Charging with a Lance and Trample the target!!! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Charging with a Lance and Trample the target!!! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
jimmyjames
11-28-04, 09:47 PM OK .. i did a search through old posts and couldnt find anything specifically on target ... so i present the following to get some feedback:

a mounted character (with the trample feat) charges an opponent. Can the charging character strike the opponent with his lance (a reach weapon) then continue through and trample the target with his mount? (it seems to me that this was why cavalry was so damn dangerous... but do the DnD mechanics support this?)

why or why not???

thank you

(i found something about overruning as part of a charge in the errata...)
Nom
11-28-04, 10:04 PM You can't overrun as part of a charge, so no, not in a single turn.

However, it is entirely legal to charge with your lance, then on the following turn attack again with your lance before taking a move action to overrun with your mount (watch out for AoOs). This rather nicely simulates a cavalry charge-and-trample manoeuvre.
Someone
11-29-04, 12:48 AM I'd think you could if you had ride-by attack. Charge, attack, continue your move, overrun with the move continuation, trample.

It just seems rather silly to just sit there when you have a nice pointy weapon just because your horse double move in a way that isn't a "charge".
Nom
11-29-04, 03:16 AM It's about time-slices and mapping reality into turn-based. You come crashing in with your charge. At this point, the infantry can either fight back (taking an attack action on their turn) or scatter (taking a withdraw action).

Note that the horseman has to choose between attacking with his weapon and letting his mount do as it will, or deliberately running the infantry down (trample). That's not an unrealistic choice.

Remember that this isn't massed combat. It's one or two horsemen against a few infantry. It's not that hard to dodge a horse at full run if you can move freely and know that it's coming. The idea is to give the infantry an unpleasant choice - stand firm against the rider and get trampled by the horse, or dodge the horse and no longer be defending against the rider.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jimmyjames 11-28-04, 09:47 PM	OK .. i did a search through old posts and couldnt find anything specifically on target ... so i present the following to get some feedback: a mounted character (with the trample feat) charges an opponent. Can the charging character strike the opponent with his lance (a reach weapon) then continue through and trample the target with his mount? (it seems to me that this was why cavalry was so damn dangerous... but do the DnD mechanics support this?) why or why not??? thank you (i found something about overruning as part of a charge in the errata...)
Nom 11-28-04, 10:04 PM	You can't overrun as part of a charge, so no, not in a single turn. However, it is entirely legal to charge with your lance, then on the following turn attack again with your lance before taking a move action to overrun with your mount (watch out for AoOs). This rather nicely simulates a cavalry charge-and-trample manoeuvre.
Someone 11-29-04, 12:48 AM	I'd think you could if you had ride-by attack. Charge, attack, continue your move, overrun with the move continuation, trample. It just seems rather silly to just sit there when you have a nice pointy weapon just because your horse double move in a way that isn't a "charge".
Nom 11-29-04, 03:16 AM	It's about time-slices and mapping reality into turn-based. You come crashing in with your charge. At this point, the infantry can either fight back (taking an attack action on their turn) or scatter (taking a withdraw action). Note that the horseman has to choose between attacking with his weapon and letting his mount do as it will, or deliberately running the infantry down (trample). That's not an unrealistic choice. Remember that this isn't massed combat. It's one or two horsemen against a few infantry. It's not that hard to dodge a horse at full run if you can move freely and know that it's coming. The idea is to give the infantry an unpleasant choice - stand firm against the rider and get trampled by the horse, or dodge the horse and no longer be defending against the rider.