Bull Rush as part of a charge

[Brain]

What does it mean to do something "as part of a charge"? It says you can bull rush as a standard action, or as part of a charge. Does that mean that you can charge and attack and bull rush all in one or does that mean that you can charge and bull rush someone but don't get an attack (bull rush replaces attack)?

 

[dcollins]

My reading is that it replaces (counts as) the attack.

 

[the Jester]

Brain plays in more campaigns at once than anyone I know, and speaking as the dm of the one with the character that this thread is likely about, I've also always ruled that the bull rush replaces the attack. But I'll watch this thread closely for contrary evidence.

 

[Brain]

It came up with regards to someone else's characters in a game I played tonight. I told him that he could either bull rush or attack with his charge and he disagreed. We looked it up and when I looked at it closer, it wasn't so clear. So I figured I'd ask here.

 

[CapnZapp]

It doesnt say so, though: Unless this is clarified you should assume you get the attack.

Note that a Bull Rush standard action (the other alternative) may sound like an attack, but is more like movement.

You should also be aware of that even when making a bull rush as part of a charge, this doesn't allow you to exceed your normal move allowance. A normal human doing a charge from 50 feet away still can't bull rush his opponent more than 10 feet, even if the human's Strength check exceeds his opponent's by 10 or more.

Cinematically, this sounds like your round freezes in the middle of the bull rush (and that you're still in the bull rush by the opponent's turn), but by the rules there are no such special conditions. You are better off starting closer to your opponent if your DM isn't ready to make up house rules for such an unusual circumstance.

 

[Gnome]

In the Charge section of the SRD, it says "A charging character gets a +2 bonus on the Strength check made to bull rush an opponent (see Bull Rush, above).". This makes me think that you just get a bull rush attemp, but with the charging bonus/penalty attached to it.