Short Answer: Yes.
Long Answer:
Ready
The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun. Readying is a standard action. It does not provoke an attack of opportunity (though the action that you ready might do so).
Readying an ActionYou can ready a standard action, a move action, a swift action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, anytime before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character's activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied 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
In your scenario though, a charge lets you move double your movement, so the readied action could trigger after the guy moves 30 feet, but then the guy continues charging the additional 5 feet. Also, if you ready this attack-and-five-foot action, you cannot otherwise move... so it'll only work if you start exactly double move distance from the other guy and only for one turn. Though maybe one more turn if the attacker tries to use a five foot to get close and the defender has readies to back up if the attacker comes near them. But then the attacker should figure it out for turn 3 and just use a move action.
The next turn, the one guy can 'ready action to run away if the guy moves towards me', sure, but that's just how the game works. It turns into a chase that is based on endurance rolls eventually.
There is no way for the defender to continually get a free attack-and-five-foot-away while the attacker is kept out of range and unable to attack.
Yes it's possible to 5ft step in a readied action and yes that could mess up a charge of the attacker. This specific situation is avoided if you charge to overun someone as it would just postpone the attempt to a later square.
I would also demand that the player readying the action would state where he/she will take the 5 ft step in advance as this is a readied action. And when the commoner does not charge the problem is non-existant.
And when one readies an action and the other draws a bow and fires the second commoner looks pretty stupid.
The rules allow a lot of possible actions and someone readying an action instead of taking advantage of the initiative might make a costly mistake or a brilliant action, because he/she got inside the adversaries head.
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My favourite readied action I saw someone use is "I ready to move 30' away from the party if an AoE spell is cast on us."
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Pretty sure there was a thread about this awhile ago. There was some logic as to why it was eventually an ineffective tactic, but I can't remember what it was.
My favourite readied action I saw someone use is "I ready to move 30' away from the party if an AoE spell is cast on us."
This is hilarious - does that work? It sounds like it might!
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I don't think you guys are getting my point. If this is the way combat works in Golarion, NO ONE WOULD EVER FIGHT ANYONE. Because attacks would _always_ lose.
And it has nothing to do with movement speed either, the reaction is "when I am attacked" You only get one move, and move attack action per turn. If you are attacking your move action is ended. You cannot continue a move after the interruption.
Keep in mind that the person readying an action is effectively not doing anything because of it. It's a standard action to ready, meaning that as long as he's readying to "counterattack if I'm approached, and then 5-foot step" he can't do anything else.
Once you've noticed that the enemy has used this tactic a couple of times, it's not hard to believe that your adventurer would adjust to it. So instead of moving in to attack, you pull out a crossbow or bow and shoot him, or flip a dagger at him. It may not be as effective, sure, but you'll do damage to him if you hit, and in return he . . . wasted his turn, because you didn't trigger his action. If he does it again the next round, shoot him again; even if you're not built for it, unless he does something other than ready, he'll die before you do. :P
Also, the idea that you're going to be in a lot of one-on-one fights generally isn't how the system works out. If the guy keeps readying like that, then have an ally move in and trigger first - then you move in, and he can't do anything about it at that point.
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Pretty sure there was a thread about this awhile ago. There was some logic as to why it was eventually an ineffective tactic, but I can't remember what it was.
My favourite readied action I saw someone use is "I ready to move 30' away from the party if an AoE spell is cast on us."This is hilarious - does that work? It sounds like it might!
It might if the character has spellcraft and successfully identifies the spell...however, if the GM rules that targeting does not have to be set until the spell goes off, then the caster may just target the character after he moves...
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It might if the character has spellcraft and successfully identifies the spell...however, if the GM rules that targeting does not have to be set until the spell goes off, then the caster may just target the character after he moves...Pretty sure there was a thread about this awhile ago. There was some logic as to why it was eventually an ineffective tactic, but I can't remember what it was.
My favourite readied action I saw someone use is "I ready to move 30' away from the party if an AoE spell is cast on us."This is hilarious - does that work? It sounds like it might!
I'd happily take that hit if it means the enemy just wasted a fireball on just hitting one party member.
