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If I ready my Longspear to attack the enemy when they get in range, does this qualify for the brace property if the enemy happens to be charging?
Or do I have to speficifically set for a charge and risk wasting my action if they just walk up normally?
I guess I'm wondering how setting for a charge differs from a standard readied action to attack creatures when they get in range. I'm also trying to figure out if I can use Patient Strike with brace weapons to full effect.
It's a good question. The text seems to imply you have to ready specifically for a charge, but that seems to make the brace property incredibly weak.
A related question that seems to trip up a lot of people is ""
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Darn, I was hoping this one would be simple...two FAQ requests already..
Been tinkering with a Wizard that uses a Longspear as his bonded object. I killed the Minotaur in the PFS Confirmation scenario. Not alone, but I did 25pts of damage in two attacks with my 1st level wizard while taking no damage in return.... One was a readied action with Patient Strike as the enemy charged past me, the other was a more desperate charge attack of my own. Neither used the brace property, since I'm unclear how it functions (I couldn't afford to have the minotaur walk up and swing at me, since I have single digit HP...).
Obviously a barbarian or any other melee character would have been more impressive. I'm not planning to outshine any combat character, but PFS is random grouping and 1st level spells are often not as impressive as just stabbing them with a pointy stick (if you can hit).
Brace: If you use a readied action to set a brace weapon against a charge, you deal double damage on a successful hit against a charging creature (see Combat).
Weapons Readied against a Charge: Spears, tridents, and other weapons with the brace feature deal double damage when readied (set) and used against a charging character.
Assuming a reach brace weapon:
You use a readied action. That action MUST be "set [your brace weapon] against a charge". Doing so does NOT prevent you from making your AoO if the creature simply moved out of one of your threatened squares while approaching you, but you don't get double damage. If he charges, you'll get the AoO (at 1X dmg) and then the braced readied attack (at 2x dmg).
You *could* have readied an action to attack anyone who entered your threatened area. You'd get one attack (the readied attack) as he entered (but at regular damage), and a second (an AoO, at regular damage) as he left your threatened square to approach you.
If your opponent is more than a single move away, but within charge range (a double move), then bracing against a charge makes sense.
If your opponent is less than a single move away, he can as you say simply walk up and smack you. In this case, readying to attack is better unless this opponent has some other reason to charge (such as pounce or rhino charge or something).
Bracing is largely a charge deterrent.
It may be that if you have readied against a charge, but your opponent simply moves up, you may yet get an attack that is not doubled, but this is not stated. If a FAQ is issued that this is indeed the case, then the drawback to readying against a charge is mitigated.
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Brace: If you use a readied action to set a brace weapon against a charge, you deal double damage on a successful hit against a charging creature (see Combat).
So, your arguement is that setting a brace weapon against a charge is not the same thing as readying a brace weapon against a charge?
I don't really think it's as clear cut as you say, but I'm also unclear what it says. I think it's equally reasonable to interpret "setting for a charge" as readying an attack against the enemy if they come in melee range.
But it doesn't even require a melee hit, as written. RAW, I could thrown the trident at the charger via my readied action and claim the brace property. I don't think this is the intention, but it really doesn't explain the action very well.
So, your arguement is that setting a brace weapon against a charge is not the same thing as readying a brace weapon against a charge?
I'm not sure I'm understanding your distinction. I am distinguishing between using a readied action to "set a brace weapon against a charge" and using a readied action to "attack an opponent who comes within range".
The first gets you double damage against a charger, but either does not trigger or does not get double damage against someone who simply walks up and attacks. The FAQ would tell us if it does not trigger if such a FAQ is issued. I think as written a weapon braced against a charge doesn't trigger if there's no charge, but it might.
The second never gets you double damage but will trigger even if your opponent doesn't charge (simply walks up).
I think it's equally reasonable to interpret "setting for a charge" as readying an attack against the enemy if they come in melee range.
It certainly would be simpler if it had been written that when a weapon with brace is used in a readied melee attack against a charging target then that weapon does double damage. That may actually be the intent, but without a FAQ, that's not how it reads.
But it doesn't even require a melee hit, as written. RAW, I could thrown the trident at the charger via my readied action and claim the brace property. I don't think this is the intention, but it really doesn't explain the action very well.
I agree that it's not the intent for a thrown trident to benefit.
Edit:fix broken quotation
EDIT2:
It could be that the CRB is simply using different terminology when discussing weapons with the brace quality being readied. A (non-brace) weapon prepared for a readied attack is simply "readied" where a brace weapon prepared for a readied attack is "set" or "set against a charge" and the use of the word 'charge' is simply a reminder of the double damage circumstance.
A FAQ would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.
I agree with Slim Gauge.
You must specifically brace the weapon against a charge as a readied action, not just ready an action to attack anyone who comes in range.
The difference I'm imagining is for bracing you've got the butt of the spear dug into the ground (braced) so that there is no give when you impale the charger.
Which is significantly different from just readying an attack against someone who comes into range.
I would also say that the brace quality only applies against someone charging you.
Yes, brace is an incredibly weak quality on weapons.
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It could be that the CRB is simply using different terminology when discussing weapons with the brace quality being readied. A (non-brace) weapon prepared for a readied attack is simply "readied" where a brace weapon prepared for a readied attack is "set" or "set against a charge" and the use of the word 'charge' is simply a reminder of the double damage circumstance.
That's kinda what I'm thinking. Otherwise, it really should be defined, how setting for a charge differs from readying an attack.
I think the main thing is that readying an attack could include throwing a brace weapon, and setting against the charge, to me, implies that their intention is melee only.
And it really doesn't seem like a balance issue, since readying an attack is already wasteful for most classes since you can't ready a full attack. And if they don't charge, then it still isn't doing additional damage.
Oh, could I ready an action to attack any that got into melee range AND set against a charge in the same readied action?
Personally I rule it as not requiring a readied action specifically for a charge but just a readied action for someone coming into range, so long as that person is charging.
Brace already has a significant weakness in that a DM can deny the player the benefit just by not having the enemy charge. I find it's doubly unfair to both deny them the double damage benefit and also to deny them the readied attack all together, RAW be damned.