Post/Author/DateTime	Post
gossamerblade 10-21-05, 03:53 PM	Question: If someone has started a charge and someone else's readied action changes the circumstances in the middle of the charge, can the charge be stopped or redirected before it reaches the square where the charge would have ended? Situation1: Character A readies an action such that if charged by Monster B he will move to a square adjacent to the line of the charge and 15' closer when Monster B enters a square 20' away. Can Monster B end the charge early so that he stops adjacent to where Character A now stands and can attack, or must he continue on to where he would have been if Character A had not moved? If the charge cannot be aborted, does Character A get an AOO when monster B passes by? Situation 2: Character A readies an action such that if charged by Monster B, he will move to a square out of reach of the line of charge and far enough away so that the charging character cannot reach him once the charge is completed. Can Monster B redirect the line of the charge so that he stops adjacent to where Character A now stands and can attack, or must he continue on to where he would have been if Character A had not moved? In either case, can Monster B change the target of the charge if the new target is in the line of the charge, but within the charge range of Monster B?
tarkin 10-21-05, 05:08 PM	Strict Game: Once you have initiated a charge against a creature, you AUTOMATICALLY stop moving and take your single attack when the creature is in range. It does not matter if they moved. Readied action does not over-ride this definition of a charge, the player is forced to do it by the nature of the charge, they do not have to 'act'. (Similarly, once you fire an arrow, no one can ready an action to move 5ft to the left before the arrow hits). This is not an abortion of the charge, just a continuation of it. Under no circumstnaces is a charger required to keep moving forward if it is impossible to hit the original target. He is free to stop where he is immiedately. However, you can not step to the side or do anything else (in a strict game). If instead of readying a step forward, they have readied a move 10ft to the left (situation 2), then neither you nor they can attack (as the readier had to move at least 10ft to get out of the reach of the charger.) Also, expect a House rule that you can choose to attack a different target if you charged and your original target moved out of the way. This prevents an army of footman from all reading an action to move 10ft to the left to negate a calvary charge. (As while the original person planning on attacking them can't hit them, the next calvary man over can) Loose Game, Power Game, Anything Goes Game: As above, but also : If the charger has not exceeded his move, he may abort the charge at any time and switch to a Move plus Standard Action. In NO case would the Ready person ever get an AoO against the charger unless the Readied person had a reach weapon that exceeded the charger's reach and never got within range of the charger's reach.