Charging through an ally?

[Nullzone]

And it's worth noting that, IIRC, 4e doesn't count distance through blocking terrain such as walls. So even if going around the corner takes you away from a straight line to the target, each squares is still technically taking you closer to the target.

No, you explicitly MUST count the absolute distance to target through blocking terrain and every square of movement must bring you closer radially.

This clause is present precisely for the reason of preventing the "charge around the corner" tactic.

 

[Bagpuss]

Agreed. But if you know what square the enemy is in around the corner (you can hear them, even though they're out of sight), I allow a charge.

Normally you can't charge round corners because each step doesn't take you closer to the target, because you have to include blocking terrain (the corner) in the calculation. The shortest route (the one you normally need to follow) will cross the corner, but it is blocked so you can't charge.

RAW you can charge through allies just fine in 4th Ed, you couldn't in 3rd Ed, which is a house rule a number of DM's seem to have kept.

Personally we don't have a problem with charging through allies at our table, when you see the Minotaur lower its head and work up some steam you get out of his way. Each square is 5ft wide more than enough room for two friendly characters to pass without interfering with each other.

 

[OnlineDM]

Normally you can't charge round corners because each step doesn't take you closer to the target, because you have to include blocking terrain (the corner) in the calculation. The shortest route (the one you normally need to follow) will cross the corner, but it is blocked so you can't charge.

I see what you mean. I don't believe there's a case where the PC can't see the monster due to a corner being in the way where the PC could make every step bring himself closer to the monster. I had to sketch out a few examples to convince myself of this, but I agree in the end.

Too bad - I think the flavor of charging blindly around a corner at a monster you can't see (but that you can hear) sounds like a cool thing to do. Maybe via Rule of Cool I'd still allow it at my table.

    P123
        4
 WWWWWWW 5
 WWWWWWW 6
 WWWWWWW 7
 WWWWWWW M

In the example above, P is the PC's starting position, M is the monster, W is wall, and the numbers are the steps that the PC takes in charging (let's say it's an Elf, hence the speed of 7). Steps 1, 2 and 3 don't actually bring the PC any closer to the monster by 4e math (he's still 5 spaces away after each step). This means he can't charge through those steps. But by Rule of Cool, I think I'd allow this at my table if the PC knew the monster was in space M.

 

[Colmarr]

No, you explicitly MUST count the absolute distance to target through blocking terrain and every square of movement must bring you closer radially.

This clause is present precisely for the reason of preventing the "charge around the corner" tactic.

Well there you go!

I must have been thinking of the general 'distance to target' rules.

 

[ileickcallisto]

Pathfinder Core Rulebook (6th printing) page 198 lists the restrictions for charging - full round action, must have LOS to target at the START of your turn, must have clear path that cannot pass through an ally's space.

 

[AnderNGmx]

as a sub-question, would incorporeal creatures such as undead go through each other so they can get to their victim or would they behave in a "theatrically pretending they still have a physical body" so as to not overpower them in certain situations?

 

[dave2008]

Pathfinder Core Rulebook (6th printing) page 198 lists the restrictions for charging - full round action, must have LOS to target at the START of your turn, must have clear path that cannot pass through an ally's space.

Just so you know, this thread is almost 13 years old and talking about D&D 4e it seems.

 

[chongjasmine]

Obey your DM, or if you don't like, find another DM.
This is his or her rule, probably.