So, not sure if this is a bug, or some feature of how the 'ready' mechanic works that I'm not aware of, but I feel that about 60% of the time the 'ready' triggers never trigger. Multiple times I've had my entire part readied with either ranged attacks or cantrip attacks, with the enemy coming around a corner / door and maybe 1/4 actually triggering the attack. Are there additional rules around the triggering? I assumed, since we aren't really able to select what the trigger is, that the trigger is if they can make the attack they will?
I can confirm this. It's frustrating when you're set up for a barrage of blades and arrows ... and your party just stands there... Could it be that disadvantage negates the trigger? I.e. the game thinks that you wouldn't want to attack at disadvantage? If so, could we at least get clarification? (Or even better, configurable triggers?! *starts salivating*)
Have had the situation that i "ready"ied a cantrip just to have my mage cast "light" upon enemy appearance...
I'm pretty sure they will not trigger with disadvantage. I wish I could remember where I read that so I could cite it. But it's worse than that anyway. I wrote a bug thread about it. It seems they don't actually attack till too late.
If they don't go anywhere after they attack you, you don't really notice it. I had a situation that showed it well though.
Rogue in the back with a readied ranged attack. Fighter in the front with an empty square ahead bathed in light spell. One square beyond that is bathed in magical darkness. The enemy emerges from the darkness into the lit square to attack the fighter. This is when the readied attack should proc. It does not. (I think it *does* actually trigger, but the attack doesn't go off yet) The enemy gets his attack off, then disengages and steps back into the darkness. NOW the rogue finally attacks with disadvantage and no party member adjacent to the enemy. Then some small part of me dies inside.