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It's quite well established that if you ready an action to "attack him if he casts a spell", your attack will (if it hits and deals damage) force a concentration check and thereby potentially cause the spell to fail.
You therefore have two options:
1. The triggering action has already started and is in progress when the readied action happens; or
2. Attacking a spellcaster via a readied action somehow works differently than every other readied action for whatever reason.
So there you go. :)
So what happens if you for example ready an action to go into total defense if someone attacks?
Can the attacker simply switch target then? Can he change his mind and not attack?
No. The attacker chooses "attack target". The act of attacking, the start of that action, is preceded by the interruption of the target's readied action. However, it does not stop the attack from occurring and the attacker already made the decision to attack, so he cannot then change it.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Hm, I thought it would've been clear from my example:
The caster getting attacked doesn't get to change his action; he finishes trying to cast his spell, taking all related consequences: the attack, the damage, the concentration check, the possibility of losing the spell.
It's no different for a non-spellcaster. He doesn't get any more leeway than the spellcaster. He has to try and finish his action, taking all the consequences thereof.
The question is simple: can you change your action if someone readies an action that counters you?
It's simple because you asked the wrong question.
Yes, because if someone readies an action, then you haven't acted yet. They have to ready the action on their turn. Thus, you haven't acted, and you can do whatever.
Footman, Init 10: I ready my spear against a charge. I yell out "Come on then, charge me, I have a spear! HOHO!"
Cavalry, Init 5: I, um, shoot him with my bow.
What you probably meant to ask, was "can you change your action if someone has readied an action that counters you?"
No. You can't take an action, experience the consequences of that action, then change your mind and say you wanted to do something else.
You can't charge the Footman, see that you get impaled, then change your mind and say you ran around him.
So what happens if you for example ready an action to go into total defense if someone attacks?
Can the attacker simply switch target then? Can he change his mind and not attack?
Yes, though again that's probably not what you really meant.
Trikk, Init 10: I ready an action to use Total Defense if Jiggy attacks.
Jiggy, Init 5: I sharpen my comically large pencil.
Otherwise, your readied action would force someone to take another action.
Now, assuming Jiggy doesn't know you readied an action, and he was going to attack you anyway, he can't attack you, find out you've readied an action, then change his mind.
As to whether or not it's obvious what your readied action is, is a DM's call. The orc stands there, battle ready, but takes no obvious action. He could be delaying, he could have readied an action to defend himself, he could have readied an action to hit you if you approach, he could have readied an action to detonate his necklace of fireballs.
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Once you have begun your action and other things have happened as a result, you can, a ) continue your action if you are able (making any choices that are open to you at the time, such as the path you move in or the target of your spell), or b ) decide not to continue, abandon and lose that action. You take the consequences of choosing the action regardless, such as an AC penalty for charging, penalties for Power Attack or two-weapon fighting, and, in this case, triggering the readied action in response.
You decide freely how you use the rest of your actions in the round.
It's quite well established that if you ready an action to "attack him if he casts a spell", your attack will (if it hits and deals damage) force a concentration check and thereby potentially cause the spell to fail.
You therefore have two options:
1. The triggering action has already started and is in progress when the readied action happens; or
2. Attacking a spellcaster via a readied action somehow works differently than every other readied action for whatever reason.So there you go. :)
So what happens if you for example ready an action to go into total defense if someone attacks?
Can the attacker simply switch target then? Can he change his mind and not attack?
The other person should not know what your "ready action" is.
As far as switching targets if you take a full attack action you are allowed to choose the target with each attack so if you are too difficult to hit on the first attack then they could change targets, but it is not based on the ready action, but the fact that they think it is not efficient to attack you.Back to the question:If you can someone find out what the ready action is, which is nigh impossible you can do something different if you action has not been stated. Once you have declared an action most GM's don't allow "take backs".