[RPG] Can you Ready an attack with the trigger ‘enethe enters the reach’? If so, will you interrupt their movement on a hit

dnd-5etriggered-actions

Without using any feats, can a player with a reach weapon set that weapon to receive a 'charge' by the enemy, attacking them when they enter range? Or even a non-reach weapon? That is, can a player commit to using their attack action when an enemy crosses an arbitrary line with their movement? (Examples: Ready my glaive to attack when the orc gets 10' away from me. Ready my shortbow to attack when the dragon enters 80' from me. Ready my dagger in case the kobold comes adjacent.)

If this is possible, and the player's attack hits, does it have any effect on the enemy's remaining movement or other actions?

I think the answers are yes, and no, respectively.

Best Answer

The answers are "yes, and no, respectively"

Ready requires a "perceivable circumstance". When an enemy gets close enough that you can effectively strike them with your weapon is a perceivable circumstance and is a valid trigger for ready. Similarly, "when an enemy comes through the door", or "steps on the bridge" or "looks at me funny"1 are all valid triggers that can use ranged weapons instead of melee weapons.

However, absent killing the creature or some other effect of the attack (e.g. if you grappled them); hit or miss, the enemy's freedom of action is unaffected by your Ready action attack.

1 Assuming we can agree on objective criteria for a funny look.