Does Ready Action only pertain to your main action?
Can you take your bonus action, and then Ready your main action?
Can you move and then Ready Action?
If you have multi-attack, can you attack with all of them after the triggering circumstance happens?
Thank you for any feedback!
Ready
Sometimes you want to get the jump on a foe or wait for a particular circumstance before you act. To do so, you can take the Ready action on your turn, which lets you act using your reaction before the start of your next turn.
First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it. Examples include "If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I'll pull the lever that opens it," and "If the goblin steps next to me, I move away."
When the trigger occurs, you can either take your reaction right after the trigger finishes or ignore the trigger.
When you ready a spell, you cast it as normal but hold its energy, which you release with your reaction when the trigger occurs. To be readied, a spell must have a casting time of 1 action, and holding onto the spell's magic requires concentration (explained in chapter 10). If your concentration is broken, the spell dissipates without taking effect. For example, if you are concentrating on the web spell and ready magic missile, your web spell ends, and if you take damage before you release magic missile with your reaction, your concentration might be broken.
Does Ready Action only pertain to your main action?
It says "you choose the action you will take", so I would say that it pertains only to your action, when a rule means bonus action, it's always clear and written "bonus action".
On top of this, most bonus actions have stipulations as to when you can take them, and it's on your turn. See here.
Can you take your bonus action, and then Ready your main action?
It depends on the bonus action, some of them only become available once you have at least started your action. But otherwise yes.
Can you move and then Ready Action?
Yes.
Thank you. I made an edit. If you have multi-attack, can you make all of them when your action is triggered?
Also, your answers make sense, and I believe you. But I couldn't find any of this in Sage Advice. If it comes up, is there something I can point to?
We had a discussion about Eloquence Bard using Unsettiling Words (a bonus action ability), and then Ready Action-ing a spell.
Thank you. I made an edit. If you have multi-attack, can you make all of them when your action is triggered?
Yes, you are readying the attack action, and the extra attack kicks in when the attack action triggers.
Also, your answers make sense, and I believe you. But I couldn't find any of this in Sage Advice. If it comes up, is there something I can point to?
They usually come up under a googl search, use something like "5e ready bonus action".
We had a discussion about Eloquence Bard using Unsettiling Words (a bonus action ability), and then Ready Action-ing a spell.
Theoretically not, see the first answer,
Unsettiling Words is not contingent on any other action. But if I definitely need to know if I missed something that makes it not permissible to bonus action unsettling words, and then ready my main action.
Thank you. I made an edit. If you have multi-attack, can you make all of them when your action is triggered?
Yes, you are readying the attack action, and the extra attack kicks in when the attack action triggers.
No, generally not. The Extra Attack features require that you take the Attack Action on your own turn - so taking the ready action and making your attack with your reaction on someone else's turn will not allow your extra attack(s).
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
Side note: You ready your action OR your move. You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Any ready action needs a perceivable trigger to perform.
You only attack once on a ready action attack. This is covered in Sage Advice. A 5th level fighter's "Extra attack" feature states that the second attack can only happen on it's turn. Since the ready attack is happening on a different turn, the fighter does not get to use it's "extra attack" feature.
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
Side note: You ready your action OR your move. You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Any ready action needs a perceivable trigger to perform.
You only attack once on a ready action attack. This is covered in Sage Advice. A 5th level fighter's "Extra attack" feature states that the second attack can only happen on it's turn. Since the ready attack is happening on a different turn, the fighter does not get to use it's "extra attack" feature.
Great explanation, thank you! So my strategy is:
Bonus action: Eloquence Bard ability Unsettling Words - You say mean things to the enemy and spend an inspiration die to lower their saving throw
Does Ready Action only pertain to your main action?
Can you take your bonus action, and then Ready your main action?
Can you move and then Ready Action?
If you have multi-attack, can you attack with all of them after the triggering circumstance happens?
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Multiattack (the monster action), yes. Extra attack, no*. (*it only works on your turn, if the trigger somehow happens on your turn then you will get multiple attacks, but that ultimately wastes your reaction).
