Let's say that someone casts a fly spell on a war horse, presumably granting it good movement and 60ft fly a round.
Can it charge in the sky?
I'm tempted to say no, but I can't really point to any reason to disallow it. If it's allowed, I'll say yes, but it seems abusable.
Theoretically, it would have a 120 charge range. So even though it costs double move for ascending, the charger could reach a target if it's about 30 away and 30 up (plus the 10 foot reach from a lance)
Would the double move cost be a reason why you cannot charge?
Let's say that someone casts a fly spell on a war horse, presumably granting it good movement and 60ft fly a round.
Can it charge in the sky?
I'm tempted to say no, but I can't really point to any reason to disallow it. If it's allowed, I'll say yes, but it seems abusable.
Theoretically, it would have a 120 charge range. So even though it costs double move for ascending, the charger could reach a target if it's about 30 away and 30 up (plus the 10 foot reach from a lance)
Would the double move cost be a reason why you cannot charge?
I see no reason why it wouldn't be allowed.
Sweet towering Tiamat!
I can charge your ass from 400ft!
One Greater Vital Strike Power Attack charge coming up!
There's nothing wrong with flying charges as far as I can tell. Just remember that your horse will be making Fly skill checks as well (which I'm sure he has no ranks in).
Get a pegasus. Ditch the spell.
As far as I can tell, no fly check would be needed to charge unless you are also pulling one of the maneuvers listed on the chart (e.g. Move less than half speed and remain flying):
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/skills/fly.html#fly
Pegasi are cool painted on the side of your van, (not as cool as a celestial unicorn...) but creatures that use wings to fly are vulnerable to ugly consequences if they fail a fly check by 5 or more:
Attacked While Flying: You are not considered flat-footed while flying. If you are flying using wings and you take damage while flying, you must make a DC 10 Fly check to avoid losing 10 feet of altitude. This descent does not provoke an attack of opportunity and does not count against a creature's movement. ...If you are using wings and you fail a Fly check by 5 or more, you plummet to the ground, taking the appropriate falling damage...
Collision While Flying: If you are using wings to fly and you collide with an object equal to your size or larger, you must immediately make a DC 25 Fly check to avoid plummeting to the ground, taking the appropriate falling damage.
There are only two criteria for charging:
1) Is it a straight line? If YES go to 2. If NO go to 3.
2) Do you have enough movement to reach the target? If YES go to 4. If NO go to 3.
3) No you can't charge.
4) CHAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!
You missed a criterion: "nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles)"
So the question is: "Does the movement penalty for flying upwards count as hindering your movement?"
I think I've played in a game where you couldn't do a flying charge upwards, but it didn't come up very often. Maybe I'm misremembering.
Thanks for the comments! This will be helpful.
If there's anything written about double movement always inhibiting a charge, that would be helpful in adjudicating whether the flying upwards charge can happen.
Based on what you say, I'm now convinced that charging straight or down is possible, however.
Just for further clarification, here's the text from the Fly spell:
The subject can fly at a speed of 60 feet (or 40 feet if it wears medium or heavy armor, or if it carries a medium or heavy load). It can ascend at half speed and descend at double speed, and its maneuverability is good. Using a fly spell requires only as much concentration as walking, so the subject can attack or cast spells normally. The subject of a fly spell can charge but not run, and it cannot carry aloft more weight than its maximum load, plus any armor it wears. The subject gains a bonus on Fly skill checks equal to 1/2 your caster level.
This means your mounted flying warhorse will probably be moving 40 not 60 but charging is certainly allowed.
Sweet towering Tiamat!
I can charge your ass from 400ft!
One Greater Vital Strike Power Attack charge coming up!
You can't use Vital Strike on a charge since it is an attack action (aka, a standard action used to attack) and charge is a full round action.
Whats more fantasy then the jousting of two dragon riders?
Hell YES, you can charge up in the air!
"... imagening you can ride dragons ans joust across the sky"
- Chris Metzen -
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Our paladin in RotRL charged a (pick a color) dragon while flying and made a critical hit with his smite evil on the second round of combat with his first hit upon the beast. It was the +2 to hit that confirmed the threat roll.
Those 12 seconds were the worst and last seconds of the poor lizards life. Flying, smiting, charging paladins and barbarians ftw!