Move Action before Charge Attack

[Aust Meliamne]

A combatant can do a Move action, Standard Action, and Minor action in one round.

A charge is considered a standard action (PHB pg 289) allowing someone to move (at least 2 squares) directly to the nearest square they can attack an opponent from, making a melee basic or bull rush attack at +1 to hit. No further actions possible.

Can a combatant take a Minor action, Move action, then a Charge attack (in that order), thus allowing them to move their full speed during the Move action and their full speed again during the Charge attack?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Yep. Move-then-charge is perfectly legal, and in fact often a very good technique.

 

[Aust Meliamne]

A very good tactic, indeed.

 

[Gloombunny]

The whole point of charging is that you can spend a move action first and thereby get double movement while still attacking. Otherwise it would generally be better to just move up and then use an at-will attack.

 

[fissionessence]

Try this one on for size:

1) Melee PC and spellcaster enemy are adjacent.
2) Enemy shifts back to safely use ranged/area attack.
3) Melee PC shifts back so that he's 2 squares away, then charges enemy spellcaster.

My players' fighter did this once, as he many times prefers his basic melee attack [with bracers of mighty striking to tide of iron or cleave. Now, I have the monsters do it all the time to the party, since monsters many times have much better 'basic' attacks than PCs

~

 

[Aust Meliamne]

Does the movement that is part of the charge attack need to be a straight line?

 

[Danceofmasks]

Yes, and you also have to charge to the nearest square (defined by # of squares as distance, so you can choose).

I like this tactic .. move off to the side, and ready a charge in response to an enemy brute's movement.
In order to charge the caster he's guarding.
'cos since it's his turn, charging by him doesn't provoke an OA.

 

[Benimoto]

Does the movement that is part of the charge attack need to be a straight line?

Nope, but the character "must move directly to the nearest square from which you can attack the enemy".

 

[nittanytbone]

Here's a question:

Must you move directly to the closest square at the start of your turn? or at the start of your action?

 

[Syrsuro]

Here's a question:

Must you move directly to the closest square at the start of your turn? or at the start of your action?

When you charge, you must move directly to the closest square as determined at the start of the charge.

So yes, one purpose of the move action before the charge is to change the square which will be your ultimate destination - as well as to move to a point where the direct route doesn't trigger OAs, etc..

Carl