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Just think about the consequences in real life if you could do this. Boxing wouldn't be a sport, because it would be impossible. MMA wouldn't be a sport, because it would be impossible. Fighting in melee general wouldn't be possible. Two samurai run into each other on an ill beaten path. They draw their swords... and stand there until one of them dies from thirst.
All of which could actually happen in real life. Just because everyone is capable of doing a thing doesn't mean they'll do it.
It's possible for two boxers to just stay on the defensive. Boring, but possible.
It's also possible for everyone to take of their clothes and decide that the world in underpopulated and that must be remedied right now. Not boring, but still possible.
Neither happens very often though.
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One readies the action "Attack and 5-ft step back when attacked".
The other charges, and his attack is interrupted.
Peasant b merely charges 35 feet instead of 30 feet. There's nothing in the charge rules about your opponent having to move still.
Technically you don't even need to move in a strait line, so if your hasted opponent uses a held action to dart 30 feet to your left, you veer with him.
Okay... everyone on your side does it. Now it's impossible to engage, yet again. Just think about the consequences in real life if you could do this. Boxing wouldn't be a sport, because it would be impossible. MMA wouldn't be a sport, because it would be impossible. Fighting in melee general wouldn't be possible. Two samurai run into each other on an ill beaten path. They draw their swords... and stand there until one of them dies from thirst.
That works if both sides are doing something like.
Bob you get orc #1.Joe you get orc #2.
Dave you get orc #3.
As opposed to the far more common tactic of. Everyone pound on orc #1 till it dies. Orc #1 gets to avoid attack #1, then gets beat to a pulp. And this assumes both sides are melee only - toss a ranged attacker in there, spell caster, etc. What readied actions do the orcs use now to avoid all possible damage sources?
Two samurai run into each other on an ill beaten path. They draw their swords... and stand there until one of them dies from thirst.
I think Golgo 13 found himself in this very situation. It took all day to get resolved. I think in the end he took the less optimal action, because whoever took the most optimal action first was sure to die.
Okay... everyone on your side does it. Now it's impossible to engage, yet again. Just think about the consequences in real life if you could do this. Boxing wouldn't be a sport, because it would be impossible. MMA wouldn't be a sport, because it would be impossible. Fighting in melee general wouldn't be possible. Two samurai run into each other on an ill beaten path. They draw their swords... and stand there until one of them dies from thirst.
Boxing would be a sport, because one boxer would simply advance until he had backed the other into a corner. With the grid system in play, at that point, he's boxed in by the attacker and the ropes, and can no longer five-foot step. That actually happens quite a bit in boxing - it's one of the reasons why we have the phrase "got him on the ropes". MMA would function the same way - back them into a corner of the octagon and now they've got nowhere else to go. In fact if you look into it, I'm sure you'd find that those artificial barriers - the ropes and the cage - were put in place for that specific reason.
As to the Samurai example, you're again presenting something that does not happen frequently in-game - a one-on-one duel. However, I'd point out that the idea that they'll just stand there until they die is unrealistic; one of them is eventually going to make a move, even if it's not the optimal attack, because to do otherwise would be cowardice.
Lots of ways to get around. It can be an effective tactic, but it's by no means insurmountable. The fact that it limits you to a single attack per round is a huge factor.
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If my opponent readies to attack me and step away, I can move right up to him and ready my own attack. If he simply re-readies when his initiative comes up, then on my turn I can attack. It will trigger his attack and step, but I can now (since I haven't moved) step with him and deliver a full attack to his single attack.
@OP: Yes, you can. No, this doesn't not result in "attacker auto-loses" unless the attacker is a moron.
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That's not RAW. Once the charge is complete, it's complete. The readied action is when attacked, movement is over. You can't re-continue movement.One readies the action "Attack and 5-ft step back when attacked".
The other charges, and his attack is interrupted.Peasant b merely charges 35 feet instead of 30 feet. There's nothing in the charge rules about your opponent having to move still.
Technically you don't even need to move in a strait line, so if your hasted opponent uses a held action to dart 30 feet to your left, you veer with him.
It ends up being a GM call.
You ready an action to move if attacked. An enemy charges you. Your readied action goes off when the attack occurs at the end of the opponent's movement, and you move out of range of the attack. The problem is that when the charge resumes, the attack is no longer legal since the attacker must be adjacent to the target at the end of the charge, so the attack could not have happened. It is a becomes a bit of a paradox.
