Swit Charge Question

[ForbidenMaster]

There seems to be a very articulate fraction here that thinks the world ends when charges end. Fact is, nobody can take my free (!) triggered (!) actions away from me. If you try, I'll rampage all over your rulebooks!

For whatever its worth, I dont think that the Barbarian shouldn't get the Swift Charge, I just think that you run into a whole bunch of mess assuming that it is legal to take the swift charge after your end of turn phase, or worse, even after that.

 

[Orcus Porkus]

Customer Service has apparently issued a lot of conflicting statements. And one of the more interesting is this:

When and how you can use free actions is always up to the Dungeon Master as to if they're ok or not. However, in the games we play here, it's perfectly acceptable to take a free action after (or during) a charge.
I'd discuss it with your DM and see what he feels is ok.

Google cache of gleemax thread since gleemax is messed up

 

[Flipguarder]

I think Customer Service only works as a deciding factor in discussions if you get the same answer from them most of the time.
I am glad to hear at least one of my possibilities was supported.

 

[Rezzin]

Speaking of WOTC Customer Service, I recently submitted a similar question to them regarding this very topic. I ended my question with a situation that occurred in a game I play in where a player wanted to hold his swift charge and do it later.... Customer service was vague about it though.

EDIT: In fact now that I think about, delaying the free action until your next turn seems ridiculous and I don't even know why they put that in there. I personally do not think the free action swift charge could be "held" and used later as it occurs as a trigger to killing something.

My initial query:
If a Barbarian charges an opponent during his turn with a basic attack or at-will attack (i.e. Howling Strike), his turn ends after the charge is resolved as per the rules of charging in the Player's Handbook.

If the Barbarian in question kills the enemy with this initial charge described above, he triggers his Swift Charge ability.

Swift Charge
As your foe falls, you rush toward your next victim.
Encounter Primal
Free Action Personal
Trigger: Your attack reduces an enemy to 0 hit points
Effect: You charge an enemy.
First published in Player's Handbook 2.

Since the barbarian already charged and his turn would end, can he still take advantage of the Swift Charge class feature as a free action? If the barbarian can, and since it is a free action to do so, can the barbarian use the free action at the beginning of the next initiative order or any other time before his turns comes around again?

WOTC Response:

Thank you for contacting us. You can use the Swift Charge ability at the conclusion of your final action for the turn. You do not have to delay this action until your next turn.

Please let me know if you need anymore help!

Good Gaming!

 

[RigaMortus2]

This is completely true. The text never states at all when you have to perform a triggered action. That doesnt change the fact, however, that the charge text explicitly states that no actions can be taken after a charge, except for a one very specific exception.

So as soon as you take your first charge, you'd be stuck in stasis forever?

 

[Eldorian]

so as soon as you take your first charge, you'd be stuck in stasis forever?

hahah.

 

[Falstyr]

So as soon as you take your first charge, you'd be stuck in stasis forever?

PC: I Charge the hobgoblin...
DM: ok...your turn is over
PC: But I wanted to hit the hobgoblin with my greataxe
DM: Then you shouldn't have charged him and just casually walked up to him

Stupid rule and makes no sense to end your turn as soon as you decide to charge. You have a certain amount of actions to use per round so use them. If one of those actions trigger a free action then simply use it.

 

[Tai]

The reason a charge ends your turn is to stop you from charging someone, then moving away afterward. A charge essentially gets you two actions for the price of one, so it's quite a powerful ability, especially for monsters. Ending someone's turn after a charge does the players more good than harm in the long run. How this applies to free actions is another issue, of course, since they're supposed to be free, but I certainly appreciate why it ends your turn.

Also, speaking as someone who's done a headlong charge into a shieldwall, I think I'd find it quite difficult to drink a potion at the end of a charge ^^;;

 

[abyssaldeath]

I just want to point something out about the use of an Action Point after a charge that I think is important. On page 288 is says "you can't take further actions this turn, unless you spend an action point to take an extra action".

Let's look at that sentence, specifically after is say "unless". The sentence says "unless you spend". I think that if you couldn't normally use free actions after a charge that sentece would say "you can still use an Action Point to take an extra action". The way the sentence is structure lead me to believe that they are talking specifically about the action you get on your turn. The way they use "unless" feels more like a reminder then actually a permissive statement.

 

[Zinovia]

PC: I Charge the hobgoblin...
DM: ok...your turn is over
PC: But I wanted to hit the hobgoblin with my greataxe
DM: Then you shouldn't have charged him and just casually walked up to him

Stupid rule and makes no sense to end your turn as soon as you decide to charge. You have a certain amount of actions to use per round so use them. If one of those actions trigger a free action then simply use it.

Charge does include hitting him with your greataxe. It is a standard action that includes a move and basic melee attack. You can use your minor and move actions to do whatever you like, then charge to move up to your speed towards a foe and hit him. Then your turn ends.

The debate is whether or not the barbarian Swift Charge feature comes into play after already charging in that round.

Swift Charge is a triggered free action, so it happens as soon as you fulfill the condition, which is reducing a foe to 0 hp with one of your attacks. Whether the Swift Charge occurs during your turn, or at the beginning of the next really isn't an issue for me. It happens before anyone else can do anything. You must take the action (if you are going to) as soon as the triggering condition occurs. No silliness about delaying it.

I think we can all agree that there is some ambiguity there, and it would be helpful to get an official clarification.