I was under the impression that if you ready a spell, you actually spend the spell slot when you ready the spell. You might waste the slot if a proper opportunity doesn't come up to use your reaction.
Effectiviley what you describe is what happens, but additionally you are "holding" (using concentration) on that spell, so not using that readied spell does have a cost but there maybe times you want to do something other than that held spell afterall.
Make sure to discuss Readied Action rulings with your DM. It's helpful for them to think about how they want readied actions to work for their enemies as well. For example, you want to negotiate that you can ready a leveled-spell without spending the slot/committing to casting it--just keep in mind that this would make intelligent enemies much scarier.
I love the ready action. It's great for when your opponents are using Stealth & you miss your perception roll. Bonus Action steady aim, held Action trigger, when a target becomes visible.
I use the readied action to cast the silence spell on a spellcaster and use my staff of the Python at the same time there's a little wonky but it made it work so the snake attacked and grappled and I put the silence spell on the area as a reaction. And since the silence bill was already cast counterspell didn't work against it that was cool
Readying an action can be quite useful on a rogue, especially if your DM is against using steady aim from tashas for some reason. Most rogues need advantage or an ally near an enemy to make use of sneak attack. A problem is that a rogue is highly likely to roll high on initiative, and without advantage or an ally having a chance to move in, you have no sneak attack. A rogue would potentially be able to ready an attack with the trigger “when an ally moves next to an enemy”. Sneak attack potentially used as well as the damage likely being focused on that enemy. The other martial even has a chance to attack another different creature if the first creature is downed.
I do not understand; rules specify that your readied action happens WHEN THE TRIGGER FINISHES, yet in your example you allow the wizard to cant stoneskin after the ogre chooses who to attack, but BEFORE the attack finishes. Why?
This would vary based on your DM. The trigger can be anything. Saying “when I’m confident I know who the ogre will attack” can be the trigger then who’s going to adjudicate when his character is confident? Lol or any other fancy wording. The DM decides that. Personally, as a DM, I want to encourage my players to think more and use their heads. So I would rule it the way the video does unless the player says like “I want to release the fireball spell after the guard attacks”
Can I ready an attack action before combat starts? Like if I suspect combat will start, I ready my attack action with the trigger being against the first person to make an attack against me after initiative is rolled?
I know this is a whole year late but just to maybe help someone… Yes you can. “Initiative” is just a gameplay representation of 6 seconds in time. As long as you had 6 seconds to prepare an action before combat then you can do it. Just keep in mind “readying an action” is not a casual thing. Because the actual releasing of that “action” takes place in a split second on your reaction. This means readying a bow shot is drawing it back and making it very clear you’re going to shoot someone. Readying a fireball has fire swirling around in your hand and you concentrating. Readying an action implies you’re not doing ANYTHING else… no moving, talking, etc. obviously this application can vary with each DM. Hope that helps
I'm playing as a Fragile Rogue Swashbuckler and I haven't used it before... though I'm wondering if you could do it with movement if you haven't moved before. For example, ready myself and the moment an enemy approaches a friend I move towards it and strike it from a flanking position... I assume movement is not allowed?
I was under the impression that if you ready a spell, you actually spend the spell slot when you ready the spell. You might waste the slot if a proper opportunity doesn't come up to use your reaction.
Effectiviley what you describe is what happens, but additionally you are "holding" (using concentration) on that spell, so not using that readied spell does have a cost but there maybe times you want to do something other than that held spell afterall.
Make sure to discuss Readied Action rulings with your DM. It's helpful for them to think about how they want readied actions to work for their enemies as well. For example, you want to negotiate that you can ready a leveled-spell without spending the slot/committing to casting it--just keep in mind that this would make intelligent enemies much scarier.
I love the ready action. It's great for when your opponents are using Stealth & you miss your perception roll. Bonus Action steady aim, held Action trigger, when a target becomes visible.
Hey Bard, glad to see a post from you. Hope you & your family are doing well.
I use the readied action to cast the silence spell on a spellcaster and use my staff of the Python at the same time there's a little wonky but it made it work so the snake attacked and grappled and I put the silence spell on the area as a reaction.
And since the silence bill was already cast counterspell didn't work against it that was cool
Readying an action can be quite useful on a rogue, especially if your DM is against using steady aim from tashas for some reason.
Most rogues need advantage or an ally near an enemy to make use of sneak attack. A problem is that a rogue is highly likely to roll high on initiative, and without advantage or an ally having a chance to move in, you have no sneak attack.
A rogue would potentially be able to ready an attack with the trigger “when an ally moves next to an enemy”.
Sneak attack potentially used as well as the damage likely being focused on that enemy. The other martial even has a chance to attack another different creature if the first creature is downed.
Fortunately I'm a Swashbuckler and they have another rule going for them to get that sweet ass and necesary Sneak Attack 🙂
Great stuff as always!
Can a fighter use their action surge to ready an action?
I do not understand; rules specify that your readied action happens WHEN THE TRIGGER FINISHES, yet in your example you allow the wizard to cant stoneskin after the ogre chooses who to attack, but BEFORE the attack finishes. Why?
This would vary based on your DM.
The trigger can be anything. Saying “when I’m confident I know who the ogre will attack” can be the trigger then who’s going to adjudicate when his character is confident? Lol or any other fancy wording. The DM decides that.
Personally, as a DM, I want to encourage my players to think more and use their heads. So I would rule it the way the video does unless the player says like “I want to release the fireball spell after the guard attacks”
Thank you, kind sir@@MrSmexyPain
Can I ready an attack action before combat starts? Like if I suspect combat will start, I ready my attack action with the trigger being against the first person to make an attack against me after initiative is rolled?
I know this is a whole year late but just to maybe help someone…
Yes you can. “Initiative” is just a gameplay representation of 6 seconds in time. As long as you had 6 seconds to prepare an action before combat then you can do it.
Just keep in mind “readying an action” is not a casual thing. Because the actual releasing of that “action” takes place in a split second on your reaction. This means readying a bow shot is drawing it back and making it very clear you’re going to shoot someone. Readying a fireball has fire swirling around in your hand and you concentrating.
Readying an action implies you’re not doing ANYTHING else… no moving, talking, etc. obviously this application can vary with each DM.
Hope that helps
I'm playing as a Fragile Rogue Swashbuckler and I haven't used it before... though I'm wondering if you could do it with movement if you haven't moved before. For example, ready myself and the moment an enemy approaches a friend I move towards it and strike it from a flanking position... I assume movement is not allowed?
Movement is allowed, and an attack is allowed. Moving AND attacking aren’t allowed.
Imparting more wisdom to my players again, damn how am I going to kill them now ...
Wow, first time I have first like.