Mastering the Art of Holding Spells: A Comprehensive Guide to Readying Actions in 5e
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
How long can you hold a spell as an action? In Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (5e), when you use the Ready action to hold a spell, you can maintain it until the start of your next turn. Crucially, this requires maintaining concentration. If you lose concentration for any reason (taking damage, being affected by a spell, etc.), the spell is lost, and the spell slot is expended. If the specified trigger for your readied action doesn’t occur before your next turn, you can choose to release the spell without casting it, but the spell slot is still wasted. The Ready action provides tactical flexibility but demands careful planning and risk assessment.
Understanding the Ready Action
The Ready action is a versatile tool in a player’s arsenal. It allows you to prepare to perform an action later in the round, triggered by a specific event or condition. This is especially useful for spellcasters who want to time their spells perfectly, control the battlefield, or react to enemy movements. The Player’s Handbook describes the Ready action as follows:
“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.”
The Mechanics of Readying a Spell
To ready a spell, you use your action on your turn to select the Ready action. You then choose a specific trigger (e.g., “when the goblin steps into the doorway,” or “when the fighter is within range”). Finally, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger – in this case, casting a spell.
Several conditions must be met to successfully hold a spell:
- Spell Slot Expenditure: Casting a spell as a Ready action consumes the spell slot immediately.
- Concentration: Holding a spell requires concentration. This is perhaps the most significant limitation. If you take damage and fail a concentration saving throw, or if something else breaks your concentration, the spell is lost, and the spell slot is wasted.
- Trigger Specificity: The trigger must be clear and unambiguous. The DM has the final say on whether the trigger has been met.
- Reaction Availability: When the trigger occurs, you must have your reaction available to cast the spell. If you’ve already used your reaction that round, you cannot cast the readied spell.
- Time Limit: You must release the spell before the start of your next turn, or it is lost.
Risks and Rewards of Holding a Spell
Holding a spell as an action can provide several advantages:
- Strategic Timing: You can cast a spell at the most opportune moment, maximizing its effectiveness.
- Control of the Battlefield: By holding a spell, you can deter enemies from certain actions or force them to react to your potential spellcasting.
- Interruption Avoidance: By waiting for a safe moment, you might avoid being interrupted while casting.
However, the risks are equally significant:
- Loss of Spell Slot: If you lose concentration or the trigger never occurs, the spell slot is wasted.
- Opportunity Cost: Using your action to ready a spell means you’re not taking another action, such as attacking, moving, or using a different ability.
- Vulnerability: While concentrating, you’re vulnerable to losing concentration if you take damage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Holding Spells in 5e
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules surrounding holding spells in 5e:
1. Does holding an action use a spell slot?
Yes, when you ready a spell, you expend the spell slot immediately. Even if the trigger doesn’t occur, and you don’t cast the spell, the spell slot is still used up.
2. Can you prepare a spell as an action?
Yes, you can use the Ready action on your turn to prepare a spell, concentrating on it, and then cast it when the trigger you determined occurs.
3. Can you cast more than one spell per round while holding a spell?
The general rule is that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can only cast a cantrip as your action on that turn. This limitation applies only to the turn on which you cast the bonus action spell. So, if you hold a spell as an action and then cast a bonus action spell on a later turn (after the trigger), you would only be able to cast a cantrip with your reaction.
4. What happens if the trigger for my held spell never occurs?
If the trigger for your Ready action never occurs before the start of your next turn, you can release the held spell. However, the spell slot is still wasted.
5. Can you hold a cantrip as an action?
Yes, you can hold a cantrip as an action using the Ready action. The same rules apply regarding spell slot expenditure (though cantrips don’t use spell slots), concentration (if applicable to the cantrip, though rare), and the trigger requirement.
6. Does holding an action use your reaction?
No, holding an action uses your action. The action you are holding is cast as a reaction when the appropriate trigger occurs. You don’t use the reaction until the turn you cast the readied action, if you ever do.
7. What are the rules for holding an action in 5e?
You may use your action and reaction to hold your action only, using a specified trigger, and when that trigger occurs, you may (a) continue to hold your action, (b) spend your action to do the thing you stated, or (c) spend your action to dash. To ready a spell, you must spend an action, choose a trigger, expend the spell slot, and maintain concentration until your next turn.
8. Can you ready a free action?
No, you can’t Ready a free action that already has a trigger. You can only prepare a single or Free action, not both.
9. Is ending a spell a free action?
Yes, you can end concentration on a spell at any time (no action required). This is useful if you want to free up your concentration for another spell or ability.
10. Does a spell count as an action?
Technically, casting a spell is an action, bonus action, or reaction depending on the spells casting time. While spells may involve an attack, they are not cast as attacks (bladesinger extra attack as an exception). Extra attack requires the attack action and (usually, see above) does not interact with spells.
11. Can I cast a spell as an action and a reaction?
If you cast a spell as your action, it doesn’t restrict your ability to cast a reaction spell. (It can, however, prevent you from casting any spell as a bonus action; the rule is agnostic of order, so if you cast any non-cantrip spell as an action, then you can’t cast a spell as a bonus action.)
12. What counts as an action in 5e?
The basic options for Action are Attack, Cast a Spell, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Ready, Search, Use an Object: when a participant is taking an action (or using an action) means that they are spending the “Action slot” and choosing one among those options.
13. What is the difference between ready and hold action?
There is no such thing as “hold action” in the 5th edition ruleset. The correct term is “Ready action“. A readied spell expends the spell slot even if you don’t use the spell. And holding a spell requires concentration, which means it’s possible to lose the spell (and the slot) if you get hit before your trigger happens. More importantly it also immediately ends any other spell you might be concentrating on!
14. Can you action surge a second spell while holding a spell?
Action surge does allow a second action, so you can cast another spell * but you can’t take a second bonus action so you can not cast another quicken spell.
15. Does the War Caster feat affect the Ready Action?
The War Caster feat allows you to cast a spell as a reaction when a creature provokes an opportunity attack from you. While this is similar to readying a spell, it isn’t quite the same thing. The Ready action is still governed by its own rules, including requiring concentration and expending the spell slot immediately.
Conclusion
The Ready action offers immense strategic depth for spellcasters in D&D 5e. However, mastering it requires a thorough understanding of its mechanics, limitations, and risks. By carefully considering the trigger, the potential for losing concentration, and the opportunity cost, you can effectively use the Ready action to control the battlefield and turn the tide of combat.
For more insights into game-based learning and educational applications of games, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.