Solasta 2 to Feature a D&D Mechanic Absent in BG3

“Get ready to get ready” perfectly captures the essence of the latest developer update for Solasta 2, the sequel to Tactical Adventures’ acclaimed 2021 RPG that aimed to faithfully replicate the tabletop combat mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons. During a community stream, the developers revealed that Solasta 2 will offer a more authentic implementation of the Ready Action, a D&D rule that often raises eyebrows at the gaming table. In D&D, combat revolves around action economy. Players and monsters have a limited number of actions they can perform during their turn, typically involving a Move, an Action, and a Bonus Action. Additionally, players possess a special resource known as a Reaction, which is triggered in response to specific events. To Ready an Action, a player essentially postpones their Action: instead of acting in their initiative order, they declare a trigger condition and then “spend” their Reaction to execute a pre-defined Action. Common scenarios include, “If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I’ll pull the lever that opens it,” but Ready Actions can also involve more complex maneuvers, such as casting a spell. The original Solasta allowed players to use Ready Action for melee or ranged attacks, or even spell cantrips. However, the developers have indicated that Solasta 2 will broaden this functionality, aiming to make most actions compatible with Ready Action over time. At the start of the early access phase, Ready Action will also apply to single-target spells, in addition to weapon attacks. Future updates will expand this to include area of effect (AoE) and multi-target spells as well. Notably, this tactic won’t just be about dealing damage; the stream showcased a character using Ready Action to cast Cure Wounds on an ally as soon as they moved within range. I commend Tactical Adventures for their commitment to delivering a D&D experience, but I also feel that Ready Action fits better in a video game than at a tabletop session. As a DM, I often groan when players announce they’re readying an action. The rule’s description is too ambiguous, and its potential uses are so broad that it can spiral out of control. Moreover, it allows players to manipulate the initiative order more than usual, which is why considering some initiative house rules can be beneficial. For instance, imagine a melee-focused character facing a monster that can only make melee attacks. If both are too far apart to engage in one round, the player can take advantage of the initiative order. If they go first, they can move closer and use Ready Action to strike the monster as soon as it enters their range, potentially taking it down before it can retaliate. While there are ways to mitigate these exploits, the rule remains tricky and often requires house rules to function smoothly in a tabletop setting. Developers of Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios, likely share my reservations about Ready Action, as this option is absent from their popular D&D-based RPG. However, that game wasn’t designed to strictly adhere to D&D rules, instead blending them with Larian’s unique system. In contrast, Solasta has thrived by providing an experience as close to the tabletop as possible, though even its developers recognize the limitations of this approach. “Now, we would have loved nothing more than to make it exactly like on Tabletop and give you all the possibilities you could imagine on how to trigger Ready Action,” the studio noted in a Steam update, “but this would be a liiiittle overwhelming – if we did, we’d have to code a puzzle game inside your tactical CRPG.” Solasta 2 is set to launch in early access on Windows PC via Steam on March 12.