Pretty much what it says on the tin. Can you ready a move action (or a standard with a five-foot step) to move out of the way of an attack?
For example, could you ready an action to five-foot step back if an enemy charges you? Could you ready an action to move out of the range of a spell (or behind total cover) should you notice an enemy casting one at you?
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Yes, you most certainly can. In such a case, if the thing Charging you can not complete the Charge, they miss the attack, but still sufer the penulties (and benefits) for the round.
There are few ways to do this. It can be nasty with a Reach Weapon, too.
1.) you can simply move out of their target area, negating an attack
2.) you can move closer, so they do not qualify for a Charge (they must move at least 10 ft)
3.) with a Reach Weapon, you can simply 5ft step to a position that their charge does not threaten you, but they are forced to move through your new threatened square, and essentualy get t attacks to their 0. This is a bit hard to do though, because it requires them to charge in a cerain way, and for them to continue with the charge after you break their action's turn and move, and you to be in a position that a single 5ft step (free action during your Readied Action to attack when in position) makes you an invalide target for the Charge, after it has started.
Against spells, you realy have to remember to NOT METAGAME. You can Ready an Actin to move a certain distance if they cast a spell and "it" starts comming your way. But, you do not know the difference between a fireball and a "acorn of super spam healing", unless you can Spellcraft the spell. So if you ready an action to move directly backwards 3o feet, hoping to be outside the area of a fireball, and it turns out to be a lightning bolt (continueing straight back to your new position), you don't get to escape it.
Your readied action pre-empts their action.
So while you could do so right before they started to do the trigger, they could then alter things accordingly.
Otherwise readying a 5' step would be the ultimate total defense action against 1 target.
The same reasoning why you can't trip someone on the AOO for them standing up to keep them constantly prone..
-James
So if I ready an action to attack 30 foot away opponent X with my great axe if he charges me... my attack goes off while he is still 30 feet away? How do I hit him then?
Attacks of opportunity always happen immediately before their trigger (thus you can't trip a person standing up because the AoO happens while they are still prone).
Readied action are not attacks of Opportunity and they don't exactly work the same way, a readied action actually interrupts your opponents action, thus in the charge example I would make my attack as soon as the opponent was in range of my melee attack, after which he would finish his charge.
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I think James is a little confussed as to your intent. It also depends on what exactly you ready your action for/against.
If it is to attack someone that charges you, they charge, as soon as you are able to attack, you do, they then attack you.
If it is to move after they charge, then they start their charge, (your readied action is once they charge not before they charge), you then move, they continue their charge. However, you may have just made it impossibly for them to do so. Charging is a full round action. They MUST move in a STRAIGHT LINE, towards their target, AND attack at the first oppertunity that they can. THEY CAN NOT make a turn. They have already used their Standard and Move action. The only way to continue their charge and thus their action is if either you move into a square they could have attacked at the start of their charge (before you moved) or if there is another valid target if they continue their charge after that.