"Charging provokes attacks of opportunity."

[Victoly]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad I'm not just missing something and that it is a case of vague wording. I'm pretty sure that we're right about it being the movement component of the charge that provokes opportunity attacks, but I was curious enough to ask about it at least.

 

[fnwc]

From my understanding, you can charge up to your speed +2 and make a basic melee attack as a standard action. You grant combat advantage to everyone until your next turn (and maybe take a hit to your AC as well).

From the KOTS module, you only move your speed (not speed +2) and do not grant combat advantage.

After reading a few things and writing my own thread about the wording, I've come to this conclusion:

A Charge is a standard action where you move your speed and attack with a basic melee attack at the end of your movement with a +1 bonus to the attack roll. You must move at least 2 squares from your starting position, and any movement as part of the charge provokes Opportunity Attacks as normal. You must charge to the nearest unoccupied square from which you can attack the enemy. After a charge, you can take no further actions unless you spend an Action Point.

 

[tomjscott]

I would tend to believe that the charge does not grant Combat Advantage. Otherwise it would be a lame trade-off to gain +1 on your charge attack while giving the opponent a +2 to respond. As far as provoking an Attack of Opportunity, I had interpreted it to mean that the target received that and that it occured before the charge completed. That totally turned me off to a charge, but it now appears that was an incorrect interpretation. Still, to just gain +1 and provoke attacks from monsters as you pass by? I don't see much reason to charge. +1 is an awfully small bonus in the grand scheme of 4e rules. Heck, the Skeleton Warriors alone get +10 to AC attacks.

 

[Victoly]

Still, to just gain +1 and provoke attacks from monsters as you pass by? I don't see much reason to charge.

You provoke opportunity attacks from monsters you move past normally. Charging is only a standard action, which means you can travel up to double your movement in a turn and attack with a +1. The only drawback is that you can't take any actions after the charge - but if your plan is to just close the distance charging is a great maneuver.

 

[fnwc]

You provoke opportunity attacks from monsters you move past normally. Charging is only a standard action, which means you can travel up to double your movement in a turn and attack with a +1. The only drawback is that you can't take any actions after the charge - but if your plan is to just close the distance charging is a great maneuver.

Also, charging is one of the few ways to close and attack during the surprise round with a melee attack.

 

[jaycrockett]

This charge provoking aoo confusion really threw off my first playtest with Keep on the Shadowfell, since the first encounter says the minion kobolds must charge if they are in range. Well, they were all in range, they all charged, all took opportunity attacks (as I was then interpreting it), and three went down. Made for a weird rest of the battle.

 

[Irda Ranger]

You're actually combining the charge action with the run action (+2 move, give combat advantage)

No, you're not. Charge is a single standard action. You can run and charge in the same round (as long as you run first).

 

[Najo]

I think charge works exactly as it says and the advantage is clear.

You move at least 2 squares up to your speed, provoke OA and then make a basic melee attack. You get +1 to your to hit roll. Pretty simple.

The advantages are being able to move at close to full speed and still make an attack (with a bonus). Name another way a character can move like that and attack. If the OA wasn't there, then what is the disadvantage if there are no other monsters around when you move?

Basically, if you want to move and then fight your moving once, provoking an OA and then getting a standard action.

Or you shift once, then get a standard action.

Or you can move then charge, getting a +1 to hit but provoking a OA.

The OA represents the opening your providing to your enemies from your rushing in. The +1 to hit shows the bonus you gain from your momentum.

If you ask me, Charge is simple and clear. People are just trying to find a way to make it more powerful than it already is.

 

[Boregar]

I'd be inclined to say that the target of the charge wouldn't get an OA unless they had specifically set a weapon (such as a spear) to receive the charge.

 

[Xorn]

You provoke opportunity attacks from monsters you move past normally. Charging is only a standard action, which means you can travel up to double your movement in a turn and attack with a +1. The only drawback is that you can't take any actions after the charge - but if your plan is to just close the distance charging is a great maneuver.

Remember that you can only use a basic melee attack, no powers. That's the biggest downside of a charge. But this is the correct interpretation.

For a standard action, you get to move and make a basic melee attack with +1 to-hit. Your movement provokes OAs normally.

The reason they spell it out is probably because you don't have a PHB to check yourself. Melee does not provoke, Ranged does. Close does not provoke, Area does. Personal does not provoke, the movement from a Charge does. They just left the word movement out.