Charging with Spring Attack?

[Tyrloch]

Hi,

I'm building a Scout, and I'm wondering once I have Spring Attack, can I move double my movement on a Charge (60-80ft), attack at somewhere around 40 or 50ft, then move another 10-20ft? I suppose my question really is can I move before and after the attack on a charge if I have the Spring Attack feat? Any suggestions? Thanks.

~Jace

 

[pawsplay]

Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. However, it carries tight restrictions on how you can move.

...
Movement During a Charge
You must move before your attack, not after. You must move at least 10 feet (2 squares) and may move up to double your speed directly toward the designated opponent.

Attack
Making an attack is a standard action.

Spring Attack [General]
Prerequisites
Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.

Benefit
When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate. You can’t use this feat if you are wearing heavy armor.

You must move at least 5 feet both before and after you make your attack in order to utilize the benefits of Spring Attack.

So as you can see, if a charge involved the attack action, there would be some ambiguity, but as it turns out, you cannot take the kind of action specified in Spring Attack.

 

[Tyrloch]

Okay, what if I have a 40ft movement, I move 10ft on the Charge, attack, and then move another 30ft? Can that be done?

 

[Vegepygmy]

Okay, what if I have a 40ft movement, I move 10ft on the Charge, attack, and then move another 30ft? Can that be done?

You would need to have some ability that allows you to move both before and after making an attack (and as you now know, Spring Attack doesn't work when charging). So...do you?

 

[Tyrloch]

Why exactly doesn't Spring Attack work? As long as I move 5ft before & after the attack, and don't move further than my listed speed...why won't it work?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Have you considered the Ride-by Attack feat? It does mostly what you want. You would either need to be mounted or play a centaur (or similar) race, though.

Why doesn't spring attack work? Because it lets you take an attack action (as a standard action, basically) between your move action. Charge is a full round action.

Yes, partial charge is a standard action, but you can only do a partial charge when limited to just a standard action (like the surprise round of combat, or if you're a zombie). Without a move action as well, even on a partial charge you could not use spring attack.

 

[frankthedm]

Why exactly doesn't Spring Attack work? As long as I move 5ft before & after the attack, and don't move further than my listed speed...why won't it work?

Because spring attack utilizes the Attack Action while Charge is a separate full round action unto itself.

Spring Attack [General]

Prerequisites
Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, base attack bonus +4.

Benefit
When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed. Moving in this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the defender you attack, though it might provoke attacks of opportunity from other creatures, if appropriate. You can’t use this feat if you are wearing heavy armor.
You must move at least 5 feet both before and after you make your attack in order to utilize the benefits of Spring Attack.
Special

A fighter may select Spring Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

 

[Sparafucile]

Charging is a full round action in and of itself. Spring Attack modifes a single move + single standard action, essentially splitting the move betwen the attack. . .

What YOU want to do is have your cake and eat it too. . . gain a double move of charge, a +2 attack bonus, and end your turn out of threat range, i.e. single move + single standard action (+2 bonus to hit) + single move.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

That being said, there ARE rules-legal ways to do it. For example, the Sudden Leap maneuver after a charge. My friend created a "Run-by Attack" feat to add to the Spring Attack feat tree. No one's even taken it yet far as I'm aware.

 

[Starbuck_II]

Yes, partial charge is a standard action, but you can only do a partial charge when limited to just a standard action (like the surprise round of combat, or if you're a zombie). Without a move action as well, even on a partial charge you could not use spring attack.

Wait, so while slowed you can use Spring attack while charging (sinve it is a standard action)? You don't use up a move action to use Spring attack.

So it seems you can while slowed.