Reaction to drop prone

[gowen7thcav]

There is some confusion here. I have a player that wants to drop prone whenever anyone shoots at him as a reaction. The RAW seems to say that is not the case. There is no triggering action. Am I wrong on this?

[RakeleerRR]

He can do this if he'd like to spend a standard to 'ready' the defensive action of dropping prone.

Otherwise it's a swift action, not a reaction. At least not without some feat or power or something.

Or I might be wrong, but I don't see anything that grants everyone a reaction of dropping prone.

[RakeleerRR]

The last paragraph of the Reactions rules on page 248 are relevant.

Quote:

You gain access to most reactions through feats, items, and

class features, but an attack of opportunity is a reaction that is
universally available to all characters.

Emphasis mine.

[HammerJack]

There is a 4th level Envoy improvisation, Watch Out, that uses the Envoy's reaction to allow an ally to use their own reaction to drop prone as a reaction to a ranged attack.

That is the only way I have seen for dropping prone as a reaction to gunfire to be valid.

[Sage_Canon]

There is a feat that allows you to drop prone as a reaction. Can't remember the title. It does provoke AoO's from melee but it's in reaction to being fired upon and being prone gives you a bonus to AC vs. Ranged Attacks

[HammerJack]

Are you talking about Dive For Cover? Because that is a reaction on reflex saves, not ranged attacks.

I may be badly failing to read, but I do not see a version of the fear that drops prone to avoid attacks against AC.

[Sage_Canon]

You're probably right. I just glanced at it last night. I'll check after work when i get home.

[simplygnome]

There probably isnt. If you want to drop prone in a fire fight, declare it during your turn.

There are still people shooting at you and its still all in a 6secondish time frame, so "dropping prone when being shot at" is still just simulated by you doing that on your turn.