Well, it's "only" a standard action, yes, but beyond battlefield positioning or changing weapons/shields, a move action doesn't allow you to do much to affect the battle... no damage, no spells, no item activation. So, readying an action still, equivalently, takes up an entire round of combat contribution hoping for something to happen, and if it doesn't, you've lost out on a turn contributing meaningfully to the combat. So, it seems to me a readied action isn't a good thing to base one of the few (comparatively) special abilities you get from a 10-level PrC on.

I see you've changed it into Thespian's Luck and Thespian's Reposite (which I believe you meant to be riposte :P), but I still think a readied action isn't a good deal. Instead, I'd make it tactical and more of a flow with the rest of the class by making it an immediate action by spending a Flair usage for the day, but make it melee attacks only, since parrying an arrow or crossbow bolt seems a bit too outlandish even for supernatural luck (IMHO), unless the Dashing Swordsman takes Deflect Arrows... though there's an argument to allow the parrying of thrown weapons. Since, as an immediate action, it would only be able to be done once a turn, you can remove the cumulative penalty, and just leave it as a simple -2 to the attack.

I just got a chance to check this, but I am in class so I wont have time to go through it properly till later. However, I could not pass up the chance to say "D'oh!" on the riposte thing...

One other note, the penalty was suggested by my friend was to imply that getting an attack each round on the enemies's turn and missing the damage from a NPC's highest attack bonus would come with a price, but also because the attacker would start to adapt to the attack. Does that make sense? So basically, the readied action would begin a defensive strategy that would allow for the deflection of the first attack per round, and a counter attack in the process. And I am still wondering if this attack should do extra damage or allow for sneak attack damage. I based this off of the elaborate parry feat that gives a plus 10 to ac at lvl 10 of the duelist while fighting defensively, etc. I added in the deflect arrows since it was a ready action as well. I believe my friends suggestion was that yes you are readying an action, and it takes a toll, but the benefit for the payoff was well worth it. When I looked up Elaborate Parry, it said that to get that plus 10 bonus, at lvl 10, then it is going to take a full round of attacks to do so, if I remember correctly. Thats the system I was playing with, since they seem to line up. I believed it to be a good way to set up a solid defense in case the battle was going bad. This seems to be another situation were this feature needs to be tested to see how it would work best. Honestly, I would like to get the play testing just some of these abilities can be seen in action and where the holes, leaks, etc. are and fixed. But, I will just have to wait and see. Thanks again for your input on this subject, I am glad I have your help, Thoughts, comments, concerns?

P.S. the class was boring and this was more interesting, it seems...

Well, with the Flair feature being an integral part of the class, and so many other class features using it, it seems that (as long as you keep the number of Flair uses at the right level to be usable when you need them and not something you want to hoard, yet few enough that you don't have so many as to let you not worry about the tactical use of them) it's not overpowered making it simply an immediate action, since a swift action and and immediate action both take the same action "slot", so if you use a swift, you can't use an immediate. Not to mention many of the class features only work with light weapons, which aren't generally that strong on damage (barring the spiked chain, which is exotic and two-handed, and so precludes the use of a shield), so one parried attack with counterattack per round at a -2 penalty isn't that overpowered, so I wouldn't think would need cumulative penalties on the same opponent. Make it melee/thrown only, unless the Dashing Swordsman takes Deflect Arrows (a feat that doesn't seem like it would be along the standard feat chain of a class that would take this PrC) makes it that much more balanced towards not needing a readied action.

Bottom line is, readied actions exist, but only for very specific things. In my years of playing D&D (and Pathfinder), I've almost never seen a player use a readied action... it's just usually too much of a risk in a chaotic battlefield for not strong enough a payoff. So, I just see basing an entire class feature of the PrC on a readied action resulting in a class feature that isn't used very often, and therefore feels like wasted potential and makes the class less appealing.

Forgive me for not being to respond just yet. School started picking up as well as my production schedule. I will say that I am thinking about another type of defense, other than this, but it is still up in the air. Maybe SR or saves, etc. Thanks for your input, ill check back in next week after all my projects are turned in. Thanks!

What would the game of magic and monsters not be like without risks, huh? I can't imagine walking into a dragon lair is always the safest plan? Heh.

I am a big fan of readied actions, but agree they don't get used enough. However, that does not mean they don't exist and are not a resource to consider. Heck, abilities like this could, and should, help bring them into play more. They do have a lot of potential, any character at any level can use them, but they just require an extra step or two of thinking so they get overlooked by those who just want to trade off turns rolling dice and swinging at each other. (which don't get me wrong, is usually a good plan. I do that plenty. Heehee) And that actually seems to be along the lines of the type of players who would play this class idea, right? People who try thinking "outside the box". It shows your character watches what is going on around him, and bases his reactions off predicted enemy actions. Sometime you win, sometime not.


And readied actions are any character's best friend when it comes to fighting enemy spellcasters, either to distract them with damage while casting or else trying to counter spell.

Another idea I have been working on is to ready an action for when the enemy melee guy starts attacking you (which usually has about a 99% chance of happening in this game, right?), you then attack him first and then 5ft step back. The readied action would not start until the start of bad guy's standard (or full round attack action), but would resolve first. So, you get your hit in, and then 5ft step back (which is allowed during a readied action, as long as no other movement was done. (PHB pg. 160)) to safety. Bad guy then finishes his swing into an empty space (assuming he doesn't have reach. if does, whoops. at least you tried, right?), since he already started his attack and cant stop his actions. Now all he can do is move after you, with his move, or maybe 5ft step, action left that round.

Have not had chance to try it out yet, and not saying its perfect. I figure any NPC would wise up quick enough to get around it eventually, by usually own readied actions or ranged attacks or flanking or etc...
But would help for a round or two at least.

Megosh isnt there a story you told me once about a mage that kept popping up and you said you readied your bow to hit him when he popped up next or something of that nature?