Charging 4th ed

[HMS Invincible]

Under what situation should you charge? How is it best used? I noticed that that 4th ed has a lot of powers that can be used during a charge instead of a basic attack.

[Colmarr]

That depends on your class and build.

Barbarians seem to do it a lot. Most other classes don't (because they don't have powers that can be used on a charge).

Unless you have those powers, IMO you should only charge when:

1. you would otherwise be unable to effectively attack an enemy that round because they're too far away;
2. you desperately need the +1 attack bonus (usually because you care more about activating an item power that requires a hit than the effect of the attack itself);
3. you intend to bull rush the enemy (the +1 from charging can be useful);
4. you don't have any available powers that are more useful in the circumstances than a basic attack (in that situation, you may as well charge to get the +1 attack bonus); or
5. you need to do something else that turn and can't afford to move and attack normally.

In most other situations, it's counter-productive to charge. Remember that after charging, you cannot take further actions that round (i.e you can't charge, then use your move and minor actions). Not sure off the top of my head whether action points supercede that rule - I suspect they do.

[Kurald Galain]

Under what situation should you charge? How is it best used?

Basically, whenever you're a melee character and start your turn dazed, slowed, or prone, and are not adjacent to an enemy.

The charge rules is why slowing people is generally not worth the hassle, as they can still move four squares and hit you.

[cdrcjsn]

The charge grants you +1 to hit, which at low levels is roughly equivalent to +2 damage.

Given that, it's still usually better to use an at-will rather than a simple charge unless there are movement issues (daze, foe too far, etc.) or you have special abilities that grant a bonus on a charge.

[Asbestos]

The charge rules is why slowing people is generally not worth the hassle, as they can still move four squares and hit you.

Well, its worth it early in the encounter, it becomes progressively more worthless as the combat goes on. It also helps against highly mobile enemies, particularly ones with ranged attacks.

[herrhauptmann]

Sword and board fighters find it especially useful with one of their powers. They can then ignore all AOO's performed against them that round, unless they should happen to SOMEHOW provoke an AOO from the person they're charging.

[JBento]

Not sure off the top of my head whether action points supercede that rule - I suspect they do.

They don't. After a charge, you reach the end of your turn IMMEDIATELY, and you can (and have to) do are your saves. There's no window of opportunity to use free actions, including action points.
Of course, in less than three posts someone will have disproved me with some quote from some book.
C'est le D&D.

[Sinfire Titan]

They don't. After a charge, you reach the end of your turn IMMEDIATELY, and you can (and have to) do are your saves. There's no window of opportunity to use free actions, including action points.
Of course, in less than three posts someone will have disproved me with some quote from some book.
C'est le D&D.

Not going to disprove it entirely, but there is a Paragon Path that allows you to use an Action Point after charging. Or a feat, I can't remember which. But they've all ready printed a way around the End Your Turn restriction.

[Colmarr]

The charge rules is why slowing people is generally not worth the hassle, as they can still move four squares and hit you.

Although it should be noted that charging restricts the monster to its basic attack(s). On some monsters that's a big decrease in lethality.

[NEO|Phyte]

They don't. After a charge, you reach the end of your turn IMMEDIATELY, and you can (and have to) do are your saves. There's no window of opportunity to use free actions, including action points.
Of course, in less than three posts someone will have disproved me with some quote from some book.
C'est le D&D.

APing for an extra action is the only allowed action after a charge, barring PP/feat shenanigans.

[mrmaxmrmax]

The description of charge on page 288 very clearly says that you can spend an action point after a charge.

There is also an item that allows you to shift after a charge as no action (I think). (Boots of Adept Charging, AV 127)

Maxwell.

[Jerthanis]

Rogues can charge to a flanking position in order to deliver sneak attack damage sometimes when they would otherwise not have enough squares of movement to do so.

In the 4E game I played, the rogue was constantly having to charge to get into position.

[HMS Invincible]

Are the rules for charging different now? I seem to recall someone saying you can charge around a corner if that meant "directly" to the enemy.

[NecroRebel]

Are the rules for charging different now? I seem to recall someone saying you can charge around a corner if that meant "directly" to the enemy.

You have to charge "directly to the nearest square from which you can attack the enemy." So, yes, you can charge around corners or over difficult terrain. Indeed, if the enemy is in the middle of a U-shaped obstruction, you could very well charge to the other side of it if that's what it takes to get to a square you can attack from.

By that, I mean:

_____
_X_X_
_XEX_
_XXX_
__P__

Where X's are walls or somesuch (though not enemies, as that's a quasi-specific exception), E is an enemy you're trying to charge, and P is you. You can in fact charge to the space directly north of the enemy if you have enough movement, because that's the nearest square from which you can attack the enemy you're charging.

Odd, but true, RAW.

[1of3]

Are the rules for charging different now? I seem to recall someone saying you can charge around a corner if that meant "directly" to the enemy.

"Now" as opposed to what? 3.5?

Yes, you can charge around corners. Also charging is a standard action, as there are no full-round actions in 4E.

[Colmarr]

Stuff about multi-directional charges.

Odd, but true, RAW.

I think's that an oversimplification of a vexed topic.

There is a lot of debate about what "directly" means in the charging rules. Ultimately, it seems to be a definition that changes from group to group. Some take it to mean that you must charge in more-or-less a straight line. Others simply that you must take the shortest possible route.

This isn't the place to reignite that debate, and I won't say anything more on the topic, but I felt the OP should be at least aware of the debate and make his own decision.

[RebelRogue]

"Now" as opposed to what? 3.5?

Yes. The charging rules in 3.5 were very restrictive. However, I don't see the new rules as too odd. It's a little ambiguous what "nearest" means though, but there's been threads dedicated to that already.