Readied Actions and the Overwatch Vortex feat

[Bensteroni]

I've done a little bit of looking for other threads on readied actions but couldn't find the answers I was looking for. If they are there, a simple link to them would suffice more than a paragraph of complaints.

So the Overwatch Vortex feat allows you to use a full-round action to prepare up to 4 ranged attacks with a chosen weapon (chosen being the one you selected for feat prerequisites) and each readied attack may have its own separate trigger.
My questions are...

1) If they are allowed different triggers, does that mean they are also allowed the same trigger? Can I make all four attacks trigger on "this person draws a weapon" and then fire off 4 shots if he does?

2) If question 1 is a no, can I make all my triggers so similar that they are likely to all occur anyways? Ex. #1 he draws a weapon, #2 he touches a weapon, #3 he has a weapon in his hand, etc

3) Can my trigger be something under my own control? I saw someone else had posted an idea where their trigger for the attack was their own character saying a certain word, so then as soon as they had finished their turn, they would say said word aloud and fire off all their attacks. Can I make each of my previous attacks the trigger for the next attack?

4) I have read lots of people trying to counter readied action arguments by stating that readied action triggers can be activated by unforeseen events, which is fair, but are you actually required to follow through with your action? Let's say I ready "if anyone speaks, I attack them with my longbow". Now my friend speaks first. Am I required to shoot him, or can I just decide not to follow through? And if I decide not to follow through, can I hold that trigger for if someone else speaks instead? There's no limit to the number of times I could do that, right? So in the given example here, I could ignore my allies speaking and only fire on an enemy when I hear them speak?

5) Where do we draw the line at what is and is not an acceptable trigger? I believe it is fair to state that a trigger needs to have only one single inciting incident and one single triggered action, but how specific do each of those need to be? Example incidents like: (a) this creature speaks, (b) any creature speaks, (c) this (or any?) creature moves in any way other than breathing (speech, going for a weapon/spell component, walking), (d) the target takes damage/appears to have taken damage/something along those lines

6) Does a trigger need to be something definable by the character (in-game) and not just by the player (out of game)? I'm assuming that "this creature takes a standard action" is not a permissible trigger but I just want to be certain.

Thanks in advance.

[SlimGauge]

1) Effectively, yes

2) This would be the dodge to get around not being allowed to have the same trigger. It shouldn't be necessary if you resolve how your DM wants to have readied actions work.

3) This sounds like someone trying to game the system. Remember that the trigger must be a "condition". Unfortunately, "condition" is not a defined rules term, so you'll have to talk to your GM

4) The actual rule says "you may take the readied action in response to that condition". The bolding is mine. Note the use of "may" rather than "must" and/or the fact that "may" is included rather than "you take the readied action".

5) Entirely up to the GM. Just remember that the trigger has to be something observable and could be mis-interpreted. For example, a feint might be interpreted as an attack.

6) You avoid a LOT of problems if you limit triggers to in-game conditions. This avoids triggers like "after he ends his move action but before he begins any other action".

[bbangerter]

SlimGauge answered this accurately, but I wanted to post a couple of things to give more depth.

4) Some believe that if you don't take your readied action the first time the condition occurs that your readied action is then lost.

PRD wrote:

Then, anytime before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition.

Given the above quote, I disagree with that view. It doesn't say anything about it being the first time the condition occurs. It only has the requirements "anytime before you next turn" in response to "condition". In this way it is much like an AoO. Just because someone provokes you don't have to take the AoO. And if someone provokes later you again get to decide to take it or not, and so on, until your next turn.

5) I personally also allow an exclusion condition (when it makes sense). e.g, I shoot him if he does anything but lay down on the ground. I would not however allow a list of things. e.g attacks, casts a spell, or gets something from his bags. These two may seem like the same thing - e.g, anything but lay down could be converted to a infinitely long list of things that are not "laying down". And that really is the distinction - is the list a limited set of conditions, or is the lists opposite a single item you could watch for them to do.

6) "takes a standard action" is to much like a list of things in 5. So not allowed.