Hunting a FAQ: Readied Actions

[Jiggy]

Alright, there's been quite a bit of discussion regarding how readied actions interact with their trigger conditions. If you want to join in the discussion, go there.

The purpose of this thread is to collect FAQ clicks while presenting the issues brought up in the other thread, so that hopefully we can get clarification (as of this writing, the other thread is up to 200 posts, so I think it's safe to say clarification is needed).

So to the designers/developers, here's what we've run into so far:
• The rules say that your readied action occurs just before the "action" that triggered it. What happens if you ready against something that isn't an action (such as an ally falling unconscious, a ledge giving way, etc)? Or can you not even ready against such circumstances?
• Since the readied action happens first, can't this create some paradoxes? If I ready to attack Mr. Monster when he comes adjacent to me/attacks me, and then he charges (a single, full-round action), my readied action won't trigger until he's next to me, but the rules say my action happens before his - but before the triggering action, he wasn't in range! What gives?
• Since the readied action happens first, does that mean that the creature whose action triggered mine hasn't spent their action yet and can do something else? For instance, if I ready an action to tumble 15' away if Monster attacks me, then technically I tumble away before he attacks; can he then change his mind and do something else (like use his standard action to move)? Or is he committed to the attack? Can he use the same action on another legal target? Does his standard action just go poof?
• Monster is looking mean at me, so I ready an action to attack him if he attacks me. He walks up to me and attacks. My action triggers (going first) and I attack him and 5' step back, out of his reach. Does he lose his attack? Can he do something else? And if he never changes his tactics (i.e., he just keeps advancing and attacking), can I really just keep repeating this sequence and be the only one making successful attacks?
• I thought that if I readied an action to attack a spellcaster "when they cast a spell" that (assuming I hit) the damage would force a concentration check. But if my readied attack occurs before the spellcasting that triggered it, then doesn't that mean that he didn't take damage "during" the casting and therefore doesn't have to make a concentration check?

Mostly, it seems that the questions arise from paradoxes created by the line stating "The action occurs just before the action that triggers it." Similarly, there's a line stating that "Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action" but doesn't state what happens if he's NOT capable of doing so - does he lose the action(s)? Can he choose to do something else? And so forth.

So please, everyone: click the FAQ thingie and maybe bump this thread from time to time, but keep the discussion confined to the other thread (linked up at the top of this post). Thanks everyone!

[Jiggy]

Alright, I'll give this one bump today because it's getting pretty far down the page and I think we can do a lot better than 12-13 FAQ hits.

Come on, people, we can make this happen! :D

[girdnas]

I have the same problem. I ran into it when I tried to ready a heal to go off with the trigger "when they take damage" and the entire group disagreed I could do that. They used the same line, claiming that my heal would go off right before the triggering condition, and therefore wouldn't heal him of the damage that triggered my readied action. I tried to explain that one line doesn't make sense, but the GM ruled against me. I tried to find specific discussions about healing as a readied action, but failed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[The Raven Black]

The trigger to a readied action needs not be another action. It is stated to be a condition : "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."

IF this condition is another action, then the readied action takes place before the triggering action.

It is not equivalent to delaying because you could ready and heal a character after he takes damage from say the first attack of a full attack but before the second attack.

Which is not possible if you delay.

[Firebug]

Just ready to take an action when someone says "go" or another phrase. Talking is a free action, that you can take during other actions and not on your turn.

[Cavall]

Healing "during" a wound is not possible under the current rules.

It's like closing the wound of a headshot. You just clean up a corpse.

However, Breath of Life may be a spell that's interests you.

Otherwise, you GM was 100% right, as was the group.

[Cosmo]

Removed a post with a needless personal attack, the needless personal attack in response to it, and then all of the posts that quoted the unnecessary personal attacks.

Keep it civil, please. Namecalling, whether directed at another poster or at an unnamed GM, is not civil.

[Gallant Armor]

If they don't already have a enhancement bonus to con, Bear’s Endurance would be a good option to help someone not die.

Depending on your list there may be other options to consider. If you have a good UMD, scrolls and wands come in handy as well.

Displacement and Vanish would be good spells to keep in mind off of the top of my head. If your ally has darkvision and your enemy does not, Darkness is a good option.

[The Raven Black]

Cavall wrote:

Healing "during" a wound is not possible under the current rules.

It's like closing the wound of a headshot. You just clean up a corpse.

However, Breath of Life may be a spell that's interests you.

Otherwise, you GM was 100% right, as was the group.

Indeed you cannot set a trigger condition like "when the damage will kill the PC".

But you can set a trigger condition like "after a PC takes damage" even though that condition is not an action. The readied action then starts as soon as the condition is met. And not before it is met

Other examples of trigger conditions that are not actions : when the door opens, when I see an Orc

[Java Man]

Ready to heal the first party member to yell "ouch!"

[shadowkras]

Interested on hearing about this. Favourited.

[2bz2p]

2011 - and still no FAQ? Have to up the votes on this.