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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MwaO" data-source="post: 6749707" data-attributes="member: 12749">Bull in a China Shop: charge optimizationThese are the options for maximizing the damage of your melee basic attack (MBA) through charging. It is very well supported, to the point where it can be the best use of your standard action, turn after turn.This part is meant for classes that mainly use their MBA or have powers they can substitute for their MBA when charging (like the Barbarian). It is also the best option for increasing your damage output at heroic tier, since nearly all of the listed options are available at heroic.If you want to boost your charge damage at paragon and epic tier, I suggest you look at elemental options first, then come back here to see if you have any room left. Heroic Charge Optimization:FeatsSpear Expertise: heroic feat, HotFL, HotFK // Two-Handed Weapon Expertise: heroic feat, HotFW. An untyped +1/2/3 bonus to charge attacks made with a spear or a two-handed weapon, respectively. Expertise feats are already mandatory for the accuracy bonus, and getting a damage bonus to your charge attacks is just gravy. Surprising Charge: heroic feat, requires fighter or rogue and dex 17, MP. When you hit a target granting combat advantage to you with a charge using a light blade or spear, you deal 1[W] extra damage. A high entry barrier, but it’s certainly worth it if you use a weapon with a high [W] like a Gouge or a Greatspear. Don’t bother with this if you’re a dagger-wielding rogue.ItemsGouge: superior weapon, two-handed axe/spear, DSCS // Greatspear: superior weapon, two-handed polearm/spear, AV.The two default weapons for any charger. Both are spears with a high [W], so you yield maximum profit from Surprising Charge. Gouge wins out over Greatspear despite the +2 proficiency because of the difference in damage dice: 2d6 brutal 1 is more devastating than 1d10. Being an axe also helps, since dwarfs and muls get proficiency and a feat bonus to damage with them at the cost of only 1 feat (Dwarven Weapon Training). Mordenkrad: superior weapon, two-handed hammer, AV. Mordenkrad is the alternative for characters that won't use Surprising Charge because of class or stat restrictions. The damage of an Avalanche Mordenkrad is nothing to sneeze at, and being a dwarf or mul again takes away the need for a separate weapon proficiency feat. Lance: military weapon, one-handed spear, requires a mount, MME. This one-handed military spear lets you deal 1[W] extra damage (1d10) with charge attacks while mounted. Since it’s a spear you can add another bonus from Spear Expertise and 1d10 from Surprising Charge. The mount requirement limits it though (you even get a -2 attack penalty if you’re not mounted). Remember that the lance is usable by small characters who can mount a medium creature like a young owlbear (from the Fey Beast Tamer theme).Vanguard Weapon: any melee weapon, level 3+, AV.If you hit with a charge attack using this weapon, you deal 1d8 extra damage. This works well in heroic, but starts to lose its luster at paragon, where you should trade it for a Thundergod Weapon or another elemental weapon.Avalanche Hammer: hammer, level 4+, AV2.If you hit with a melee basic attack as part of a charge using this weapon, you deal 1[W] extra damage. This is generally worse than just using a Vanguard Weapon, since hammers don’t work with Surprising Charge and it’s one level higher. On the other hand, hammers tend to have high [W]s, so if you wouldn’t use Surprising Charge anyway, this becomes a good pick. The enchantment loses some luster at paragon and higher, so consider trading it for a Thundergod Weapon or other elemental weapon by then.Bestial Armor: leather or hide armor, level 3+, AV. This item's daily power lets you make melee basic attack with a +2 attack bonus as a free action after you hit someone with a charge attack. Free attacks are always nice, but it would be better if you also received your charge bonuses to it. Pouncing Armor: leather or hide armor, level 4+, DR378. You can now jump with a running start when you charge, and the daily power lets you use an at-will power instead of an MBA when you hit with a charge attack. Not spectacular, but it could be interesting for some builds. Horned Helm: head, level 6/16/26, PHB.Your charge attacks deal 1d6 extra damage per tier when you wear this helm. Simple, effective, scales well, and is in an item slot that has little to no competition. Wear it with pride.Boots of the Mighty Charge: feet, level 10, DR381. A +2 item bonus to speed when charging might let you reach your prefered target, and the daily power lets you use any at-will or encounter melee or close weapon attack power instead of an MBA when you hit with a charge attack. Multi-attacking encounter powers like Storm of Blades and Rain of Blows where you receive your charge bonuses to every attack get out of hand fast this way. Warhorse: mount, level 3, AV, HotFL, HotFKIf you have the Mounted Combat feat and are level 3 or higher, you get a +5 untyped bonus to damage rolls on charge attacks. While the bonus is a very large, the Warhorse (like all mounts) becomes quite fragile after a couple of levels. It’s also large, expensive, and doesn’t benefit from Badge of the Berserker, so it requires some planning to make it work. Goblins and hobgoblins can increase its durability with the Goblinoid Mount Training feat (DR419).Magebred Destrier: mount, level 5, EPGIf you have the Mounted Combat feat and are level 5 or higher, you get a +6 untyped bonus to damage rolls on charge attacks. Has the same drawbacks as the Warhorse, except it has an encounter power that lets it gain temporary HP equal to your healing surge value when you spend a surge. This goes a looong way towards keeping the mount alive.Useful extrasBadge of the Berserker: neck, level 2+, AV2.When you charge, your movement made as part of the charge doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. A very cheap and, in most cases, integral part of the charge kit so you don't kill yourself from opportunity attacks. There's also a common version (Lesser Badge of the Berserker, MME) that gives you +4 defense bonus against those same opportunity attacks. Marauder's Armor: leather or hide armor, level 7+, AV2. Get a +1/2/3 AC bonus until the end of your next turn when you charge. Pretty nice, and the daily power lets you either save or heal when you hit with a charge attack.Paragon Charge Optimization:FeatsFierce Charge: gnoll, ferocious charge racial power, DR367. When you use your ferocious charge power, you can choose to make an at-will melee attack instead of a melee basic attack. Can be good for some builds, but the reason you take this is as a  prerequisite for the epic Brutal Charge feat. ItemsThundergod Weapon: any melee, level 13+, AV. Your melee attacks deal +1d6/2d6 thunder damage when you charge. While the damage bonus is comparable of that of a Vanguard Weapon, it also gives you access to thunder optimization. That gives you some additional damage options, although optimizing for another damage type yields similar results.Frost Charger Bracers Your melee attacks do a cold damage tap onto opponents adjacent to your target. This can potentially be a lot of damage if you have ways of multi-targeting opponents on a charge. Does mean giving up the easiest Item bonus to melee attacks, though.Epic Charge Optimization:Brutal Charge: epic feat, gnoll, ferocious charge racial power, Fierce Charge. When you use your ferocious charge power, you can choose to make an encounter melee attack power instead of a melee basic attack. Multi-attacking encounter powers like Storm of Blades and Rain of Blows where you receive your charge bonuses to every attack get out of hand fast this way. If you're not a gnoll, the Reincarnate Champion epic destiny solves that problem.</blockquote>

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