Stopping the Charge.

[Eldorian]

Woah, this thread is almost necromancy.

Kobold Dragonshield. A monster in the first adventure that we played before the player's handbook was released had a power like this.


Here's what happens: Enemy walks towards you. Enemy charges you. As the enemy gets within range to make his attack, you interrupt his movement. This leaves him one square away from you. After your immediate action is resolved, he continues to charge you as long as he has movement. If he can end his movement in a square in reach, he attacks you as a charge attack.

If you had used an immediate reaction, the only difference is that he would have taken the move that made him adjacent to you before you shifted. In fact, if this power was an immediate reaction, it would be better than it is now, because it would tie up one more square of his movement, unless for some reason you really don't ever want to be adjacent to the enemy for any length of time.

You can find threads on the Kobold Dragonshield from back when all we had was Keep on the Shadowfell.

 

[Eldorian]

So... what would happen if I enacted Weave through the Fray, and I wound up 3 squares behind the charger? Can the Charger now spin 180 degrees and 'recharge' me since he would then be moving to the nearest square from which he can attack? What if I moved into a position very close to his starting position, in which case even after moving 5 or 6 squares, he would have to end only 1 square from his starting position to attack me? Could he still?

It would lower my appreciation for the game that turning 180 degrees in the middle of charge wouldn't negate it, but that simply ending your charge 1 square from your start no matter how many squares you moved to get there... does.

I think in the end, this is one of those things where each group has to decide what's right for them.

Technically, I don't think turning around would stop his charge. Also, I believe that as long as, during his charge, he moved at least 2 squares away from his original position, he's fine as far as satisfying that requirement.

If he was only 2 squares away when he started his charge, then you could interrupt his charge before he gets to the square adjacent to you, move adjacent to him, and he would be unable to charge because you closed the distance before he could get his weapon ready.

Also, in 4e, don't get overly concerned with the concept of angles. The geometry is kinda wacky, and if you take it too seriously, you'll get frustrated.

 

[Tai]

The description says that you have to move directly to the nearest square from which you can attack. To me, directly means in a straight line. So, if, after the attack, you can keep going in a straight line to the nearest square from which you can attack, then you can complete the charge. If you have to turn to get there, you're not moving in a straight line anymore, and you can't. It could be interpreted in a lot of ways, but having someone do a 180 in the middle of a turn is a) annoying for the player who bought that interrupt, and b) kind of stupid, since it could allow you to charge to a square you couldn't otherwise have reached. If the ranger had gone around a corner in response, you could follow him round that corner, whereas if he'd started there you couldn't have charged him. That seems kind of wrong to me.

 

[Infiniti2000]

You don't move first, and then ask 'Oh, by the way, is there an enemy in that direction?'

That is not at all what I said or implied. I was talking about switching targets. I was not suggesting that a target never be initially determined.

And, FWIW, I'm playing a ranger and not DMing at the moment, so this whole discussion affects me as a player. I am by no means trying to cheat myself.

 

[Eldorian]

The description says that you have to move directly to the nearest square from which you can attack. To me, directly means in a straight line. So, if, after the attack, you can keep going in a straight line to the nearest square from which you can attack, then you can complete the charge. If you have to turn to get there, you're not moving in a straight line anymore, and you can't. It could be interpreted in a lot of ways, but having someone do a 180 in the middle of a turn is a) annoying for the player who bought that interrupt, and b) kind of stupid, since it could allow you to charge to a square you couldn't otherwise have reached. If the ranger had gone around a corner in response, you could follow him round that corner, whereas if he'd started there you couldn't have charged him. That seems kind of wrong to me.

Define "straight line" in DnD 4e terms.

 

[Tai]

You draw a straight line from the centre of your square to the centre of the square you're moving to, and you can't move into squares that aren't on that line.

 

[DracoSuave]

Charge doesn't say straight line. It says 'directly'. That means the shortest route.

 

[Zinovia]

You need to move directly towards your target, but unlike in 3.5, I'd say you can avoid obstacles on the way. It doesn't specify a straight line, just the shortest route. You must stop in the first square you can make a melee attack from. That could be interesting if you have a reach weapon.

 

[Yarthok]

The charge rule states on PHB page 287:

Movement Requirements: You must move at least 2 squares from your starting position, and you must move directly to the nearest square from which you can attack the enemy. You can’t charge if the nearest square is occupied.

The above indicates that the charger must pick a square he is moving to as part of the charge and then he must move directly to that square. Once the charger reaches that square, from which he can attack because he is now adjacent, he has now fulfilled the movement portion of the charge allowed by the rule, and the movement portion of the charge is over. The rule doesn't talk about picking a new square if the square you charged to suddenly becomes one from which you cannot attack the target. You have reached the target square specified by the rule...movement over.

Unfortunately for the charger, the ranger will weave out of his way and the charger's attack is negated.

As a side note, someone brought up an interesting point about reach weapons. it seems to me that the rule specifies that reach weapon wielders must stop their reach distance away from the target, because that is "the nearest square from which you can attack the enemy." [I learn something new every time I read the enworld forums.]

 

[Mort_Q]

Define "straight line" in DnD 4e terms.

Least amount of squares counted between here and there.

i.e. the shortest distance between any two points is a...