Readied charge?

[Artoomis]

I wonder is "your turn" is actually a precisley defined game term? Anyone know for sure? If so, what is the precise defintion, from the book.

 

[irdeggman]

Since "your turn" is actually "your turn in the initiative order" you have to look in the glossary:

PHB pg 138

Each round’s activity begins with the character with the highest initiative result and then proceeds, in order, from there. Each round of a combat uses the same initiative order. When a character’s turn comes up in the initiative sequence, that character performs his entire round’s worth of actions. (For exceptions, see Attacks of Opportunity, page 137, and Special Initiative Actions, page 160.)

PHB pg 309

initiative: A system of determining the order of actions in battle. Before the first round of combat, each combatant makes a single initiative check. Each round, the participants act in order from the highest initiative result to the lowest.

initiative count: The result of an initiative check, expressed as a number that indicates when a character’s turn comes up.

PHB pg 312

round: A 6-second unit of game time used to manage combat. Every combatant may make at least one action every round.

PHB pg 314

turn: The point in the round at which you take your action(s). On your turn, you may perform one or more actions, as dictated by your current circumstances.

 

[RangerWickett]

For criminey's sake, let them ready a charge.

 

[Mistwell]

For criminey's sake, let them ready a charge.

I agree it should be a house rule in most games, though I think the limitations mentioned earlier in the thread about not taking a move action where you actually move before the readied action is a wise one.

 

[dogoftheunderworld]

Or just Delay, and then Charge when you want to. Granted, you can't interupt someone's turn this way; but usually my players want to ready a charge for when someone is in range/position, not necessarily to interupt them.

 

[irdeggman]

Or just Delay, and then Charge when you want to. Granted, you can't interupt someone's turn this way; but usually my players want to ready a charge for when someone is in range/position, not necessarily to interupt them.

And there is the way to charge later, but I think the OP wanted to be able to "interupt the action" which is keyed to "ready" and not "delay".

 

[JustinA]

Of course that's not rules as written, but Hyp, what's your opinion on how balanced it would be if it were the rules?

The biggest problem I see is that (a) it allows crooked charges and (b) it lets you ready a charge. Both are problematic.

There's really no doubt, given the prevalency of these discussions, that the Charge rules suffer from too much legalese and nitpickery -- largely as a result of trying to patch this problem while still allowing people to charge on a surprise round.

I think the easier solution is to simply say:

Charging is a full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. However, it carries tight restrictions on how you can move.

Movement During a Charge: You must move before your attack, not after. You must move at least 10 feet (2 squares) and may move up to double your speed. You cannot take a 5-foot step in the same round as a charge.

When performing a charge you must select an opponent within your line of sight as the target of the charge. When performing a charge you must move directly toward your target, coming to a stop as soon as you can attack them. You must also have a clear path to your target -- nothing can hinder or block your movement (such as difficult terrain, another combatant, or obstacles). (Helpless creatures don't hinder a charge, but allies do.)

Attacking on a Charge: After moving, you may make a single melee attack. You get a +2 bonus on the attack roll. and take a –2 penalty to your AC until the start of your next turn. A charging character gets a +2 bonus on the Strength check made to bull rush or overrun an opponent (see Bull Rush, above, and Overrun, below).

Charging During the Surprise Round: As a special exception to the normal rules for charging, you may perform a charge during the surprise round using your single allowed action.

Lances and Charge Attacks: A lance deals double damage if employed by a mounted character in a charge.

Weapons Readied against a Charge: Spears, tridents, and certain other piercing weapons deal double damage when readied (set) and used against a charging character.

This doesn't actually change the rules as the were intended (based on repeated statements by WotC developers), but it does make interpreting them a lot easier.

Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net

 

[Hypersmurf]

This doesn't actually change the rules as the were intended (based on repeated statements by WotC developers), but it does make interpreting them a lot easier.

It prevents zombies from charging, which I think was intended to be allowed.

-Hyp.

 

[Pagan priest]

Well, I know that in wargaming Napoleonics, it is possible to have unit orders that state: "Charge if Charged". It is perfectly reasonable to have a readied charge action. The big problem is in not allowing some of the potential silly abuses like moving around a corner, and then stopping and readying a charge, say, "if he breathes...".

Just allow a charge to be readied if and only if the character has not moved during this round. I suspect that the reason the RAW does not already have something like this is for simplification. Simplification is good, overs-simplification is bad.

RAW is not always the right answer, since RAW are sometimes written wrong. (My favorite case in point: the ridiculous notion that a long bow can't be a strong bow. Utterly ridiculous, utterly wrong, and has never been corrected.)

 

[JustinA]

It prevents zombies from charging, which I think was intended to be allowed.

A fair point. If that's the case, I'd put that exception to the general rule in the description for Zombies.

Generally I don't like exceptions. But I'd rather deal with these two exceptions (one for zombies and one for surprise rounds) than the confusing, fine-pointed legalese we have now.

Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net