Look at the specifics of each one -- for example crane style only requires a free hand, and can be used with a weapon.
The feats require Improved Unarmed Strike to take them, but you can freely use them with weapons, too. Of course, Dragon Style, the one you mentioned specifically, does actually require you use an Unarmed Strike to get the 1.5x Strength damage bonus.
Boar style -- requires unarmed strikes, the intimidation portion doesn't state this though.
Djinni style -- no requirements on unarmed strikes.
Dragon style -- the charging and save bonuses do not require unarmed strikes, the damage bonus does. The cone attack of course doesn't require empty hands.
Mantis style -- the last feat has something that only functions with an unarmed strike.
Panther Style -- the retaliatory attack is an unarmed strike specifically.
etc.
So if I'm wielding a spear or lance and using dragon style I still benefit from all the charge stuff? Still meddling with my ff style dragoon build and this style came to mind.
Obviously I'll check with my GM as well.
Yeah, you can still use the charging stuff with a spear. But, uh, isn't the Dragoon about jumping? Just jump over the difficult terrain and allies and whatnot during your charge.
I didn't think you could jump as part of a charge. Figured this way I could fluff it since the terrain stops a charge.
I see no reason you couldn't. I know for a fact you could jump during a charge in 3.5, and I have not yet noticed any change in Pathfinder that would prevent it.
Acrobatics is listed as not requiring an action, that it's just used during another action, and nothing about Charging stops a jump.
During the charge "nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles)." If you jump over those things, nothing is hindering you, so I'm quite sure you can.
I found this line:
"If any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can't charge. Helpless creatures don't stop a charge."
Here's the thing, though. That line is in the 3.5 SRD, and I know you could jump during a charge in 3.5 because there was a feat that made jumping during a charge better.
So, I'm pretty sure you need to read that line knowing that a square doesn't block or slow your movement if you jump over it.
The thing is if you have a blocked square you can't even charge to begin with so you can't even attempt to jump it.
You can jump during a charge just fine however you may not jump during a charge to avoid illegal squares.
Thats easily step overable and probably not stopping a charge your average stride is bigger than the gap.
I say once its legal you can go for it no problem i cant back it up with raw though thats how i do it.
Of course I would allow a player to use a skill to avoid some terrain any way as a GM i like the thought of the guy leaping over the wall to come crashing down on some guys head.
The thing is if you have a blocked square you can't even charge to begin with so you can't even attempt to jump it.
You can jump during a charge just fine however you may not jump during a charge to avoid illegal squares.
See, that's where I disagree. That terrain doesn't necessarily block jumping movement, so you can charge if you jump.
Otherwise, you're looking at charges being incomprehensibly difficult to make, since terrain that blocks or hinders any movement would stop the charge.
I mean, a room in a dungeon blocks swimming, so you can't charge there. Open plains blocks Climb speeds, so you can't charge there. Even if you don't want to get that silly, someone with a Freedom of Movement spell on still couldn't charge through difficult terrain, even though they are not slowed by it.
You have to consider that line in the charge rules to be referring to blocking or hindering the sort of movement you're making, rather than any movement, or else the charge rules fall apart completely.
I'm pretty confident you can jump while charging, and can therefore charge through terrain that would block or hinder walking, as long as that terrain wouldn't block or hinder jumping.
RAW and RAI its not totally clear but if the movement you would use is blocked you can't start therefore you can't jump.
The line you quoted says it all though i agree it makes little to no sense sometimes.
However like i said i allow it because i am a firm believer of the rule of cool.