Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Undrhil Mar 16, 2015 18:58:23	I had this this thought and I want to run it past the Rules forum.  I'm sure it'll be something which is "up to the DM" but I'm curious if it technically works by RAW and RAI.   It goes like this.  I know that in order to Use the Ready Action, I have to define a discernable event to ready for.  This doesn't have to be a visible event, but can be audible or perceived with any other senses.  So, if I wanted to ready a spell for feeling an attack hitting me, that would work.   So, on turn one, I declare that I am readying Fireball and will cast it after I have completed casting another spell.   On my next turn, I cast another spell, and then my readied action goes off which casts Fireball.   So, does this work by RAW?  One of the biggest detractors I keep getting from people is they are used to 4e where immediate reactions could not be used on your own turn.  That is no longer the case in 5e: you can use your reaction on any turn, but you only get one reaction per round.
#2 Illithidbix Mar 16, 2015 19:24:28	A very good question... look at the relevent bits of the rules there is only one reason I can think why this wouldn't work. It requires a strict interpretation of the term "Round":   READY wrote:
#3 Macv12 Mar 16, 2015 19:33:19	Aside from being hard to justify in the fiction of the universe (what sense does it make to wait for yourself to cast a spell, and react to your own action?), the only RAW problem I see with it is that a reaction is used "later in the round." If your turn has come again, it's the next round, no matter how you slice it. Your readied action is forfeit. (Unless you ready it again...I'd allow you to keep using actions and maintaining concentration to delay a spell indefinitely, but not keep a fireball in your back pocket while throwing out more fireballs with the other hand.)   EDIT: to the point Illithidbix brought up, I think it's also legitimate to think of a round as a unit of time, rather than an ordered initiative list. So "one round later" from your turn is your next turn, regardless of who is at the "top of the round." Since pretty much nothing triggers based on the "start of the round," but instead in intervals of "until your next turn," I don't see any value in keeping track of who is higher or lower in the round order after the first turn, as long as you know who goes after who.
#4 jaelis Mar 16, 2015 19:35:37	I would play that if your turn comes around again and your ready hasn't come up, then you lose it.
#5 Undrhil Mar 16, 2015 19:49:22	OK, then I would ready for the person who goes before me in initiative order to make their attack (or to do *something*).    But then you are getting into real cheesy stuff.
#6 jaelis Mar 16, 2015 20:05:37	I don't really understand what the point of that would be...?
#7 Undrhil Mar 16, 2015 22:44:01	I don't really get what the point is for half of the stuff that Char Op posts.  It's all theorycrafting.
#8 lawrencehoy Mar 16, 2015 23:32:39	I only allow the Readied action to remain until the PC takes another action, at which point the Readied action is lost (unless the next action is to maintain the Readied action for another round).
#9 strider13x Mar 17, 2015 9:35:33	What are you trying to achieve? I see nonsense, so as a DM I would say NO. Anytime a player tries to rules lawyer I'm turned off, so tell us what you doing in the fiction rather than dancing around the rules...
#10 Slyck314 Mar 17, 2015 16:29:43	If your turn come around again it is definately not "this round" anymore.
(Reply to #5) Macv12	Undrhil wrote:
#12 SpinG22 Mar 17, 2015 17:09:31	He is trying to find a way to get multiple spells off before the enemy can react to it.  Like getting 2 fireballs off before the enemy can heal the damage.
#13 Barky Mar 17, 2015 17:39:37	Using your own action as a "ready trigger" for another of your actions is way outside the intent of that rule, IMO.   Besides, a readied action is still an action. You can only take one action* on your turn, All you're doing is holding it until something else happens. You're basically trying to take two actions in a round, if I'm reading the OP correctly.   * bonus actions and reactions are completely different mechanics.
#14 Undrhil Mar 17, 2015 17:55:57	SpinG22 is correct.  I am trying to find a way to dump tons of damage on an enemy.  If I were a Sorcerer, I could Quicken Fireball and then cast Chill Touch on one to prevent it from healing, but with casting two Fireballs, I can't imagine very many creatures will be able to survive two Fireballs one right after the other.   I understand that you can only have one action per turn.  However, if I use the Ready action on my turn and had a way to get it to trigger on my next turn, I could use that *reaction* for one spell and my normal action for another one.  Basically, I'm giving up damage for one round in order to attempt to do double damage on the next turn.  It's gamble.  I would assume that if bad guys see a guy in robes holding his hand up and mumbling words they will assume he's getting ready to cast a spell and will focus-fire on him to try to break his concentration.
(Reply to #14) Macv12	Undrhil wrote:
#16 Caliburn Mar 18, 2015 4:01:26	Unless a spell specifically says it can be cast with a reaction then you cannot do this...   ... moreover, you cannot cast two spells in a round unless one is a cantrip and you have the extra action or ability to do that.
(Reply to #16) Macv12	Caliburn wrote:
#18 Bloodscythe Mar 18, 2015 5:58:25	This shouldn't work per RAW.  When you ready a spell, it is cast, a spell slot is expended, and is being held.  A readied action, spell or otherwise, has to be used before the end of the round or it is lost.    "...you take the Readied Action on your turn so that you can act later in the round using your reaction."   Combat Step by Step, steps 4 and 5...   4. Take Turns: each participant in the battle takes a turn in initiative order. 5. Begin the Next Round: When everyone involved in the combat has had a turn, the round ends.   Even if you're liberal with the use of Readied Action and consider a round to be from the start of your turn to the start of your next turn, you'd still have to use the readied spell before your next turn starts, so you'd never have the opportunity to cast a readied spell after another spell unless you're casting a spell as a reaction before casting the readied spell.  But since the use of the readied spell is a reaction, and you only have 1 reaction per round, this scenario is also not allowed per RAW.
#19 jaelis Mar 18, 2015 8:15:10	Bloodscythe wrote:
(Reply to #19) grendel111111	jaelis wrote:
(Reply to #19) Bloodscythe	jaelis wrote:
#22 Noctaem Mar 18, 2015 12:06:09	Bloodscythe wrote: