Explain bracing for a charge to me


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It's from a 3rd party source, but there are examples of using Bluff to make the maneuber more effective. It requires some exotic weapons though (rod of lordly mighty or other shape-shifting weapons).
 

Infiniti2000 said:
How is that different from the normal surprise round? From what you've explained, that's the rule not a house rule. :)
The difference is that with this rule, every combat starts with a surprise round. By the RAW, the surprise round is only used if someone is actually surprised.
 

I just let people with a pointy-stick ready vs. approach and if the approach is via charge, they get the setting damage.

And yet, honestly, that's never ever ever happened in any game I've been in or run, even being fast and loose with the rules. It's a cold day in the hot pits when somebody actually picks up a spear of any sort, as well.

If anything, I think the maneuver should be encouraged, just to encourage variety in weapons. If it's utterly impossible to set vs charge, why not just grab a glaive for more damage?

It might only, normally, play hell against zombies ... unfortunately the average damage of a Str10 guy weilding a spear set vs. charge is about 9 and zombies have DR 5/Slashing ... >.< So it isn't even all that great for arming the peasant milita to stop that advance by the zombie hordes.

--fje
 

Yup. As a player I've run into no end of frustration with this. If you're packing a spear-like weapon and you ready against a charge, lo and behold, all of a sudden the enemies become very disinclined to charge you. If you're not, or don't ready then they'll charge their little hearts out. It's happened under multiple DMs in multiple venues and just sets my teeth on edge every single time it happens.

In my games, intelligent opponents who see you standing there with the spear and not flat-footed will often assume that you readied the spear unless they see you do something else, whether or not you actually did ready. This means that the spear can be used as an effective deterrant without even spending the action to set for the charge, and it generally means that spear-wielding players are less likely to be charged than others.
 

Sejs said:
Yup. As a player I've run into no end of frustration with this. If you're packing a spear-like weapon and you ready against a charge, lo and behold, all of a sudden the enemies become very disinclined to charge you. If you're not, or don't ready then they'll charge their little hearts out. It's happened under multiple DMs in multiple venues and just sets my teeth on edge every single time it happens.

I think in that case it should be more fair at least to allow "readying vs melee attack" without requiring to specify that it must be a charge.

I'd allow that easily, so that the player would be ready against either a charge or a normal melee attack (but of course would get double bonus only if it's a charge).

I think smart NPCs should be able to recognize an opponent using a spear to block a charge, and therefore decide not to charge. But definitely a low-Int creature (or someone who just believes it can easily avoid being hit by the spear anyway) shouldn't be able to and should not drop its charge.
 

Rystil Arden said:
In my games, intelligent opponents who see you standing there with the spear and not flat-footed will often assume that you readied the spear unless they see you do something else, whether or not you actually did ready. This means that the spear can be used as an effective deterrant without even spending the action to set for the charge, and it generally means that spear-wielding players are less likely to be charged than others.

Good point, but don't forget that even if it's not a good idea to charge, the enemy could just move+attack normally, unless it's too far away.

That's why I suggest to allow ready to work without specifying if it has to be a charge to trigger your counterattack.
 

Li Shenron said:
Good point, but don't forget that even if it's not a good idea to charge, the enemy could just move+attack normally, unless it's too far away.

That's why I suggest to allow ready to work without specifying if it has to be a charge to trigger your counterattack.
Actually, I do always allow that, which is probably why my NPCs don't do come after the guy with the spear :lol:
 

Sejs said:
Yup. As a player I've run into no end of frustration with this. If you're packing a spear-like weapon and you ready against a charge, lo and behold, all of a sudden the enemies become very disinclined to charge you. If you're not, or don't ready then they'll charge their little hearts out. It's happened under multiple DMs in multiple venues and just sets my teeth on edge every single time it happens..

Umm, it would be kinda hard to notice you setting for a charge with a spear, seeing as, IMO, you must plant the blunt end into/onto the ground, and that is very noticable, I would think.

EDIT: emphisys mine
 

Dryfus said:
Umm, it would be kinda hard to notice you setting for a charge with a spear, seeing as, IMO, you must plant the blunt end into/onto the ground, and that is very noticable, I would think.

Yes, but how long does it take to set a spear against a charge ?
1. Ready action and stand with spear held normally
2. See enemy charging. This takes some distance / time. Triggers readied action.
3. Set spear to ground while he covers his distance.
4. Impale charger

That's the way I see it done with normal weapons. Think about the movie Braveheart as the scots lift the pikes at last moment to break the charging heavy cavalry.

Just my way of describing it.
 

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