My ruling would be that the charge movement continues if they have sufficient movement.
Remember that Paizo is a big proponent of using real-world reasoning when making judgement calls. What you are suggesting is that someone would be able to sidestep 5 feet in the instance an attack occurs. While I have seen some fencers and martial artists with very fast footwork, I have never seen move their entire body 5 feet in the same amount of time as it takes to make an attack.
It is a becomes a bit of a paradox.
That's because it is a paradox by design. Readied actions require rewinding time because they are triggered by actions but occur before their triggers. Breaking causality is no big deal in games like Magic: The Gathering, but in a game like Pathfinder it's guaranteed to create ridiculous situations like the Eternal 5-Foot Stepper.
Attackers still (usually) have plenty of ways to get around E5FS, but I'm inclined to allow an interrupted actor to modify their action within the bounds of their remaining action economy--it just doesn't make much sense otherwise. This would be a house rule, of course.
Adding the ability to negate an approaching monsters entire turn to that already one-sided benefit is overbearing.
You keep stating this, but the fact is that it's simply not true. Monsters have ranged attacks just like everyone else; a Fighter who does nothing but use this tactic is going to wind up getting toasted from range. Additionally, monsters also work in groups, just like everyone else. A readied action can, at most, negate the attacks of a single monster; the first foe who approaches will trigger, but as soon as his friend comes up, the Fighter with the readied action is out of luck because he only gets to trigger his readied action once.
As someone who plays Pathfinder regularly, and GMs games regularly, I can say with certainty that based on my experiences you're greatly overstating how hindering this tactic is. Is it useful? Yes. Is it an instant "I win" button or something that negates combat? Nope, because someone who tries to use it as their sole, or even their primary, tactic winds up filled with arrows, covered in acid, and set on fire.
But the thing is, you don't know what his readied action is. So how would you even know if he readied to attack you when you are in range, or when you attacked him?
I'd know he had an action that he didn't do anything obvious with.
And for your scenario to work, it would require you to re-ready your attack as well.
Nope. Follow along.
<turn 1>
Character A: readies.
Character B: moves adjacent to A. If A had readied to attack when B moves into range, that attack occurs now before B attacks and A steps away. B, who hasn't attacked yet, can continue the move and attack A.
If A's readied trigger is "B attacks", A is still standing there ready. B remembers that A apparently did nothing on A's turn and suspects some sort of readied action. B readies an action himself to strike at B if B does anything other than delay.
<turn 2>
Character A: readied action was not triggered, so according to the rules, "If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your readied action, you don't get to take the readied action (though you can ready the same action again)." A can re-ready his action at this point, or so something else. If he does anything other than delay, he triggers B's readied attack. Let's say instead that he readies again without triggering B's readied attack.
Character B: B's readied attack hasn't triggered either (unless it actually did, see above). B attacks A, triggering A's attack and step away. B now steps 5 feet and full attacks A.
Worst case, A gets one attack on B before B attacks A. This is fair, as A had the initiative. Best case, B gets a readied attack on A and then another as A does something that provokes.
And then it turns into this giant stalemate, yet again. Of everyone readying an attack to attack when attacked.
Only if the triggers are so chosen.
Also, it removes charge from the game, unless the person charging was able to do it turn 1 before the opponent had a chance to react.
Only the foolish or overconfident charge ready opponents.
It's already standard protocol to have monsters approach you, over approaching them, because you get a full attack and they don't. Adding the ability to negate an approaching monsters entire turn to that already one-sided benefit is overbearing.
Other systems I've seen prevent this by when you take damage, your ability to perform well lessons, so it helps people who make the first attack. But meh.
That's an entirely different discussion about how you're 100% combat efficient until you're at 0 hit points or below.
In reality, by RAW (because you can't change time, and readied actions are rewinds), your example works as follows:
Turn 1
A readies.
B moves.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks 5ft steps
B cannot attack, therefore loses his action.Turn 2
A readies.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks 5ft steps
B cannot attack, therefore loses his action.
That last sentence is wrong. B hasn't moved, so he can five-foot step before, during, or after any attack in his full-attack sequence. B five foot steps and makes his attack.
Turn 1
A readies.
