Charge

Charge

Charging is a special standard action that allows you to move up to your speed and attack during the action. Charging, however, 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 your speed directly toward the designated opponent.
• You can also draw a weapon during a charge attack if your base attack bonus is at least +1.
• You provoke opportunity attacks as normal during the movement portion of the charge.
• You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles).
• You must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent. If this space is occupied or otherwise blocked, you can't charge. You must be able to draw a straight line from the center of your starting space to the center of the ending space, without passing through any object that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally) in order to charge.
• If you don't have line of sight to the opponent prior to charging, you can't charge that opponent.
• Charging ends your turn. You may take no further actions on your turn after a charge - not even a free action! The exception to this is if you spend your action point, which grants you a standard action. Note that any unused swift or move actions are gone, even if you spend an action point.

Attacking on a Charge

• After moving, you may make a single melee attack. Even if you have extra attacks, such as from having a high enough BAB or from using multiple weapons, you only get to make one attack during a charge.
• You take a -2 penalty to your AC until the start of your next turn.
• A charging character gets a +2 bonus on combat maneuver attack rolls (Maneuver Offense) made to bull rush an opponent.
• Lances and Charge Attacks: A lance deals double damage if employed by a mounted character in a charge. The weapon's base damage dice are doubled, and any adders due to high strength, feats, and weapon enhancement bonuses are doubled. If the charge attack critically hits, the critical hit is treated as if the crit multiplier were one higher than normal for the weapon.
• Weapons Readied against a Charge: Spears, tridents, and other weapons with the brace feature deal double damage when readied (set) and used against a charging character. The weapon's base damage dice are doubled, and any adders due to high strength, feats, and weapon enhancement bonuses are doubled. If the Braced attack critically hits, the critical damage is resolved as if the crit multiplier were one higher than normal for the Braced weapon.