3.5 Ready a Charge? [Archive] - Wizards Community

3.5 Ready a Charge? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
necrosnoop110
06-02-05, 08:40 PM Can you ready and action to charge in 3.5? Why or why not.

Thanks,
Necro

PS - My DM thinks you can't I'm not sure.
Tsuul
06-02-05, 09:00 PM You can. But only at normal movement and not double.
When you ready an action, you are limited only to a standard, move or free action during your turn.
Charge is a full round action that can be a standard action only if you are limited to such.
Tony Vargas
06-02-05, 09:01 PM Nope, the 3.5 Charge is a 'special full round action,' not a standard action.

However, there is this tidbit from the description of Charge:

If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn Now, that would seem to make Charge a standard action, and you can Ready a standard action. So, technically, if you can get someone to cast Slow on you (for instance), you can ready a charge.

However, I think the idea was to end the 'partial charge can be readied' debate in 3.0, by defining charge as a 'special full round action' - it's a 'full round action' you can take even when your full round is restrcited to a standard or move action... but it's /still/ a 'special' full round action, even then, and not readieable.

Either way, I don't care for it. There was never anything that horrid in allowing the readying of 'partial charges' in 3.0, anyway. In fact, they made some things (like readying to attack a caster who might 5' step or even move away from you before casting), play out a little more reasonably... The closest thing to an abuse was trying to use 'readying a partial charge' as an excuse to change directions durring a charge... and that never held much water, either.

:shrug:
Tsuul
06-02-05, 09:08 PM Tony is ...um... more righter then me.
Nom
06-02-05, 09:37 PM The special "restricted charge" is a bit hairy, but otherwise you can't ready a charge.

That said, I agree with Tony that there is no great problem in allowing it. However, I would require that a character who readied a charge forfeit their Move action, thus restricting them to only charging. I would not allow a character to take a move action and then Ready (as a standard action) a charge.
Colmarr
06-02-05, 10:32 PM One thing to bear in mind is that allowing creatures to ready charges could screw spellcasters big time.

One of the reasons spellcasters can function in or near melee (and lets face it, the average dungeon forces them to) is because of the way their attacker is limited to only taking 5ft steps in the caster's turn if they intend to then attack.

Allowing readied charges, particularly for creatures with reach or high movement speeds will result in an awful lot of concentration checks...
necrosnoop110
06-02-05, 11:20 PM The special "restricted charge" is a bit hairy, but otherwise you can't ready a charge.
Yeah could someone please re-explain that "restricted charge nonsense as I still don't get that part.

Thanks,
Necro
Lord Schpungus
06-03-05, 01:57 AM If, for some reason, you only have a standard action on your turn (say you are Slowed, or it is a surprise round), you can still make a charge, but only move your movement, instead of twice it.
JadeSpider9643
06-03-05, 02:26 AM Well without disabling yourself, no you can't ready a charge, but sometimes it's worth it to hold your action for a later point in the round and then you will be able to take your full charge. This works mainly if your waiting for a path to clear, but you can't use this to interrupt another action like you can when you ready an action. But it does have its uses.
Deviston
06-03-05, 03:00 AM Tony is ...um... more righter then me.

HAHAHAHAAA ! !! THat was worth a sig spot! :D :D :D :D
Colmarr
06-03-05, 03:02 AM Necrosnoop, from the SRD:

If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn.

This rule allows creatures to still charge if they find themselves in situations where they cannot take a full round action in any given round. It doesn't apply in situations where you choose not to take such an action.

Ie. You can't choose to move and then ready a charge. You could have taken the charge full-round action at the start of the round. You simply chose not to.

However, if the PC is under the effect of the Slow spell, they cannot take full-round actions. They could make what's known as a "partial charge" or "restricted charge" (neither term is official). If so, they get to move their normal speed (not double) and make 1 attack.

The partial charge rules only really comes up in 3 situations:

1. A creature is slowed.
2. Surprise rounds (where you can only take a single standard or move action).
3. Zombies can only take a single standard or move action per round, so the only way they can move and attack in the same round is by using a partial charge.
mvincent
06-03-05, 12:45 PM Note that if you were allowed to ready a charge, you could take a move action (past a whole bunch of obstacles that would normally prevent a charge) before readying your charge. This also effectively bypasses the requirement to charge in a straight line.
Tony Vargas
06-03-05, 01:21 PM One thing to bear in mind is that allowing creatures to ready charges could screw spellcasters big time. ...Allowing readied charges, particularly for creatures with reach or high movement speeds will result in an awful lot of concentration checks... Hey, concentration is an in-class skill for every caster, and it's not like casters don't already get to screw non-casters big-time, with everything from Ray of Enfeeblement at 1st level, up through Irresitible Dance, Maze, etc at high levels.

Also consider that to ready an attack to interrupt a caster, the attacker is already giving up the option of a Full Attack, and that the caster can effecitvely cancel the readied character's whole round simply by doing something other than casting.

