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May 30, 2010 -- 8:21AM, CrimsonLyre wrote:

If I ready an action to attack whoever moves adjacent to me, and an enemy moves around me, causing an opportunity attack, can I make both the readied attack and opportunity attack? It seems completely within the rules, but... that seems like a lot of potential damage out of your turn.

Defenders have tricks to pull this off constantly (Mark Enforcement+OA). A Ranger can use Snarling Wolf Stance, get attacked, use Disruptive Strike, and get two attacks the same way.

If it seems like a lot then you are probably used to parties who don't do a ton of out of turn attacks, i.e., your DM doesn't provoke OAs, Rangers don't take/forget to use Disruptive Strike, Bards don't take/don't use Rhythm of the Blood Seeking Blade, DM respects Marks, etc., there are many, many reasons and group comps where you just wouldn't see out of turn attacks. It isn't any more or less powerful then other combinations, inherently.

May 7, 2009 -- 7:38AM, gwydion9 wrote:

Can I trigger readied actions off of free actions?  Wouldn't that mean I could trigger my own readied actions, since I can take free actions when it isn't my turn?

*sigh*  Technically, this is legal.  It is probably also a place where DM discretion needs to be exercised. 

In light of a recent discussion on this, I would like to address the nature of Free Actions, reposted in part here:

How fine is the control over timing a Free Action? How precise is the  control, and how thinly can you slice actions?

Can you time your  Free Action:
...between multi-attacks?
...between the resolution  of the attack rolls of a burst?
...after an attack roll but before  the damage roll?
...after a creature's last action, but before the  turn ends?
...before a creature's first action, but after the turn  starts?
...in the middle of someone else's Free Action?
...before  someone's immediate interrupt?
...after someone takes an immediate  interrupt, before the triggering action?
...before an immediate  reaction, after the triggering action?
...before an immediate  reaction, after the triggering action, in response to the immediate  reaction?
...after an action triggers an OA, before the opportunity  action?

We know that "On your turn, you take actions: a  standard action, a move action, a minor action, and any number of free  actions, in any order you wish." How freely can you use your Free  Action? "You can take as many free actions as you want  during your or another combatant’s turn." "You can take any  number of free actions on other combatants’ turns." The only thing  the rules permit is that you can take free actions "during a turn" or  "on a turn". On your turn you take them in any order  you wish. However, it looks like you do not determine when during another combatant's turn.

If you take a  Free Action when it's not your turn, when does it occur? As far as I can  tell, the rules don't say. It's up to the DM. All you are given is that  you can take Free Actions during/on their turn. (However, there are  obviously powers/features with Free Actions that are specifically timed.  Specific supersedes General, of course.)

Jul 22, 2010 -- 9:44AM, gwydion9 wrote:

Given the sheer amount of debate over the timing of free actions, I don't see that this is something we can expect to resolve definitiely.  Perhaps I should summarize the debate in that bullet point, though.  Frankly, the thought of doing so made me so weary I just put in a sigh and called it a day. 

What's the debate?
The rules say "during" or "on" another's turn. That's pretty much the only General rule that exists, while there are a lot of Specific ones from features and powers.

"When during or on another's turn does my Free Action take place?"
"Either when the power/feature tells you. If it does not, then the rules don't say. Ask your DM."

Edit: By which I mean, the rules are clear - in that they don't address it. Unless there's something other than the Combat Sequence section and Free Action section which addresses it.

Jul 22, 2010 -- 12:20PM, gwydion9 wrote:

The debate over how the timing of free actions does or should work.

Let me rephrase the question. What are the sides of the debate?

It seems to me the general Free Action rules simply don't cover it - leaving it up to the DM.

Or are you talking about things like "Charge as a Free Action" and specific features/powers?