We had a discussion about Eloquence Bard using Unsettiling Words (a bonus action ability), and then Ready Action-ing a spell.
Theoretically not, see the first answer,
Unsettiling Words is not contingent on any other action. But if I definitely need to know if I missed something that makes it not permissible to bonus action unsettling words, and then ready my main action.
"you choose the action you will take", the action, not the bonus action.
See here.: "Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action." A bonus action is only on your turn, you cannot ready it to be taken during someone else's turn.
They are not talking about readying a bonus action, but using a bonus action, then readying a spellcasting action (bolded for emphasis). This is completely fine.
Side note: You ready your action OR your move. You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
You can move and then use the ready action to ready a move. It is essentially reaction dashing.
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
Side note: You ready your action OR your move. You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Any ready action needs a perceivable trigger to perform.
You only attack once on a ready action attack. This is covered in Sage Advice. A 5th level fighter's "Extra attack" feature states that the second attack can only happen on it's turn. Since the ready attack is happening on a different turn, the fighter does not get to use it's "extra attack" feature.
Great explanation, thank you! So my strategy is:
Bonus action: Eloquence Bard ability Unsettling Words - You say mean things to the enemy and spend an inspiration die to lower their saving throw
Hold Action: Until the target takes its turn.
Held Action Triggered: Cast Hold Person.
Out of curiosity, why ready the spell? The only reason I can think to do this sequence is if your target is more than 60ft away. In other words, your trigger would be "when the target is in range" as a trigger. I wouldn't let my target take it's turn before triggering the spell. (Because if it's turn is to attack and hits, that would result in a CON save that might mean losing the spell)
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
Side note: You ready your action OR your move. You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Any ready action needs a perceivable trigger to perform.
You only attack once on a ready action attack. This is covered in Sage Advice. A 5th level fighter's "Extra attack" feature states that the second attack can only happen on it's turn. Since the ready attack is happening on a different turn, the fighter does not get to use it's "extra attack" feature.
Great explanation, thank you! So my strategy is:
Bonus action: Eloquence Bard ability Unsettling Words - You say mean things to the enemy and spend an inspiration die to lower their saving throw
Hold Action: Until the target takes its turn.
Held Action Triggered: Cast Hold Person.
Out of curiosity, why ready the spell? The only reason I can think to do this sequence is if your target is more than 60ft away. In other words, your trigger would be "when the target is in range" as a trigger. I wouldn't let my target take it's turn before triggering the spell. (Because if it's turn is to attack and hits, that would result in a CON save that might mean losing the spell)
The target of the spell gets a saving throw at the end of each of their turns. While paralyzed (by the spell) everyone gets advantage on attack rolls, auto-crits from attacks within 5 feet, and the target auto-fails strength and dexterity saves.
So let's say the target is two places ahead of me in the initiative order, only 1 (if its a PC) gets to hit it while it is vulnerable before it gets a chance to try to break out of it.
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
No, it's not, bonus actions can only be taken on your turn. "Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action."
Side note: You ready your action OR your move.
Again, no, you can't ready a move. A move is not action, this is not 3e.
You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Not the last one.
On that first one (in bold) I think that's just a miscommunication. I interpreted him to be saying you can use your bonus action, and still Ready your main action.
First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it. Examples include "If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I'll pull the lever that opens it," and "If the goblin steps next to me, I move away."
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
No, it's not, bonus actions can only be taken on your turn. "Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action."
Side note: You ready your action OR your move.
Again, no, you can't ready a move. A move is not action, this is not 3e.
You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Not the last one.
On that first one (in bold) I think that's just a miscommunication. I interpreted him to be saying you can use your bonus action, and still Ready your main action.
Multiattack (the monster action), yes. Extra attack, no*. (*it only works on your turn, if the trigger somehow happens on your turn then you will get multiple attacks, but that ultimately wastes your reaction).
Multiattack arguably doesn't work either.