There are issues with readying a charge that could be problematic, but unfairness to casters really isn't one of them...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
necrosnoop110 06-02-05, 08:40 PM	Can you ready and action to charge in 3.5? Why or why not. Thanks, Necro PS - My DM thinks you can't I'm not sure.
Tsuul 06-02-05, 09:00 PM	You can. But only at normal movement and not double. When you ready an action, you are limited only to a standard, move or free action during your turn. Charge is a full round action that can be a standard action only if you are limited to such.
Tony Vargas 06-02-05, 09:01 PM	Nope, the 3.5 Charge is a 'special full round action,' not a standard action. However, there is this tidbit from the description of Charge: If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn Now, that would seem to make Charge a standard action, and you can Ready a standard action. So, technically, if you can get someone to cast Slow on you (for instance), you can ready a charge. However, I think the idea was to end the 'partial charge can be readied' debate in 3.0, by defining charge as a 'special full round action' - it's a 'full round action' you can take even when your full round is restrcited to a standard or move action... but it's /still/ a 'special' full round action, even then, and not readieable. Either way, I don't care for it. There was never anything that horrid in allowing the readying of 'partial charges' in 3.0, anyway. In fact, they made some things (like readying to attack a caster who might 5' step or even move away from you before casting), play out a little more reasonably... The closest thing to an abuse was trying to use 'readying a partial charge' as an excuse to change directions durring a charge... and that never held much water, either. :shrug:
Tsuul 06-02-05, 09:08 PM	Tony is ...um... more righter then me.
Nom 06-02-05, 09:37 PM	The special "restricted charge" is a bit hairy, but otherwise you can't ready a charge. That said, I agree with Tony that there is no great problem in allowing it. However, I would require that a character who readied a charge forfeit their Move action, thus restricting them to only charging. I would not allow a character to take a move action and then Ready (as a standard action) a charge.
Colmarr 06-02-05, 10:32 PM	One thing to bear in mind is that allowing creatures to ready charges could screw spellcasters big time. One of the reasons spellcasters can function in or near melee (and lets face it, the average dungeon forces them to) is because of the way their attacker is limited to only taking 5ft steps in the caster's turn if they intend to then attack. Allowing readied charges, particularly for creatures with reach or high movement speeds will result in an awful lot of concentration checks...
necrosnoop110 06-02-05, 11:20 PM	The special "restricted charge" is a bit hairy, but otherwise you can't ready a charge. Yeah could someone please re-explain that "restricted charge nonsense as I still don't get that part. Thanks, Necro
Lord Schpungus 06-03-05, 01:57 AM	If, for some reason, you only have a standard action on your turn (say you are Slowed, or it is a surprise round), you can still make a charge, but only move your movement, instead of twice it.
JadeSpider9643 06-03-05, 02:26 AM	Well without disabling yourself, no you can't ready a charge, but sometimes it's worth it to hold your action for a later point in the round and then you will be able to take your full charge. This works mainly if your waiting for a path to clear, but you can't use this to interrupt another action like you can when you ready an action. But it does have its uses.
Deviston 06-03-05, 03:00 AM	Tony is ...um... more righter then me. HAHAHAHAAA ! !! THat was worth a sig spot! :D :D :D :D
Colmarr 06-03-05, 03:02 AM	Necrosnoop, from the SRD: If you are able to take only a standard action or a move action on your turn, you can still charge, but you are only allowed to move up to your speed (instead of up to double your speed). You can’t use this option unless you are restricted to taking only a standard action or move action on your turn. This rule allows creatures to still charge if they find themselves in situations where they cannot take a full round action in any given round. It doesn't apply in situations where you choose not to take such an action. Ie. You can't choose to move and then ready a charge. You could have taken the charge full-round action at the start of the round. You simply chose not to. However, if the PC is under the effect of the Slow spell, they cannot take full-round actions. They could make what's known as a "partial charge" or "restricted charge" (neither term is official). If so, they get to move their normal speed (not double) and make 1 attack. The partial charge rules only really comes up in 3 situations: 1. A creature is slowed. 2. Surprise rounds (where you can only take a single standard or move action). 3. Zombies can only take a single standard or move action per round, so the only way they can move and attack in the same round is by using a partial charge.
mvincent 06-03-05, 12:45 PM	Note that if you were allowed to ready a charge, you could take a move action (past a whole bunch of obstacles that would normally prevent a charge) before readying your charge. This also effectively bypasses the requirement to charge in a straight line.
Tony Vargas 06-03-05, 01:21 PM	One thing to bear in mind is that allowing creatures to ready charges could screw spellcasters big time. ...Allowing readied charges, particularly for creatures with reach or high movement speeds will result in an awful lot of concentration checks... Hey, concentration is an in-class skill for every caster, and it's not like casters don't already get to screw non-casters big-time, with everything from Ray of Enfeeblement at 1st level, up through Irresitible Dance, Maze, etc at high levels. Also consider that to ready an attack to interrupt a caster, the attacker is already giving up the option of a Full Attack, and that the caster can effecitvely cancel the readied character's whole round simply by doing something other than casting. There are issues with readying a charge that could be problematic, but unfairness to casters really isn't one of them...