Using Ready to get out of the way ?

[James McMurray]

Stuff like this allows the silly manoever for a polearm twink to ready a 5ft step back and an attack as soon as the enemy attacks him... So the other guy closes, wants to attack but no, the polearm dude evades and hits him...

Your ready question sounds much more sensible to me.

You can only ready a single standard or fre action. A 5' step plus an attack is not a single standard or more action. Even if it were possible, it would only work once. After that, you have to move away, and you cannot take a 5' step when you move away. Your opponent will also get an AoO on you if you move and ready, because you didn't take the withdraw action. If you do take the withdraw action, he'll just charge you.

The only way this "silly maneuver" allows a "polearm twink" to do anything is if the DM doesn't know the rules.

 

[0-hr]

You can only ready a single standard or fre action. A 5' step plus an attack is not a single standard or more action. Even if it were possible, it would only work once.

You could ready a 5ft step plus an attack if you didn't already move that round. In fact, you don't even have to mention the step - it can be added on or not as necessary whent he action is triggered.

As an aside, can you still ready "partial" charges in 3.5?

 

[shilsen]

As an aside, can you still ready "partial" charges in 3.5?

Nope. It doesn't exist as a separate maneuver and the charge description says it is only usable if you are restricted to a single standard or move action on your turn.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The only way this "silly maneuver" allows a "polearm twink" to do anything is if the DM doesn't know the rules.

Oops.

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

-Hyp.

 

[Plane Sailing]

DMG p17 suggests that the DM gives descriptions that give PC's an idea of the kind of actions that people are taking. One example is "He's got his weapon trained on that area, obviously waiting for something".

Just as PC's are allowed to get an idea of what NPC's are readying, the same is true vice versa.

If a PC is readying an action for something it is highly reasonable that the enemy will have a chance of noticing that he is readying an action and the gist of what he is doing. Readying covering fire, readying a spear against charge, readying to move will all be quite obvious actions IMO, but at worst it would be a Sense Motive against Bluff to notice what was going on.

So, IMC if someone wanted to ready a move action to run away when a dragon charged, he'd better be a bard or rogue with a good bluff skill... and with a typical Very Old red dragon having sense motive +37 or thereabouts it isn't a great tactic against the very old guys...

 

[James McMurray]

Oops. You;d think I'd have learned by now to read before I post. But then again, is a bit hard to read the DMG when posting from work.

And of course, when you move away and ready, your foe can plainly see that you are waiting for something to happen. It isn't that big of a stretch to imagine that you're wanting to hit him with your weapon, or are setting it against a charge. Why would anyone charge in that situation?

 

[Hypersmurf]

But then again, is a bit hard to read the DMG when posting from work.

That's what the online SRD's for

And of course, when you move away and ready, your foe can plainly see that you are waiting for something to happen. It isn't that big of a stretch to imagine that you're wanting to hit him with your weapon, or are setting it against a charge. Why would anyone charge in that situation?

Because we're barbarians! It's what we do!

-Hyp.

 

[James McMurray]

Yep, but when I'm using a break at work, I can either do an indepth study of one post, or I can read a bunch. The second option is much more interesting.

Because we're barbarians! It's what we do!

I suppose if you're a stupid barbarian its what you do. But I try to avoid playing tupid characters, and stupid NPCs are not a challenge for my players, so I usually avoid them as well.

 

[0-hr]

And of course, when you move away and ready, your foe can plainly see that you are waiting for something to happen. It isn't that big of a stretch to imagine that you're wanting to hit him with your weapon, or are setting it against a charge. Why would anyone charge in that situation?

I agree. It is probably obvious when you set your weapon against a charge, so the opposition then probably isn't going to charge. It basically gives them the choice:

1) just move and attack (or double move this turn and attack next). In this even, you've both postponed the violence for a few seconds.
or
2) charge but suffer the set weapon.


I really like the idea of using bluff for this sort of thing, especially vs old dragons;

1) Player readies to move to the side if the dragon charges.

2) Dragon beats player's bluff and so knows this. He instead fakes a (single move) charge and then breaths on the player's new location.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I agree. It is probably obvious when you set your weapon against a charge, so the opposition then probably isn't going to charge.

Ah, but that's why you have to get clever

The Ready action is a standard action. You can Ready a standard action. You use the Ready action to set a spear against a charge. A set spear is probably obvious.

So on your turn, you don't use the Ready action to set your spear against a charge; you use the Ready action to Ready a Ready action to set your spear against a charge.

That way, if they figure out "He's ready for something... but he obviously doesn't have a set spear, so I can charge him!", you catch them by surprise when their charge triggers your Readied Ready action...!



There're a couple of cinematic examples.

Readied action: Set spear against charge: The 13th Warrior. "Put your foot on it! And stand!"

Readied action: Ready Ready action to set spear against charge: Braveheart. "Hold... hoooo-old... now!"

In the first case, it's pretty obvious that they've set their spears. In the second case, it's not. They're waiting for something, but it's not immediately clear just what it is.

-Hyp.