Hey, I'm very new to DnD and I'm running a campaign as the DM for a group of new players.
I have been reading up on the Ready action and I would like to know if it's possible to ready an action when engaged in melee combat and can that action be triggered off a party member?
For example a Paladin wants to ready his attack on the orc that he is currently fighting in melee range. He wants the trigger to be a party member casting Giant Growth on him before making his attack.
I as the DM would certainly make sure that the paladin and caster had some sort of dialogue that makes sense for the setting before allowing it. Thanks!
I would encourage your players to think more generally with their triggers, it makes more sense in the game world, and gives them more flexibility over how and when they are used.
For example, the trigger I'd normally expect from one of my players for that kind of situation is "I wait for an advantageous moment before making my strike", which both he and I understand to mean he's waiting for either actually gaining advantage on the attack from something happening, or receiving some kind of buff or boon. The trigger condition must merely be perceivable, so as long as he is aware of the buff spell he receives, or the inspiration, or the advantage he would gain, he can attack.
It doesn't need to be as specific as "I wait for Enlarge to be cast on me" or whatever, as 1) as previously indicated, that requires a LOT of planning or out of game chatter for him to know that's coming, as compared to expecting the Wizard will do *something* which will help, and 2) Situations change! Let's say he readies that action, then the enemy goes, and they turn invisible. Now the Wizard uses Faerie Fire instead, which negates his invisibility, and actually gives the fighter advantage on the attacks. Cool! That's a great time to strike! However, if his condition was as specific as waiting for enlarge, well, technically that did not trigger, and he's apparently just sitting there waiting still.
Hope that helps! The same is pretty much true of anything you're waiting for ("Something other than one of my party members moves through that door" is a lot better than "A goblin walks through that door", as what if (unbeknownst to you at that time) there's more than just goblins beyond, or what if one flies through?), so typically you want them to be as general as possible, while still being identifiable in terms of the trigger mechanism. Waiting for something to happen, something happening, and being unable to respond to it due to a poorly worded trigger isn't fun for anyone.
Hey, I'm very new to DnD and I'm running a campaign as the DM for a group of new players.
I have been reading up on the Ready action and I would like to know if it's possible to ready an action when engaged in melee combat and can that action be triggered off a party member?
For example a Paladin wants to ready his attack on the orc that he is currently fighting in melee range. He wants the trigger to be a party member casting Giant Growth on him before making his attack.
Thanks
The trigger for the Ready action can certainly be the one you mentioned.
However, depending on the DM, one could argue: how does the Paladin know that Plant Growth is being cast?
Technically, the Paladin does not know which spell is being cast at the beginning of the casting, unless the caster told the Paladin so.
Thanks,
I as the DM would certainly make sure that the paladin and caster had some sort of dialogue that makes sense for the setting before allowing it. Thanks!
I would encourage your players to think more generally with their triggers, it makes more sense in the game world, and gives them more flexibility over how and when they are used.
For example, the trigger I'd normally expect from one of my players for that kind of situation is "I wait for an advantageous moment before making my strike", which both he and I understand to mean he's waiting for either actually gaining advantage on the attack from something happening, or receiving some kind of buff or boon. The trigger condition must merely be perceivable, so as long as he is aware of the buff spell he receives, or the inspiration, or the advantage he would gain, he can attack.
It doesn't need to be as specific as "I wait for Enlarge to be cast on me" or whatever, as 1) as previously indicated, that requires a LOT of planning or out of game chatter for him to know that's coming, as compared to expecting the Wizard will do *something* which will help, and 2) Situations change! Let's say he readies that action, then the enemy goes, and they turn invisible. Now the Wizard uses Faerie Fire instead, which negates his invisibility, and actually gives the fighter advantage on the attacks. Cool! That's a great time to strike! However, if his condition was as specific as waiting for enlarge, well, technically that did not trigger, and he's apparently just sitting there waiting still.
Hope that helps! The same is pretty much true of anything you're waiting for ("Something other than one of my party members moves through that door" is a lot better than "A goblin walks through that door", as what if (unbeknownst to you at that time) there's more than just goblins beyond, or what if one flies through?), so typically you want them to be as general as possible, while still being identifiable in terms of the trigger mechanism. Waiting for something to happen, something happening, and being unable to respond to it due to a poorly worded trigger isn't fun for anyone.
Thanks GiantOctopodes!
This is some great advice and I'll pass it on to my players :)