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triforcel
2007-11-26, 09:23 PM
So a friend of mine and I were talking and the topic came up about charging and fighting defensively at the same time. While combining the two sounds like a pretty bad idea with the basic rules I have a combination in mind that could make it quite beneficial. Anyways, I'm pretty sure that you could do it without anything special, but my friend says there's a feat that allows you to do such a thing.

So does anyone here know of said feat? Or am I right and the feat isn't even required?

Starbuck_II
2007-11-26, 09:37 PM
So a friend of mine and I were talking and the topic came up about charging and fighting defensively at the same time. While combining the two sounds like a pretty bad idea with the basic rules I have a combination in mind that could make it quite beneficial. Anyways, I'm pretty sure that you could do it without anything special, but my friend says there's a feat that allows you to do such a thing.

So does anyone here know of said feat? Or am I right and the feat isn't even required?

He might mean a feat that makes it a good idea. But yeah, you can do both.
But yeah, +2 hit -2 AC from charging is lowered by -4 hit and +2 AC. Overall, you get +0 AC for -2 Hit.
If you can afford a penalty to hit to raise AC sure.\
Combat Expertise is smarter idea (no pun) for charging to offset penalty:
-2 Hit is offset by +2 hit and -2 AC offset by +2 AC.

triforcel
2007-11-26, 09:46 PM
I've already got a way to make it beneficial. I'm looking into a class that adds a bonus to attack and damage while charging and removes the penalty to AC, and then later gives an extra bonus to AC while fighting defensively and reduces the attack penalty. The problem is my character's pretty strapped for feats so I was worried about having to squeeze another one in.

Nermy
2007-11-26, 09:48 PM
If you play a Barbarian with the Dashing Step ACF from Dragon #349, the AC penalty for charging is removed in exchange for losing trap sense. Plus you get bonuses to AC to dodge AoO while charging.

Chronos
2007-11-26, 10:13 PM
You can use the Fight Defensively option when taking the Attack action or the Full Attack action. Charge is neither of those, so you can't. That said, it probably wouldn't be broken to houserule that you can charge defensively (without a feat).

Blanks
2007-11-27, 03:39 AM
As a DM i would say you couldn't:
Charging is throwing caution to the wind while fighting defensively is exactly the opposite. You can't duck and jump at the same time...

Yami
2007-11-27, 04:02 AM
But you can! In fact, a lot of FPS's require you to use this well know tactic to reach some areas.

...

Eh. I'd allow it, but then I have a different view of charging rather than 'throwing caution to the wind'. It's just running at someone with intent to harm. Where's it say you can't be paranoid while you do so?

Combat expertise is merely not giving your attacks your all, never fully commiting, always ready to jump back. I would think that a character could charge while preparing to throw himself to the side should his opponent survive the assualt.