B moves.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks 5ft steps
B cannot attack, therefore loses his action.Turn 2
A readies.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks 5ft steps
B cannot attack, therefore loses his action.
This is easily rectified by B simply moving up to A and readying to attack A if A attacks B.
The cycle is then broken, as if A attacks B, B gets to attack and 5' back, but A can follow with a 5' step and complete her attack. It's the same for if B attacks A at this point.
@digitalpacman
Round 1:
A readies to attack/5' step when attacked.
B moves in.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks, steps away.
B attack fails cause target is out of range.
Round 2:
A readies to attack/5' step when attacked
B moves in, readies an action to attack if A does anything other than delay.
Round 3:
A's action didn't trigger.
A can continue to try the same strategy in which case
:: B attacks on his turn
:: A trigger goes off, attacks, 5' steps
:: B has just started his full attack, takes a 5' step (as allowed before, during, or after a full attack) and full attacks A.
OR
A just attacks B
:: B action triggers and he attacks A. If B 5' steps A just follows like B would have in the previous example
:: A completes his full attack on B
:: On round 4 B is now first because of how readied actions place init order, and he full attacks A
The stalemate is over by round 3 with the following results.
A got 1 attack on round 1.
Neither got any attacks on round 2.
B gets a full attack on round 3 and A either got one attack if he attempted to continue the tactic, or he got a full attack if he abandoned it.
Net result is that at best A got in one extra attack. At worst, depending on the number of attacks B gets, he is behind several.
That's not RAW. Once the charge is complete, it's complete. The readied action is when attacked, movement is over. You can't re-continue movement.One readies the action "Attack and 5-ft step back when attacked".
The other charges, and his attack is interrupted.Peasant b merely charges 35 feet instead of 30 feet. There's nothing in the charge rules about your opponent having to move still.
Technically you don't even need to move in a strait line, so if your hasted opponent uses a held action to dart 30 feet to your left, you veer with him.
This is inorrect. Readied actios interupt the flow of play.
If Bob Charges Susan, and Susan has a readied action to Attack and foot step back, When Susan acts she interupts Bob's turn. She then finishes her action at which point Bobs turn Resumes.
Look at this another way, If Bob has a bow and has a readied action to shoot anyone walking between Two points (we'll say a 15 foot gap in trees) And some ORc waks by the Orc gets shot and his move action does not suddenly end. the orc gets to finish his action. This is the same with the charge action.
That said i am unsure of Bignorse wolfs declaration that you dont have to charge in a straight line. Its late and im too sleepy to look it up.
ubiquitous already solved your stalemate. B simply 5'-steps during his impending attack.
It is my understanding that one must charge "directly toward the designated opponent." and "You must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent." It seems to me that one's opponent taking a 5ft step isn't going to get him out of the way of most melee attackers. Simply stepping out of the line of the charge won't do it (unless the attacker is rolling a barrel or something).
I remember someone posted a diagram made by SKR illustrating this principle.
What got me to thinking was; what if someone readied an attack against a well-armored opponent, and wanted to take advantage of a possibly lower AC if that opponent power attacked? Would the -2 apply to the attacker (A) if (B) has a readied action "In case he power attacks me"...?
Cycle isn't broken. It becomes a 100% perfect stalemate, which is where I say this is broken. It's either defender wins, or no one wins. Because the only counter to it, is itself, and it, in itself, is abstaining from attacking.Turn 1
A readies.
B moves.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks 5ft steps
B cannot attack, therefore loses his action.Turn 2
A readies.
B attacks.
A triggers, attacks 5ft steps
B cannot attack, therefore loses his action.This is easily rectified by B simply moving up to A and readying to attack A if A attacks B.
The cycle is then broken, as if A attacks B, B gets to attack and 5' back, but A can follow with a 5' step and complete her attack. It's the same for if B attacks A at this point.
Initiative Consequences of Readying: Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied action.
Your cycle of events only works that way if A has a higher initiative modifier than B, or is able to win the tie every time the initiative count. Otherwise your cycle becomes this:
Round 1
A readies
B moves
B attacks
A triggers, attacks 5-foot steps and drops in initiative count
Round 2
B 5-foot steps and makes a full-round attack
A does something else.
If A moves: A takes an attack
If A 5-foot steps and readies to attack against an attack, then A has surrendered an attack and can no longer back away.
