Use of (Su) ability as free action in combat?

[azhrei_fje]

If you're a player in an Age of Worms campaign (from Dungeon Magazine) stop reading now -- potential spoiler below.
































I saw a new creature in the Dec issue of Dungeon Magazine. Reading through the description of this CR 13 monster makes me wonder about how one of its attacks might work...

The description says that the creature has a Supernatural ability (usable 3 times per round) that can be used as a free action and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. This effect is described as a ray that comes from one of the creature's many eyes ("many" as in "hundreds"! and yes, it gets a Spot bonus).

My two questions: since the use of the eye ray is a free action, can the creature use that effect when it's not the creature's turn?

I'm thinking the answer by RAW is "no"; free actions can only be used on the creature's turn.

Second, can the creature declare a readied action -- "when I see a spellcaster begin casting" -- and then use the eye rays on three different targets before it's next turn comes up in combat? Essentially gaining 3 readied actions...

Maybe an enemy spellcaster at initiative 18 triggers the readied action, so the creature uses an eye ray. But because the eye ray is a free action and because the creature normally gets 3 per round, it's readied action isn't actually used up yet? Could it still use two other eye rays before initiative 18 on the next round? Or maybe if the first eye ray misses, it could use a second eye ray to try for another hit, still on the same readied action? The rays are free, after all, and it is the creature's turn...

I can see arguments for it both ways. One argument AGAINST it would be that the free action is taking up a standard action because of the readied action, so only one eye ray per round. But that doesn't make much sense (to me) if the ray is usually a free action!? And then there's the whole argument about how this interpretation is different from the standard combat rules for readied actions (regardless of whether this particular situation makes sense or not) and so it shouldn't be allowed. Pandora's Box and all that.

Arguments FOR using all 3 eye rays as part of a single readied action iare that they are free actions and therefore take little or no time to activate, and because the creature has little eyeballs all over its body (!) it's not like it even needs to turn its head to look in a particular direction.

What does everyone else think?

 

[Hypersmurf]

1. Unless specifically noted otherwise, a free action can only be used in your turn.

2. Readying an Action: You can ready a standard action, a move action, or a free action.

You can't ready 'three free actions'; you can only Ready one.

You can't ready to cast Quickened True Strike, Quickdraw your greatsword, and attack someone if they cast a spell; you can only ready one of those actions. Likewise, if you ready an eye beam, that's it - one eye beam.

Remember, "The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun." So when the readied action triggers, it is not your turn; you can take the action you readied, but no others - even free actions.

-Hyp.

 

[azhrei_fje]

Okay, thanks.

I'm not convinced that the other "free actions" couldn't happen as part of the readied action, though.

For example, if I ready an attack, can't I still make a free action during the process of attacking? If the creature is specifically defined to be able to use multiple free actions during a round, wouldn't it be able to ready an attack and then use its free actions as well? (Since the free actions would normally happen in the course of the creature taking a standard action for a regular attack roll.)

I'll rule it as you suggest for now, since that does seem to be the RAW. :\

 

[Hypersmurf]

For example, if I ready an attack, can't I still make a free action during the process of attacking?

During your turn, you can take free actions along with a standard action.

A readied action is taken outside of your turn, however; only the action you readied (move, standard, or free) can be taken at that time. Other free actions cannot be taken, just as you cannot take free actions along with an AoO.

-Hyp.