[3.5] Charge through friendly square with Overrun?

[Wolfwood2]

Is there any reason a character can't charge through the squares of an ally by declaring an Overrun action (which can specifically be used as part of a charge) and just letting their ally use the "get out of the way" option?

 

[Treebore]

Its been two years since I have played 3E, but I remember it as you can always move through a friendly square. No matter the nature of the movement.

 

[pawsplay]

Is there any reason a character can't charge through the squares of an ally by declaring an Overrun action (which can specifically be used as part of a charge) and just letting their ally use the "get out of the way" option?

No. The prohibition against charging through allies is pointless anyway.

 

[Wolfwood2]

No. The prohibition against charging through allies is pointless anyway.

My DM allowed it this past Friday evening, but winced. Given that my paladin PC is doing triple digit damage on charges, I understand why.

 

[frankthedm]

Is there any reason a character can't charge through the squares of an ally by declaring an Overrun action (which can specifically be used as part of a charge) and just letting their ally use the "get out of the way" option?

because Overrun got eratted to prevent that exact situation.

Overrun
Player's Handbook, page 148
It’s not possible to overrun as part of a charge.
Delete “or as part of a charge” from this paragraph.

Overrun
Player's Handbook, page 157
It’s not possible to overrun as part of a charge. Delete “or as part of a charge” from the first sentence of the first paragraph.
In the “Step 3” paragraph, delete the sentence that refers to making the overrun as part of a charge.

Given that my paladin PC is doing triple digit damage on charges, I understand why.

Yeah, 3.5 has way too many ways to get megadamage on charges. In a attempt to balance that, they made charging harder, rather than making charging damage saner. Notably mounts became 10' fat, overrun got painfully nerfed and the presence of any terrain that slowed you down stopped charges dead.

 

[kcmopd1913]

Is there any reason a character can't charge through the squares of an ally by declaring an Overrun action (which can specifically be used as part of a charge) and just letting their ally use the "get out of the way" option?

Yes, there are reason why this cannot be done.

First, the charge action says you cannot charge through a square occupied by an ally.

Second, while you can use the overrun action as part of a charge it must be used against an opponent (key word), which means you are targeting the ally for the charge. Now the ally does have the option to get out of the way allowing you to move to your true target, but since you are using a special full-round action for the charge (targeting your ally) you cannot attack your true target.

Now this is from the SRD, so I'm not sure if there is errata to the exact wording.

 

[Zamtap]

crowded charge

see PHB2 page 159 for crowded charge

It's a teamwork benefit that requires a rank of jump from team members and 8 ranks from the team leader. the benefit is members of the team do not block movement for a charge for other members of the team

Zamtap

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

There are other ways. There's both a feat in Complete Warrior and a skill trick in Complete Scoundrel to let you make a turn of up to 90 degrees once during a charge. There's the Drunken Master's corkscrew rush or whatever it's called. Swashbuckler 's class feature arguably could be used in some scenarios to bypass allies.

It's more common sense than RAW, but I've always allowed people with Leap Attack to leap over an ally in the way, provided a decent jump check.

EDIT: There's also a level 4 Diamod Mind maneuver that lets you take two move actions and end with an attack, counting as a charge (but with no AC penalty, and you could use the move actions to go in whatever crazy direction you wanted). From Desert Wind, Salamander Charge lets you zig-zag, and Searing Charge lets you fly to the target (and then fall ).

 

[Wolfwood2]

Eh, okay. I probably knew that at some point, but when I'm sitting at the table what I have is the printed book in my hand, not the online errata.

It's Age of Worms, so I face a constant struggle to figure out how much cheese is too much. This is a brutal module, and if I don't powergame for the team a little, the ranger with AC 20 at 12th level and the cleric who never remembers what her spells do aren't going to last long.