[RPG] Ready an action to Disengage

actionsdnd-5ereadied-action

I want to ready the disengage action as a trigger if a creature appears near me. Is that possible?

My DM told me I could ready any other action like dodge, etc. as a trigger except for disengage. I've read the player's handbook but I don't see any rule that disengage can not be readied?

Best Answer

There's nothing in the Ready action description that would prevent readying Disengage. When you ready an action you:

decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it.

The perceivable circumstance is that the creature appears near you, the action you will take in response to that is to Disengage.

However, this would be a complete waste of a reaction. Disengage doesn't allow you to use any of your movement, it only lasts until the end of the turn you use it, and you can't ready an action and move in response to the trigger. So you would be stuck in the same place, having burned your reaction, and the advantages of Disengage would end as soon as the other creature's turn ends.

If you choose to move in response to the trigger instead of readying Disengage, then the creature would get an opportunity attack only if you move out of the creature's reach.