For those of you unfamiliar with this... feature, if I may, it's suppose to be a monthly discussion thread that brings up rule questions for PCs and DMs alike. For those of you familiar with it, and say "I saw Ruleslawyering I back in Apr, but what happened to II for May?", my answer would be "I forgot. I blame Aranan for this."
Now, without further stalling for time, this time I bring to you the joy and fun of Ready Actions. No, this is not a discussion about what kind of actions can you ready, the timing of the ready actions, or even the application of them. This is about the rule that "One may not ready actions outside of combat." Further, if players cannot ready action outside combat, can they do what they want as a "first strike" to initiate combat?
The RAW is fairly clear on this: you just cannot do it. No combat, no readying. However, the existence of such rule raises some problems during the game, in which reasonable actions may not be taken due to the fact the person who wishes to take such action is not technically in combat yet. Not to mention the fact the Blood Hound class gives you the ability to ready action outside combat; it would imply that, as further evidence, without special abilities, one indeed cannot ready actions outside combat.
As an example, let's say Thally and JK the Rogue duo is exploring an ancient ruin. After a long corridor, they come to a wooden door. Listening on the door, JK can hear some sort of fluffy movements behind. JK signals Thally to aim at the door, ready to shoot whatever's behind it, while JK opens the door and rolls to the side. Announcing their tactic to the DM Aranan, Aranan says, "Nuh-un, you cannot ready actions outside combat. Thally can point his bow with arrows nocked, aiming for the doorway while JK opens the door, but no ready action."
DM Aranan knows that it's a Vorpal Rabbit behind the door with 60 Dex , 47 Wis and Improved Initiative and Skill Focus (Listen) feat taken 31 times each due to its Cheat (Ex) ability, which knows something is outside. The rabbit doesn't care since the door is closed, and it just hops around due to its fluffy nature and choose not to react to it. Door is opened, rabbits sees arrow point at it. Aranan calls for initiative. No surprise round as both sides are aware of each other according to the rules; and the rabbit goes first even though Thally has his bow pulled full, arrow ready at the release of his finger, and has been gazing at the doorway for over 18 seconds. Obviously, something is off here.
Another example is the "first strike" situation. Let's say two drunks in a tavern start to argue about which Tavern should have won the Iron DM contest. The arguement intensifies and the two of them stands up, rolls their sleeves up, points their fingers at each other, ready to give the other side some logical arguements of the fists. One of them is more in control of his temper, and thus only curses and shouts, while the other finally loses his cool and swings. Both sides are aware, no surprise rounds, but eventually one of them, by his own choice and his own control of actions, decides to start an attack. By the rules, however, in order to attack, you must be in combat. To start combat, you must roll initiative, which involves randomness one cannot control. If the other one wins initiative, he can suddenly act before the one who wishes to initiate the combat in the first place.
Now, we can say that since Drunk A is the one throwing the punches first, it should be assumed that Drunk B, despite his higher initiative, would simply forgo his action for the round. He has the benefit of his Dex bonus to AC as he is no longer flatfooted, because he reacts faster, which is what initiative is. This is a completely reasonable assumption and DM ruling. However, note that D&D describes combat actions in the same round as more or less simutaneous events, just in a tightly packed sequences. Also note that each round is six seconds long. One can similiarly argue that during Drunk B's turn, he would have observed the fact Drunk A is about to punch him, and thus Drunk B, on his first action, punches Drunk A first instead.
One may say it's the randomness and the fact these are just two drunks, but the situation quickly turns questionable when you replace Drunk A & B with archnemesis elite Fighter A & B and Tavern arguement with trash-talking before sword is drawn on the street. Or an angry merchant yelling at a guard who failed to protect his goods and eventually loses his temper. The merchant knows that the guard will not start the fight and he feels that punching the guard is well worth the fine for disruptive behavior. Some situations just warrent one side should have a "surprise round" and act first even though the rules might not entitle them to do so.
Let the ruleslawyering commence.
Darken
Light, is the lack of darkness.
Now, without further stalling for time, this time I bring to you the joy and fun of Ready Actions. No, this is not a discussion about what kind of actions can you ready, the timing of the ready actions, or even the application of them. This is about the rule that "One may not ready actions outside of combat." Further, if players cannot ready action outside combat, can they do what they want as a "first strike" to initiate combat?
The RAW is fairly clear on this: you just cannot do it. No combat, no readying. However, the existence of such rule raises some problems during the game, in which reasonable actions may not be taken due to the fact the person who wishes to take such action is not technically in combat yet. Not to mention the fact the Blood Hound class gives you the ability to ready action outside combat; it would imply that, as further evidence, without special abilities, one indeed cannot ready actions outside combat.
As an example, let's say Thally and JK the Rogue duo is exploring an ancient ruin. After a long corridor, they come to a wooden door. Listening on the door, JK can hear some sort of fluffy movements behind. JK signals Thally to aim at the door, ready to shoot whatever's behind it, while JK opens the door and rolls to the side. Announcing their tactic to the DM Aranan, Aranan says, "Nuh-un, you cannot ready actions outside combat. Thally can point his bow with arrows nocked, aiming for the doorway while JK opens the door, but no ready action."
DM Aranan knows that it's a Vorpal Rabbit behind the door with 60 Dex , 47 Wis and Improved Initiative and Skill Focus (Listen) feat taken 31 times each due to its Cheat (Ex) ability, which knows something is outside. The rabbit doesn't care since the door is closed, and it just hops around due to its fluffy nature and choose not to react to it. Door is opened, rabbits sees arrow point at it. Aranan calls for initiative. No surprise round as both sides are aware of each other according to the rules; and the rabbit goes first even though Thally has his bow pulled full, arrow ready at the release of his finger, and has been gazing at the doorway for over 18 seconds. Obviously, something is off here.
Another example is the "first strike" situation. Let's say two drunks in a tavern start to argue about which Tavern should have won the Iron DM contest. The arguement intensifies and the two of them stands up, rolls their sleeves up, points their fingers at each other, ready to give the other side some logical arguements of the fists. One of them is more in control of his temper, and thus only curses and shouts, while the other finally loses his cool and swings. Both sides are aware, no surprise rounds, but eventually one of them, by his own choice and his own control of actions, decides to start an attack. By the rules, however, in order to attack, you must be in combat. To start combat, you must roll initiative, which involves randomness one cannot control. If the other one wins initiative, he can suddenly act before the one who wishes to initiate the combat in the first place.
Now, we can say that since Drunk A is the one throwing the punches first, it should be assumed that Drunk B, despite his higher initiative, would simply forgo his action for the round. He has the benefit of his Dex bonus to AC as he is no longer flatfooted, because he reacts faster, which is what initiative is. This is a completely reasonable assumption and DM ruling. However, note that D&D describes combat actions in the same round as more or less simutaneous events, just in a tightly packed sequences. Also note that each round is six seconds long. One can similiarly argue that during Drunk B's turn, he would have observed the fact Drunk A is about to punch him, and thus Drunk B, on his first action, punches Drunk A first instead.
One may say it's the randomness and the fact these are just two drunks, but the situation quickly turns questionable when you replace Drunk A & B with archnemesis elite Fighter A & B and Tavern arguement with trash-talking before sword is drawn on the street. Or an angry merchant yelling at a guard who failed to protect his goods and eventually loses his temper. The merchant knows that the guard will not start the fight and he feels that punching the guard is well worth the fine for disruptive behavior. Some situations just warrent one side should have a "surprise round" and act first even though the rules might not entitle them to do so.
Let the ruleslawyering commence.
Darken
Light, is the lack of darkness.