That's not RAW. Once the charge is complete, it's complete.
THIS is whats not raw.
The readied action is when attacked, movement is over. You can't re-continue movement.
Charge is not movement and an attack. It is a charge.
Your way of doing it makes the game completely unplayable. You wind up with immortal tap dancing kobolds that can't be killed by a barbarian under 6th level because they just ready an action to stab and step away as they're swung at.
Gronk the first level barbarian is coming after a kobold. The kobold wins initiative. The kobold holds an action to wait for Gronks attack, at which point the kobold will stab gronk with his dagger and 5 foot step away.
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.
Gronk advances 25 feet and attempts to swing. The kobold stabs gronk with his dagger and steps back 5 feet.
What you're saying is that Gronks turn is over. He has both moved and attacked. Furthermore the kobold can KEEP doing this, because his initiative score stays above gronks.
If gronk holds his action, The Kobolds actions are triggered on gronks ATTACK. Not gronk's presence in the square next to him. So what happens there is gronk moves up to the kobold and holds. The kobold holds.Gronk isn't attacking so the Kobolds attack/step actions don't happen so gronk doesn't attack. Gronk holds. The pair share a LONG few moments of awkward silence gazing into each others eyes. The party bard starts playing "Caaan you feel the love tonight" in the backrgound. When the rules interpretation winds up at an elton john number you know someone screwed up....
Does A have to choose where he 5 Ft steps to ahead of time?
Squirrel: Nope.
For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
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That's not RAW. Once the charge is complete, it's complete. The readied action is when attacked, movement is over. You can't re-continue movement.One readies the action "Attack and 5-ft step back when attacked".
The other charges, and his attack is interrupted.Peasant b merely charges 35 feet instead of 30 feet. There's nothing in the charge rules about your opponent having to move still.
Technically you don't even need to move in a strait line, so if your hasted opponent uses a held action to dart 30 feet to your left, you veer with him.
A charge isn't move+attack. It is a single action.
Charge
Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. Charging, however, carries tight restrictions on how you can move.
You must stop moving when you attack, but the readied action pre-empt your attack, so you aren't forced to stop when attacked.
Then there is the little problem of what kind of trigger your guy has selected.
A charge is a single action that include an attack. So, when is attacked our target guy?
- when the action start, i.e. when the charge start
- or when the attack roll is rolled
If we consider the charge action an attack, the guy will act when the attacker start his move and waste his readied action.
- * -
Again the trigger:
After the first time a guy has readied this way and I have seen what he is doing I can circle around him outside his reach and go my merry way. His trigger is my attack, not my movement. After mty normal move I would ready an action with the trigger of "as soon as he is in reach".
Now it is up to him to follow me and attack, eating my readied action or to let me pass unmolested.
- * -
You want to look it with real world eyes: in the real world fighting defensively on the retreat is done and up to a point it work. Backing up while menacing your opponent with your weapon happen.
Until you are slowed by the terrain (no 5' step in difficult terrain, your samurai on a "on an ill beaten path" probably will be unable to take a 5' step.
And BTW, for samurai, Iaijutsu is the solution to this problem. You try to beat the other guy perception drawing your katana and striking before he had the time to react.
And in the real world rushing the opponent, i.e. charging it, is one of the solutions to that kind of defensive tactic.
- * -
And one last thing: technically you can ready an action only if the fight has started. So your guy need to have won the initiative and use this tactic in the first round or during the surprise round for it to work.
The combat rules is an abstraction. And the turn based system can be hard to get.
You dont have to declare that your movement ended. You Can move and attack and if the guy you attack is not there any more then you did not attack and you Can move more if you have more move or you Can do somthing else with your standart action.
At least that is ho www play it.
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If i need to pick between the space time continuum in my game and my game I'll bust spacetime every time.
I think the text of Readied Action is missing a word. Not sure if this is a typo or what, but I believe the RAI is "The action occurs just before the action that triggers it resolves."
If I ready to shoot the first orc that enters the room, an orc must be in the middle of using his move action to enter the room. If I'm shooting before the orc enters the room, then there is nothing for me to shoot at. But as it plays out the orc has used his move action to enter the room. As he is in the process of doing so and before he finishes him move, I get to shoot him as his action carries him into the room.
