Readying a jump in response to a charge?

[heirodule]

After seeing this

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7vL19q8yL54

I wonder: how would it work to ready a jump in response to being charged.

Anyone ever try it in game?

Opponent charges, you jump 10 feet forward, and have enough height to clear the bad guy, do you end up screwing up the charge? Seems you could.

Please don't tell me theres a feat for this, since physically possible stuff should just happen (the problem with some feats that now let you do things you should always get to do)

 

[mvincent]

Opponent charges, you jump 10 feet forward, and have enough height to clear the bad guy, do you end up screwing up the charge? Seems you could.

Yes, you can ready a move action (and jumping is part of a move action), which would likely mess up any charge.

Note though: the charging rules do not actually say that you have to continue in a straight line, they merely say that you have to continue directly towards your opponent. If your opponent moves during your charge, you could theoretically (by RAW) switch directions to pursue him (and it would still be considered a charge since you are always going directly towards him).

However, as a DM I would certainly allow you to bypass a charge by jumping over an opponent if you have a readied action to do so (and could actually jump over your opponent). I believe you would also provoke an AoO though (unless you also have tumble, or can jump very high indeed).

 

[Notmousse]

I love the concept, but wouldn't taking a normal move be just as effective? Ready an action such as 'once this guy gets within 15' I hustle away'.

 

[mvincent]

wouldn't taking a normal move be just as effective?

I believe so, but not nearly as interesting (which I feel a DM should be more lenient in allowing, and and also more generous in dolling out those +2 circumstance bonuses when performing such stunts).

 

[Artoomis]

...Note though: the charging rules do not actually say that you have to continue in a straight line, they merely say that you have to continue directly towards your opponent. If your opponent moves during your charge, you could theoretically (by RAW) switch directions to pursue him (and it would still be considered a charge since you are always going directly towards him)...

I do not think so.

"Second, if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge. (Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.) "

If you can change direction, then this rule might stop way more charges than it should.

 

[mvincent]

I do not think so.

"Second, if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge. (Helpless creatures don’t stop a charge.) "

If you can change direction, then this rule might stop way more charges than it should.

I do not understand what you are saying (and I'm unsure if you understood what I was saying). Can you rephrase?

 

[Hypersmurf]

If your opponent moves during your charge, you could theoretically (by RAW) switch directions to pursue him (and it would still be considered a charge since you are always going directly towards him).

But remember, the line determining validity is drawn from your starting space to your ending space.

-------
|.[color=white]@[/color]...|
|.[color=cyan]*[/color]...[color=brown]+[/color]####
|.....|   ##
|.....|    ##
|..[color=red]h[/color]..|
|.....|
|.[color=#AAAAAA]o[/color]...|
-------

The goblin wants to charge the human. The nearest space from which he can attack is marked with a blue asterisk. No problem - all the lines from his starting space to the ending space are clear.

However, when he gets within fifteen feet, the human's Ready action triggers, and he moves ten feet east. The new ending space (the closest space from which the goblin can attack) is agains marked with a blue asterisk.

-------
|...[color=white]@[/color].|
|..[color=cyan]*[/color]..[color=brown]+[/color]####
|.....|   ##
|.[color=#AAAAAA]o[/color]...|    ##
|..[color=red]h[/color]..|
|.....|
|.[color=lime]*[/color]...|
-------

Now, there exist lines from the goblin's starting space (marked with a green asterisk) to the ending space which pass through the square occupied by the dwarf. The goblin thus cannot charge.

This won't occur in all cases... only where the movement causes lines to become unclear where they were clear.

-Hyp.

 

[mvincent]

the line determining validity is drawn from your starting space to your ending space.

Ah. So jumping over someone is almost certain to invoke the following rule:
"if any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can’t charge"

So assuming that a DM is using literalism to allow one to switch directions in the first place, the same literalism could invalidate the charge? Nice catch.

 

[Hypersmurf]

So assuming that a DM is using literalism to allow one to switch directions in the first place, the same literalism could invalidate the charge? Nice catch.

Of course, if one's getting that literal, one could point out that there are plenty of lines from your starting space to the ending space that pass through the starting space... which contains a creature. Namely you

So all charges are invalid by definition, in that case, unless the person wanting to attempt the charge is helpless

-Hyp.