combat superiority + charge question

[Baumi]

If a monster wont to charge a target in the back ranks but a fighter stops him with combat superiority before he can reach his target (which is not the fighter), can the Monster attack the fighter instead since it is the only enemy in reach?

 

[DracoSuave]

If a monster wont to charge a target in the back ranks but a fighter stops him with combat superiority before he can reach his target (which is not the fighter), can the Monster attack the fighter instead since it is the only enemy in reach?

It depends on who you ask, but I say no.

Charge is not 'move wherever and hit a guy.' It's a lot more involved than that, you have to single an enemy out, and move towards them directly, which means that you've chosen where to go.

That means if you trigger an OA from combat superiority, your plan can be foiled. The charge becomes invalidated, and life moves on.

 

[abyssaldeath]

I agree with DS, but there are some people who believe that since Charge is not written like a power the movement portion has no target and you don't choose a target till you make the attack. To me, that makes no sense because how else are you suppose to know how to move directly toward something unless you choose a target first.

It also starts to get complicated if you allow the charger to change targets mid charge. Lets say that say that as the charger is running past the Fighter the Fighter make an OA, but not in the first square that was available. He instead makes an OA in the second adjacent square the charger runs through and hits and stops the chargers movement. Would you still allow the charger attack the fighter even though he is not in the nearest square from his starting position from which he could have attacked the fighter?

 

[Infiniti2000]

Another reason to say no: that's the fighter's schtick. Don't gimp it.

 

[Mort_Q]

Another reason to say no: that's the fighter's schtick. Don't gimp it.

This.

Isn't there a Fighter interrupt that deliberately lets you do this? i.e. take the hit of a charge

 

[Aulirophile]

Nope. But even if you were to allow it, the charge would already have failed to be a charge. You MUST move to the NEAREST square from which you can attack the target. In order to have provoked an OA from the Fighter, you already moved PAST the NEAREST square, because you had to move into a threatened square (nearest) and then attempt to move out of it (not-nearest) to provoke.

 

[Baumi]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Mort_Q]

Isn't there a Fighter interrupt that deliberately lets you do this? i.e. take the hit of a charge

Found it...

Stop Thrust, Fighter Attack 9, Immediate Reaction (Martial Powers)

Special: If the target moved as part of a charge, it can attack you instead of the original target of its charge.