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Round 1
Adam is 60 feet away from Blaze
Adam wins initiative and readies an action to attack Blaze and 5 feet step away.
Blaze charges towards Adam but just before she can strike Adam takes his readied action and 5 feet steps backwards. Adam is no longer in reach and has used up his 60 feet of movement anyway, so he doesn't get his attack.
Yep, Adam has been clever here!
Round 2
Adam is 10 feet from Blaze (i.e. not adjacent)
Adam again readies to attack Blaze and 5 feet step away should she attack him.
Blaze moves (not 5 feet steps) to be adjacent to Adam and goes to attack - but Adam once again calls in his readied action and attacks Blaze and steps out of reach.
At this stage, it is debatable whether Blaze could trade in her attack as she has not actually taken it and instead move, or even continue her move action, but for now lets assume that is not possible - she committed to the attack and thus finished her move and took her standard action.
Round 3
Adam is 10 feet from Blaze (i.e. not adjacent)
Adam again readies to attack Blaze and 5 feet step away.
Blaze starts to catch on to what Adam is doing and moves adjacent to him and readies an action to attack Adam if he attacks her or attempts to move away (she cannot also ready to step up as she moved)
Round 4
Adam and Blaze begin this round adjacent to one another.
Adam didn't get to take his last readied action, but again readies to attack Blaze and 5 feet step away should she attack him.
Blaze readies an action to attack Adam if he attacks her or attempts to move away and to 5 feet step after him if needed.
This could now be a stalemate[i]
Round 5
Adam and Blaze begin this round adjacent to one another.
Adam again readies to attack Blaze and 5 feet step away.
Blaze begins to suspect Adam is going to continue this all day and so decides instead to perform a full attack and (if below +6 BAB) does two weapon fighting.
Blaze's first attack triggers Adam's readied action and he steps back. Blaze then 5 feet steps as part of her full attack and attacks.
[i]It is debateable whether Blaze's attack would be her first attack which was interrupted (but as you can take a 5 feet step during a full attack it could be argued she could take the 5 feet step and finish the first attack that she started).
But even if the GM does not allow that Blaze could get her second attack in on Adam
So, it doesn't have to be a complete stalemate, though if Adam and Blaze are in a completely unenclosed area, Adam has no motive other than stay alive and Blaze needs to defeat Adam, then it could drag out.
However, in most situations, Adam would eventually get boxed in and wouldn't be able to take a 5 feet step without staying within Blaze's reach. Also, Blaze may have allies (either present or soon to arrive). Or maybe Blaze just needs to get Adam away from the door he is guarding, or keep him at bay until her friends can disable a trap / kidnap someone / steal something.
Squirrel: Nope.
For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
There's two ways to interpret that.
1. For the rest of the encounter you act on the same initiative count, starting immediately.
2. For the rest of the encounter you act on the same initiative count. Your readied actions is immediately ahead of the character who triggered your readied action.
The wording to me suggest the latter because if it wanted to be number 1, there is a far clearer possible wording.
"For the rest of the encounter you act on the initiative count immediately ahead of the character whose action you triggered with your reading action, which is when you take your readied action."
There are other ways to do it, but separating the clauses like that was the wrong way.
Squirrel: Nope.
For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
There's two ways to interpret that.
1. For the rest of the encounter you act on the same initiative count, starting immediately.
2. For the rest of the encounter you act on the same initiative count. Your readied actions is immediately ahead of the character who triggered your readied action.The wording to me suggest the latter because if it wanted to be number 1, there is a far clearer possible wording.
"For the rest of the encounter you act on the initiative count immediately ahead of the character whose action you triggered with your reading action, which is when you take your readied action."
There are other ways to do it, but separating the clauses like that was the wrong way.
#1 is absolutely the correct mechanic.
The section where they discuss readied actions in the combat rules is called Special Initiative Actions. Note the description of that section:
Here are ways to change when you act during combat by altering your place in the initiative order.
Under the Ready section just below that, you'll note this:
Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your readied action, you don't get to take the readied action (though you can ready the same action again). If you take your readied action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.
Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your readied action, you don't get to take the readied action (though you can ready the same action again). If you take your readied action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.
You might want to scroll 13 posts up the page to see where I also quote that section.