes out of nowhere and is never used again, feels like it's from an earlier edition.
4) Doesn't explain that it's intentionally limited - the natural assumption is that you're not taking an action so you can take an action later, but it's a not true, you're not taking an action so that you can specify how you want to use your Reaction, in a really limited way that isn't properly explain.

Awful.

Re: Dash yeah it is confusing. It wasn't until I played BG3 that I realized how it was supposed to work - in practical terms it always worked fine without knowing that, though.

Also, the fact that it uses your reaction means that you lose it if you take any other reaction, including an opportunity attack.

On the other hand (and this is also something that will trip up people more used to older editions) it doesn't change your position in the initiative. So, even if your readied action isn't triggered until the foe whose turn comes just before yours, you'll still get to take your own turn immediately afterwards.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

It basically screws the players in absolutely every way possible. You only get a move OR an action, you only get ONE attack if you take the attack option (which is bullcrap given you can cast a spell like Eldritch Blast and will get all your attacks with that, or use another cantrip which gets full damage which is equivalent to multiple attacks).

I see your point, but the way I view the Readying and why it's literally only half-as-good as actually using whatever - Move, Attack, etc - is I see the character putting themself into a reactive position. To me, a good analogy would be the 'spy' defensive player in football, who's job is to cover if there's a delay on a running play. He sits and basically hovers, watching for someone - usually a QB - to tuck the ball and run. While he's doing that, he's not dropping back into coverage (possibly leaving an uncovered receiver) and he's also not rushing the ball (possibly losing out on having an extra rusher). It's a risk, and I wouldn't say it's optimal.

By Readying, the PC is just sitting there, mentally prepping that 'Okay, the orc's going to charge in. When he does that, I will do X', or 'When Player Y takes his move, I'll move with him' which helps with some defensive abilities like a Protection fighter. YMMV

 

[Oofta]

Also, the fact that it uses your reaction means that you lose it if you take any other reaction, including an opportunity attack.

On the other hand (and this is also something that will trip up people more used to older editions) it doesn't change your position in the initiative. So, even if your readied action isn't triggered until the foe whose turn comes just before yours, you'll still get to take your own turn immediately afterwards.

Technically you can use your reaction for another reason as long as you haven't used it yet. You still, of course, only have one reaction per round.

I don't think readied actions are a trap option just because it's generally the better option to not use them. It's useful occasionally, keeps turns with corresponding begin and end of turn clean.

It also keeps the game flowing better and is less complex. They could have explained it a bit better but overall I like it better.

 

[Charlaquin]

That’s not right. You get these things in a round: action, move, bonus action, reaction. You can both move and act.

Yes, on your turn. You can’t move when it isn’t your turn, except with the Ready action.

 

[Asisreo]

As far as I can tell, and I'm pretty sure this is the case, the Ready action is the rare example of an intentionally designed "trap" option, or more generously, "intentionally suboptimal" option in 5E.

In general in 5E they work hard to try and make stuff equal, or where something isn't, they signpost it.

With Ready, for some reason they refused to signpost that it was a trap choice, and they made it really outstandingly bad.

I think its a smart design choice as the Ready action really should be a niche action option, otherwise players (especially those playing spellcasters) will feel overwhelmed with "Should I cast Fireball now or ready it?" Not that that isn't already a decision, but with concentration tacked onto it, it makes actually waiting for your turn more likely and it prevents everyone from readying to attack Out of Turn all the time.

From a transparency POV, its a failure. Not only do they not say its a poor choice in most scenarios, the reason why its a poor choice is either in a completely different chapter of the book (readying a spell) or hidden behind easily dismissed jargon. "What do you mean I can't use extra attack? Wait, only one attack?! This is bogus, why would I ever do this?"

 

[Asisreo]

Yes, on your turn. You can’t move when it isn’t your turn, except with the Ready action.

I think what they're trying to say is that you can only use the Ready action to either a) take an action (dash) or b) move.

If you take the Ready Action to dash, you've cannot then use that same Ready Action to move.

Of course, the logical sequence is to Dash on your turn but Ready a movement (assuming you can do both at once like a Rogue).

But if you use your action to Ready a Dash, there is no way to capitalize because the Ready action you used was already made to be a dash and not movement.

 

[Reynard]

Of course, the logical sequence is to Dash on your turn but Ready a movement (assuming you can do both at once like a Rogue).

The extra movement from Dash specifically only applies on your turn. It does no good to use an action to Dash then ready a move.

 

[ECMO3]

Hey, all! Been a long time!

So, I searched the forums and scanned a few threads. Started a conversation with my group and now I'm overthinking it.

It seems that when you take the Ready action, all you can reasonably use your reaction to do is move up to your speed, make one attack, cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, or use an object.

I understand the rules to imply that taking the Ready action allows me to use any of the other standard actions listed under "Actions in Combat" when I take my triggered reaction, but in reality that's not exactly true given the limited benefits.

• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Dash.
• You don't benefit by taking the Ready action to Disengage.
• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Dodge, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could technically benefit by taking the the Ready action to Help, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could technically benefit by taking the Ready action to Hide, but why would you wait before you act?
• You could maybe benefit by taking the Ready action to Search given the corner case scenario.

I felt as though the precedent of previous editions was informing an assumptive understanding, but now that I look closer I see that Ready hasn't exactly changed, it's just that two thirds of the options aren't really options. Am I misunderstanding something?

Usually I find it is because you are waiting for someone else to act or something up to happen, basically to rearrange the initiative order or get in a better/different attack.

I use my ready action to attack the first enemy who enters my reach (instead of using a missile weapon or doing something else).

I shoot my bow as soon as the enemy Rogue comes out from behind cover.

I use the ready action to move into the castle as soon as my ally raises the porticullis.

I ready the hide action after my ally casts fog cloud.

I also find the DM uses it more than players in combat, especially if you have a swashbuckler or other Rogue that uses mobility a lot to kite in and out of combat - The enemy will often ready an action to grapple the Rogue when he enters reach.

 

[ECMO3]

Exactly. You don't actually move when you take the Dash action, you simply unlock extra movement that you can take during your current turn. Using Dash as a readied action does literally nothing - it doesn't even let you move your normal speed.

Dash says "current" turn not player turn:

"When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn. The increase equals your speed ...."

So if you ready a dash action, you take the dash action whenever the trigger happens and get extra movement on that turn when it is triggered. So you can move up to your speed on your turn and ready an action to dash and then move your speed on the turn the trigger event takes place as well.

On a typical character this is going to be up to 30 feet on your turn and up to 30 feet on the turn the trigger event happens. What you can't do is save any movement from your turn. So if you move 10 feet and then ready dash, you can still only move 30 feet when the trigger happens.

I could see using this to lure someone towards you and then moving away before they get to you, thereby wasting their movement.

 

[Mistwell]

I still don't understand why they removed the Delay choice from prior editions. Why would getting a higher initiative count be a punishment sometimes? At the time they said Ready would cover most situations, but it really doesn't.