Drawing a weapon...

[Pbartender]

An in-game dispute...

If a combatant has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, a combatant can combine one of these actions with a regular move. If a combatant has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, a combatant can draw two light or one-handed weapons in the time it would normally take a combatant to draw one.

Does a "regular move" include Charging, yes or no?

 

[Crothian]

A charge is not a move action, it has to be done as a standard action. However, I allow charging people to draw a weapon.

 

[AuraSeer]

By the book, you cannot draw a weapon while charging.

Charge is a special full-round action. It happens to include travelling some distance, but it's not actually a move action, and you cannot draw a weapon during it.

If you're Hasted, you can use the extra partial action to draw your weapon, and then use your regular action to charge. If you have the Quick-Draw feat, you can draw for free before charging. Barring either of those special circumstances, you cannot draw a weapon and charge during the same round.

 

[dcollins]

I also agree that you cannot draw a weapon as part of a charge. Per the PH, the charge is actually a "special standard action", not a move action.

 

[Caliban]

You normally take a Move Action as part of a Standard Action (i.e. Move Action plus Standard Attack Action).

A Charge is simply two Move Actions combined with an Attack action.


Since you are taking a Move Action as part of your Charge, I say you can draw a weapon while Charging.

 

[Oni]

I think Caliban has it pegged. Charge is a specific type of standard action that places certain parameters on the move-equivalent actions leading up to it.

 

[zealot73]

Shoot... if you're ambidextrous and you have a large shield don't bother drawing a weapon. Just SHIELD BASH the bastard with the charge!!!!

 

[Stalker0]

I also agree that you cannot draw a weapon as part of a charge. Per the PH, the charge is actually a "special standard action", not a move action.

Whoa, I finally had someone agree wtih me that's it a standard and not a full round action, just wait till I tell my friends!!

 

[AuraSeer]

You can combine drawing a weapon with a regular move. Charging is not a regular move, it's a special action that happens to include travelling.

You cannot take two move actions plus an attack all in the same round. A charge gives you approximately the equivalent of that combination, but it has its downsides, one of which is that you need to have your weapon out already.

 

[Pbartender]

Per the PH, the charge is actually a "special standard action", not a move action.

Whoa, I finally had someone agree wtih me that's it a standard and not a full round action, just wait till I tell my friends!!

The Combat Actions section of the SRD says it's a full-round action... And the PHB says "special standard action". Quite the contradiction, eh?

If you go with the "special standard action", I'd be more likely to lean toward being able to draw a weapon, since a "normal movement" is part of a standard action, and as Caliban says, Charging simply places restrictions on the movement.

If it's really a full-round action, then its not so clear that the movement is "normal movement".

The in-game scenario was this... A rogue/fighter wielding two (currently sheathed) shortswords (with Ambi and TWF) surprises an enemy. He makes a partial charge (while drawing his swords) against the nearest enemy to get in a Sneak Attack, and so that he can get Sneak Attacks on his Full Attack the next round while they are still flat-footed, if he wins initiative (high Dex and Imp. Init.).