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View Full Version : Trying to understand Charge and Bull Rush



Thespianus
2009-09-03, 03:36 PM
This sounds silly, but I can't understand the rules for using Bull Rush as part of a Charge.

When I read about Bull Rush, it seems to me that you can make a Bull Rush as part of a Charge. A Charge consists of movement and an attack.

If I want to try to Bull Rush during a Charge, do I get the attack as well? From what I can figure out from the text in the PHB, I can do the following during one round:

1) Move up to twice my movement in a straight line, up to an enemy
2) Make one attack with +2 to attack bonus, and -2 to AC until my next turn.
3) Perform a Bull Rush with a +2 on the strength check.

Is this true? Or do I have to choose between either step 2 (attacking) or step 3 (bull rushing) after I've finished step 1 above?

Stegyre
2009-09-03, 03:40 PM
You have to choose. You get the bullrush or the damaging attack. Certain maneuvers and what not may allow you to cause damage with a bull rush, but ordinarily you do not.

Thespianus
2009-09-03, 03:49 PM
You have to choose. You get the bullrush or the damaging attack. Certain maneuvers and what not may allow you to cause damage with a bull rush, but ordinarily you do not.

I believe you, because it makes sense, but I can't deduce it from the text in the PHB.

I mean, it's written like this in the SRD:


Attacking on a Charge
After moving, you may make a single melee attack. You get a +2 bonus on the attack roll and take a -2 penalty to your AC until the start of your next turn.

A charging character gets a +2 bonus on the Strength check made to bull rush an opponent.

Even if you have extra attacks, such as from having a high enough base attack bonus or from using multiple weapons, you only get to make one attack during a charge.

It looks to me like it says: "Yeah, whack him, but only once, mind you. Oh and you also get +2 if you want to bull rush him".
:smalleek:

Urist Ironblood
2009-09-07, 12:41 PM
p.287 of the PHB is pretty clear. A bull rush is an attempt to shove someone and occupy their unoccupied space. You can do this from a stand-still or you can use it to end a charge in lieu of the attack that normally comes at the end of a charge.

A charge is a headlong attack that gains the power of a running start but loses the effectiveness of a considered assault. Using the running speed to shove is worth a bonus, but you can only take the benefit of that running start at the moment when you hit the enemy. If you use it to push, you do no damage; if you use it to damage, you do not push.

It might have been clearer for them to say that a bull rush is simply an option for making a melee basic attack, and as such can end a charge. Lord knows they've retconned enough of the other at-wills for that purpose. :smallconfused:

NEO|Phyte
2009-09-07, 12:46 PM
It might have been clearer for them to say that a bull rush is simply an option for making a melee basic attack, and as such can end a charge. Lord knows they've retconned enough of the other at-wills for that purpose. :smallconfused:

at-wills? He's talking about 3.5.

As for the question, you get the attack OR the bullrush. I have no clue how Bullrushing on a charge interacts with Pounce, though.

Iorthol
2009-09-07, 04:09 PM
Bullrush and Overrun are considered Standard Actions, not Attack Actions.
So, they're not available to incorporate as part of a full attack, nor can they be made with attacks of opportunity.