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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Felix" data-source="post: 1393165" data-attributes="member: 3929">I think somewhere along the line what I said was misread.A is a sword and board fighter.B is a "polearm twink".A wins initiative.Round 1:A: Ready an action to Step In 5' and attack when polearm twink attacks me.B: Move 20' (MEA) to close the distance and attack A (Standard Action).---Trigger Ready Action---B can no longer move this round because he has ended his MEA, and has declared his standard action. He attacks a square that is no longer occupied.Round 2:A: Ready action to 5' step and attack when B attacks me.B: 5' Step back (to avoid AoO for moving out of threatened square) and attack A---Trigger Ready Action---A attacks B on ready action. B has declared his Standard action and attacks an unoccupied square. Nor can he move any more that round because he has already taken a 5' step.Round 3:A: Ready an action to move 5' and attack when B attacks.B: This guy doesn't know the ready action is triggered when he attacks. So to fool A he declares that he moves 5' back, but as part of a MEA, not a 5' step. A gets an AoO. B sees that A hasn't followed him, so he moves 5' left (for kicks) and attacks A.---Trigger Readied Action---A moves 5' to close with B and attacks. B has moved and used his Standard action. He's buggered.The point of all of this is that the only way that the polearm twink can extracate himself is by withdrawing and going on the defensive... himself readying actions. He is utterly uncapable of scoring a hit because the ready action is triggered by an attack. The polearm character must be only 5' away to attack, so a 5' step will always get the sword and board guy right next to the polearmer and will allow him to attack. Any time the polearmer tries to attack, his prey won't be there anymore.Meaning: An intelligent enemy (or PC) that knows this tactic can render a polearmer worthless on the offensive. By trading his iterative attacks (if any), the polearmer is denied any successful attacks. If the polearmer goes first, the only thing that changes is the polearmer gets in one attack before the sword-and-board begins readying actions.This is perfectly fine with the RAW, and actually works concerning flavor, I think. Polearms always were defensive weapons; this tactic simply makes them much less powerful on the aggressive offensive. It's prime virtue is that of quieting tripper/polearm twinks with a quickness.</blockquote>

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