Multiattack
A creature that can make multiple attacks on its turn has the Multiattack action. A creature can't use Multiattack when making an opportunity attack, which must be a single melee attack.
Jeremy Crawford confirms that's the intended reading on Twitter:
Does Ready Action only pertain to your main action?
Can you take your bonus action, and then Ready your main action?
Can you move and then Ready Action?
If you have multi-attack, can you attack with all of them after the triggering circumstance happens?
Thank you for any feedback!
Thank you. I made an edit. If you have multi-attack, can you make all of them when your action is triggered?
Also, your answers make sense, and I believe you. But I couldn't find any of this in Sage Advice. If it comes up, is there something I can point to?
We had a discussion about Eloquence Bard using Unsettiling Words (a bonus action ability), and then Ready Action-ing a spell.
Unsettiling Words is not contingent on any other action. But if I definitely need to know if I missed something that makes it not permissible to bonus action unsettling words, and then ready my main action.
No, generally not. The Extra Attack features require that you take the Attack Action on your own turn - so taking the ready action and making your attack with your reaction on someone else's turn will not allow your extra attack(s).
You won't find anything that specifically states using a bonus action is allowed while also doing a ready action spell. But what you will find is a lack of anything that says you can't. This essentially means it is allowed.
Side note: You ready your action OR your move. You can't move AND perform the action as a ready action. But, you can do either during your turn. Meaning, you could: move, bonus action, then ready an action to use as a reaction outside your turn. OR: bonus action, action, then ready your move in order to move outside your turn.
Any ready action needs a perceivable trigger to perform.
You only attack once on a ready action attack. This is covered in Sage Advice. A 5th level fighter's "Extra attack" feature states that the second attack can only happen on it's turn. Since the ready attack is happening on a different turn, the fighter does not get to use it's "extra attack" feature.
Great explanation, thank you! So my strategy is:
Bonus action: Eloquence Bard ability Unsettling Words - You say mean things to the enemy and spend an inspiration die to lower their saving throw
Hold Action: Until the target takes its turn.
Held Action Triggered: Cast Hold Person.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Multiattack (the monster action), yes. Extra attack, no*. (*it only works on your turn, if the trigger somehow happens on your turn then you will get multiple attacks, but that ultimately wastes your reaction).
They are not talking about readying a bonus action, but using a bonus action, then readying a spellcasting action (bolded for emphasis). This is completely fine.
You can move and then use the ready action to ready a move. It is essentially reaction dashing.
Out of curiosity, why ready the spell? The only reason I can think to do this sequence is if your target is more than 60ft away. In other words, your trigger would be "when the target is in range" as a trigger. I wouldn't let my target take it's turn before triggering the spell. (Because if it's turn is to attack and hits, that would result in a CON save that might mean losing the spell)
The target of the spell gets a saving throw at the end of each of their turns. While paralyzed (by the spell) everyone gets advantage on attack rolls, auto-crits from attacks within 5 feet, and the target auto-fails strength and dexterity saves.
So let's say the target is two places ahead of me in the initiative order, only 1 (if its a PC) gets to hit it while it is vulnerable before it gets a chance to try to break out of it.
On that first one (in bold) I think that's just a miscommunication. I interpreted him to be saying you can use your bonus action, and still Ready your main action.
From the Ready rules (5e)
First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it. Examples include "If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I'll pull the lever that opens it," and "If the goblin steps next to me, I move away."
Yes, I meant as part of your turn. Thanks.
Multiattack arguably doesn't work either.
Jeremy Crawford confirms that's the intended reading on Twitter:
"A creature is meant to use Multiattack only on its turn, not on someone else's."
"Like Extra Attack, Multiattack is meant to be on the creature's turn (MM, 11)."
Both of these tweets were addressing the Ready action.
The Forum Infestation (TM)
The best way to think of the 'ready' action is as follows:
The ready action is an action you take on your OWN turn that lets you create a custom Reaction Action.
Once you understand that, it becomes a lot clearer.
This is not correct. Ready is an action you take on your turn. If you have already taken an action, you cannot then take the Ready action.