Charging, Feats, Initiative & Set to receive

[KoDT69]

I'm having some turmoil with my gaming group as to how the charging combat actions should interact. The main culprit is the Improved Bull Rush feat. The way I read it is that you don't get AoO's against you when charging. When the defender is "set to receive a charge" I really don't consider it to be an AoO since it is a prepared action. So here's the scenario I would like resolved...
The group's mounted charging fighter (dwarven beast rider on a small dire boar) is charging on a large lizard dude with a military fork set to receive the charge. Mount and rider both have improved bull rush and beat the defender's initiative by 5. How should this resolve? For argument's sake, the mounted fighter player is convinced since he has initiative that he can charge the opponent without getting hit back and be out of attacking range by the defender's initiative.

[Fax Celestis]

Your group is confusing "Attack of Opportunity" and "Readied Action". Setting a weapon against a charge is a Readied Action, meaning that Improved Bull Rush doesn't negate it.

[Variable Arcana]

If the defending lizard readied the action of attacking the charging dwarf as his action from the round before, then the lizard has "initiative" -- it's his action from the previous round.

Edit: One more thought...

If a military fork is a reach weapon, the lizard gets an Attack of Opportunity as well, unless the dwarf is using a reach weapon (like a lance) as well -- or unless the dwarf has the Ride-by Attack feat, which prevents AoO's from the target of a charge.

In principle, the lizard might get two attacks before the dwarf gets to attack it.

[iceman]

In this case, because your lizard man has set to recieve a charge (and thus as you pointed out using his action and not an AoO) and will be allowed to make his attack roll to hit your player. After that is resolved your player may then finish taking the rest of his turn. The Improved Bull Rush feat doesn't give you a free pass to avoid being attacked by a charge it just negates an AoO when that player is bull rushing.

As an after thought, and seeing as how I'm not up to date on the specs for a military fork, be sure that the weapon is one that can be set to receive a charge.

[KoDT69]

That's what I thought too guys. So I was being lenient is rolling the defender's initiative as I also suspected. Thanks!

[Closet_Skeleton]

I think readied actions only last for that round. So if you beat their initiative and don't delay then they can't ready an action against you.

[Fax Celestis]

Readied actions hang until your next initiative count, when you can simply ready the same action again.

[Olethros]

An extention on the question:

If a character has "readied for a charge" and an openent must enter the threatened square by say jumping (because of some interviening terrain, like a pit), does the redied attacker get his attack, even though it isnt technically a charge? or by extension could the attacker ready his attack to "hit the jumping guy" and if so would he get a weapons bonuses for bracing against a charge?

[Clementx]

If a character has "readied for a charge" and an openent must enter the threatened square by say jumping (because of some interviening terrain, like a pit), does the redied attacker get his attack, even though it isnt technically a charge? or by extension could the attacker ready his attack to "hit the jumping guy" and if so would he get a weapons bonuses for bracing against a charge?

Personally, I feel that "I ready for a charge, and only a charge" is not the intent of the action, and definitely too restrictive to have any combat use in DnD (in the real world, you have to charge more than you need in Dnd, so pikeman aren't as boned as a fighter when defending against it). I view it as, "I ready an attack when an opponent enters my threatened area, and since my weapon has this special property, if he happens to do so while charging, I get double damage".

[Matthew]

An extention on the question:

If a character has "readied for a charge" and an openent must enter the threatened square by say jumping (because of some interviening terrain, like a pit), does the redied attacker get his attack, even though it isnt technically a charge? or by extension could the attacker ready his attack to "hit the jumping guy" and if so would he get a weapons bonuses for bracing against a charge?

Hmmn. I think jumps can be part of a charge action. In any case, the Ready Action can be worded so that it incoporates none charging Characters and charging Characters, you just wouldn't get the double damage against opponents who do not charge.

[the_tick_rules]

yeah indeed having a readied action would allow them to attack because your waiting for them to get close enough to attack. Next time lay some smack down on ya players