Rules Q: Charging and AO's [Archive] - Wizards Community

Rules Q: Charging and AO's [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SgtHulka
11-22-05, 01:17 PM A few weeks ago I was in a game where a player wanted to charge a Hill Giant. The judge immediately went to roll the Attack of Opportunity from the Hill Giant's reach, but the player called foul. The Player insisted that a Charge is a special action, not a move action, and therefore does not draw an Attack of Opportunity. The judge argued that the Charge action is a combination of a Move Action followed by an Attack at the end.

My instinct was to side with the judge and, indeed, that's ultimately how it was ruled at the table. However, the Player was quite insistent, and looking up Charge in the Player's Handbook indeed, it is described as a single action, not as a move followed by an attack. From the SRD:

Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. However, it carries tight restrictions on how you can move.

And, if looking on the table a Charge isn't listed as provoking an AO (nor is it listed as not provoking an AO).

Has there been an official ruling as to whether Charge provokes or not? It seems odd that it wouldn't; couldn't you then simply charge into the rear rank of a fight since you wouldn't provoke AO's from intervening combatants? (i.e., if it doesn't provoke, it wouldn't provoke from anyone, not just the target).

I'm not really concerned as a player; I'd be happy to oblige by whatever ruling the specific judge favors; but I would like to know for the next time I judge.

Thanks in advance.
Fwib
11-22-05, 02:00 PM Charging does not provoke, but exiting a threatened square does, as I understand it.

See footnote 1, PHB3.5 page 141
SgtHulka
11-22-05, 02:04 PM Charging does not provoke, but exiting a threatened square does, as I understand it.

*SgtHulka bonks himself on the head* Thanks. :P
ShinAkuma2
11-22-05, 02:05 PM The AoO chart only notes if the ACTION ITSELF provokes, not any movement as a result of that action.

Charging does not provoke, but the movement associated with a charge does.
Mumm-Ra
11-23-05, 06:59 AM Indeed. While the charge itself doesn't provoke, the movement from the outer threatened square into the iner threatened square (of the hill giant's reach of 10 feet) will provoke.

Normally, charging a medium sized character without reach weapons is fine-you don't move through threatened squares, you just enter the opponent's threatened square with the charge.

Reach changes that-you are now moving out of a threatened square into another threatened square-that provokes.
kjenks
11-23-05, 12:17 PM There's only one situation in which charging provokes an AoO: if the defender has the Hold the Line feat. Charging INTO a threatened square provokes an AoO in that case.

If the attacker keeps charging and LEAVES a threatened square, this provokes another AoO, as above.
King Kashue
11-23-05, 06:27 PM The AoO chart only notes if the ACTION ITSELF provokes, not any movement as a result of that action.

Charging does not provoke, but the movement associated with a charge does.

As does the movement associated with a Bull Rush or moving a grapple as well...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SgtHulka 11-22-05, 01:17 PM	A few weeks ago I was in a game where a player wanted to charge a Hill Giant. The judge immediately went to roll the Attack of Opportunity from the Hill Giant's reach, but the player called foul. The Player insisted that a Charge is a special action, not a move action, and therefore does not draw an Attack of Opportunity. The judge argued that the Charge action is a combination of a Move Action followed by an Attack at the end. My instinct was to side with the judge and, indeed, that's ultimately how it was ruled at the table. However, the Player was quite insistent, and looking up Charge in the Player's Handbook indeed, it is described as a single action, not as a move followed by an attack. From the SRD: Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. However, it carries tight restrictions on how you can move. And, if looking on the table a Charge isn't listed as provoking an AO (nor is it listed as not provoking an AO). Has there been an official ruling as to whether Charge provokes or not? It seems odd that it wouldn't; couldn't you then simply charge into the rear rank of a fight since you wouldn't provoke AO's from intervening combatants? (i.e., if it doesn't provoke, it wouldn't provoke from anyone, not just the target). I'm not really concerned as a player; I'd be happy to oblige by whatever ruling the specific judge favors; but I would like to know for the next time I judge. Thanks in advance.
Fwib 11-22-05, 02:00 PM	Charging does not provoke, but exiting a threatened square does, as I understand it. See footnote 1, PHB3.5 page 141
SgtHulka 11-22-05, 02:04 PM	Charging does not provoke, but exiting a threatened square does, as I understand it. SgtHulka bonks himself on the head Thanks. :P
ShinAkuma2 11-22-05, 02:05 PM	The AoO chart only notes if the ACTION ITSELF provokes, not any movement as a result of that action. Charging does not provoke, but the movement associated with a charge does.
Mumm-Ra 11-23-05, 06:59 AM	Indeed. While the charge itself doesn't provoke, the movement from the outer threatened square into the iner threatened square (of the hill giant's reach of 10 feet) will provoke. Normally, charging a medium sized character without reach weapons is fine-you don't move through threatened squares, you just enter the opponent's threatened square with the charge. Reach changes that-you are now moving out of a threatened square into another threatened square-that provokes.
kjenks 11-23-05, 12:17 PM	There's only one situation in which charging provokes an AoO: if the defender has the Hold the Line feat. Charging INTO a threatened square provokes an AoO in that case. If the attacker keeps charging and LEAVES a threatened square, this provokes another AoO, as above.
King Kashue 11-23-05, 06:27 PM	The AoO chart only notes if the ACTION ITSELF provokes, not any movement as a result of that action. Charging does not provoke, but the movement associated with a charge does. As does the movement associated with a Bull Rush or moving a grapple as well...