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If a creature or character readies an action to attack a spellcaster with the phrase "When he starts to cast a spell..," can he or she interrupt a Quickened or Swift spell in doing so? Or is the gesture too quick to react to?
While by RAW I think they can interrupt the spell, I would argue that RAI would say they cannot since a quickened spell doesn't even provoke any AOO. So if its too quick for a free attack I would argue its too quick for a readied attack as well.
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The readied action prevails. Provoking an AOO is a separate issue from the readied action.
Yes the trigger action may be a Swift action, but the readied action still occurs before it by RAW and the initiative is modified accordingly.
Swift actions may take very little time but you had someone waiting for exactly that triggering event.
A readied action happens immediately before the action that triggered it, so you'd do your action before the target begins casting if your trigger was "when he begins casting a spell." As such, you would not be able to force a concentration check due to being hit while casting with such a condition. "When he finishes casting a spell" should work though to interrupt a swift action spell in the middle of casting it.
A readied action happens immediately before the action that triggered it, so you'd do your action before the target begins casting if your trigger was "when he begins casting a spell." As such, you would not be able to force a concentration check due to being hit while casting with such a condition. "When he finishes casting a spell" should work though to interrupt a swift action spell in the middle of casting it.
Distracting Spellcasters
You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if she starts casting a spell.” If you damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as determined by her Spellcraft check result).
Aside from the obvious error in referencing Spellcraft instead of concentration, yes you can interrupt a spell. There is no exception for quickened spells.
A readied action happens immediately before the action that triggered it, so you'd do your action before the target begins casting if your trigger was "when he begins casting a spell." As such, you would not be able to force a concentration check due to being hit while casting with such a condition. "When he finishes casting a spell" should work though to interrupt a swift action spell in the middle of casting it.Aside from the obvious error in referencing Spellcraft instead of concentration, yes you can interrupt a spell. There is no exception for quickened spells.Distracting Spellcasters
You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if she starts casting a spell.” If you damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as determined by her Spellcraft check result).
Ah, didn't check the casting rules when researching my above answer, my bad! I've been bitten by a GM being clever when parsing readied action conditions before, so I felt the need to post a clarification to the lines of "be careful what your trigger conditions are." Even if it is allowed by RAW, your action may go off at the "wrong" time if you don't word it just right.
Even if it is allowed by RAW, your action may go off at the "wrong" time if you don't word it just right.This is the absolute wrong way to GM. If both you and the player understand what the player wants to happen with a readied action, you shouldn't require a precise legal document to let it happen.
FFS, it's not a wish spell.
Very much agree with this. If you have a GM do that to you again, please slap him/her across the face, so that on the off chance any of the rest of us end up playing under them, they understand the consequences of such idiocy. GM's should not play pedantic games with their players (outside of a wish spell, or making contracts with a devil). When intent is clear, use the intent. When intent is not clear, make it clear before proceeding.
Looking through the books, it looks like the readied action wins. It may not make much sense, but some credit definitely needs to be thrown to readied actions in general.
A readied action happens immediately before the action that triggered itPeople seem to treat this far too literally, often because they fail to consider the subsequent sentences in the rules:
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.Note, you interrupt the action of the other character, thus that character has already begun to act. Also, the character continues his actions, he doesn't being his actions after the readied actions.
One of these two sentences has to be wrong though. I'm inclined to believe the second is true, just makes more sense in terms of interrupting spells casters.
One of these two sentences has to be wrong though. I'm inclined to believe the second is true, just makes more sense in terms of interrupting spells casters.A readied action happens immediately before the action that triggered itPeople seem to treat this far too literally, often because they fail to consider the subsequent sentences in the rules:
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.Note, you interrupt the action of the other character, thus that character has already begun to act. Also, the character continues his actions, he doesn't being his actions after the readied actions.
Why are those two sentences at odds with each other? Interrupting another characters actions doesn't prevent him from continuing the actions (unless the interruption stops them from physically doing so).
e.g, If you are speaking, I can interrupt you and interject something I want to say, then when I'm done you continue right on speaking. Alternately, I could bash you over the head with a hammer to interrupt you, but now you are no longer physically capable of speaking.
Interrupt does not always mean prevent - that is only one of the possible uses and definitions.
Happening immediately before something and interrupting something are different things. The text says both happen, you cant do both though so one has to be true while the other has to be false, I just think that the second option is the better of the two considering the things that readying says you can do.
Happening immediately before something and interrupting something are different things. The text says both happen, you cant do both though so one has to be true while the other has to be false, I just think that the second option is the better of the two considering the things that readying says you can do.
You interrupt the character's turn, not necessarily the action that you triggered on. Let's say on your turn you move 30ft and then pull a lever. If I ready an action to do something when you start pulling the lever, I'm interrupting your turn (since you're still in the middle of it), but I'm not interrupting your action since I do the thing before you start pulling on it. Alternatively, if I ready an action to do something when the lever is at the halfway point, then I'm interrupting both your turn as well as your action.
In any case, the text is referring to the interruption of the character's turn.
Readied action to shoot an arrow if that idiot spell caster starts to cast a spell.
Idiot spell casters casts quickened magic missile with silent and still metamagic. Even with no visible casting components, I would make the readied fighter make a perception check, but I'd still rule ready over quickened spell first. But obviously at that point you'd still have to be able to see the caster.
Conditions apply, but readied actions are readied. Triggered by the actions that are set.
It makes no references to turns though. It even says that if he's capable of doing so, he may Continue his action.
Yeah, he may continue his action; ie: makes his attack if he's still alive, continues his charge if he's not held by your spell, casts his spell if the attack misses or he makes his concentration check. He's interrupted but can continue his actions if he's still capable after whatever your ready is.
I get that you inturupt his turn, but if you don't also interrupt the action isn't it impossible to do anything to casters? Because the damaged while casting rules say that If you take damage while trying to cast a spell it takes a check. Not on the turn of casting it.
I get that you inturupt his turn, but if you don't also interrupt the action isn't it impossible to do anything to casters? Because the damaged while casting rules say that If you take damage while trying to cast a spell it takes a check. Not on the turn of casting it.
Per PRD: "Distracting Spellcasters: You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if she starts casting a spell.” If you damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as determined by her Spellcraft check result)."
As was mentioned above, it should say "her Concentration check result" instead of "her Spellcraft check result", but otherwise it says "go nuts" with respect to interrupting spellcasting with a readied action.
You may or may not interrupt actions themselves with readied actions. Interrupting spellcasters is an example of when you do interrupt an action, as is the "halfway point of the lever" example I gave above.
Aaaaah. Its a situational thing, gotcha.
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an old school tip for a wizard that notice an enemy reading to disrupt them was to cast a swift spell to draw out that attack so their more serious spell won't be disrupted (i used to cast feather fall)