Knocked off a mount while charging

[WalterGM]

This came up recently in a home game, so here's the deal.

A BBEG is on his mount, ride-by-attack charging us with a lance. Our wiz has a readied action to blast his face with a magic missle that can knock him prone. As he's charging, the readied action goes off, and knocks him off the mount. My GM says that the rider still has an action left, and stands up.

I say what? Charging is a full-round action. He says that the rider's mount is charging, and he is just making a standard action to guide it and make an attack at the end (dealing double lance damage from charging of course). I disagree, saying that both the mount and him are making full-round actions to charge.

My argument:
1) A charge is a full round action. "Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action."
2) A lance deals double damage if you are taking the charge action. "Lances and Charge Attacks: A lance deals double damage if employed by a mounted character in a charge."
3) Although you can make a standard action while you are on a charging mount, you can only deal double damage with a lance if you are taking the charge action yourself as well. "If your mount charges, you also take the AC penalty associated with a charge. If you make an attack at the end of the charge, you receive the bonus gained from the charge. When charging on horseback, you deal double damage with a lance (see Charge)." *note that it doesn't say while moving on horseback*

So what say you?

[Mijoszew]

I think both positions are wrong according to RAW, as the readied action occurs just before the action which triggers it. Therefore, in this case the rider is knocked off its mount before it begins charging. This means the rider actually still had all its actions left as none were actually spent.

[WalterGM]

Readying an action. "The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character's activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action"

So his charge (imo a full-round action) is interrupted, he can continue it if capable, but he cannot because he is prone and not have a move or standard action left, he was engaging in a full-round action at the time.

[Brogue The Rogue]

And if the readied action was phrased in such a way that it triggered well after the charge was underway?

[CommandoDude]

A charge is to full-round action doublemove/attack. Since the spell was set to trigger when the action began, only part of the full-round action was completed. This means that there never was a full-round action (Since it's a full round action to do everything listed, you can't make a 'half' charge).

The full round action is completed when the attack has been made, not before. This is RAI, as declaring full-attack action makes it clear that you can 'interrupt' and cancel a full-round action to do something else.

Assuming he is capable of doing so, he continues his actions. If is incapable of assuming his actions, then his actions change.

[Mijoszew]

Now it depends on how we interpret the word "interrupted." I was just taking it to mean that the interrupted character's turn is put on hold while the readied action is resolved, thereby not being an exception to the sentence which occurs before it. As for the readied action which is triggered in mid-charge that opens up a whole other can of worms which I have yet to find any official rules which address the situation. There are other threads on that issue. (most are couched in terms of readying an action to move out of the way of a charged based on how close the enemy gets but it's the same issue I think)

[WalterGM]

If you interrupt and cancel a full-round cast, the caster does not get a move action afterwards. Or am I mistaken?

[CommandoDude]

It says that a full-round casting only comes into affect at the beginning of the next turn, so I assume the caster is taking the whole round to cast (whereas a fighter resolves his charge at the end of his turn).

With a charge and full-attack action there are seperate actions involved in each 'full' action (A charge makes a double move, a full attack makes X-attacks). There is only 1 action for full-casting.

It's up to the DM I guess. Since it is not clear.

[mdt]

The rules do state that you can declare a full attack action, take one attack, and then switch to a move instead of completing.

That would say to me that declaring a full round charge, controlling the horse (first half) then after being knocked off changing to a move to stand up would be just as valid. Granted, it's RAI since it's not spelled out exactly, but the whole book would be Star Fleet Battles if we required that level of detail when ruling.

In other words, I agree with the OPs GM.

[WalterGM]

mdt wrote:

The rules do state that you can declare a full attack action, take one attack, and then switch to a move instead of completing.

This I would accept as sound reasoning for my GM, and me.

Despite not really making sense to me.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA LETS GET THESE GU--*umphs!*... well, I guess I'll shake the stars out of vision after getting dismounted, stand up, be battle ready, and move five feet forward. All in six seconds."

Anyone that's seen Full Metal Jousting would know what I mean :P

[mdt]

WalterGM wrote:

mdt wrote:

The rules do state that you can declare a full attack action, take one attack, and then switch to a move instead of completing.

This I would accept as sound reasoning for my GM. Despite not really making sense to me.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA LETS GET THESE GU--*umphs!*... well, I guess I shake my head off and be battle ready, after getting dismounted and stand up. All in six seconds."

If it makes you feel better, you could envision it as the guy falling off his rearing horse, landing and rolling back to his feet all in one motion.

[WalterGM]

Except he was essentially charging into a brick wall -- being blasted by a bolt of arcane energy, with toppling spell and all.

[mdt]

WalterGM wrote:

Except he was essentially charging into a brick wall -- being blasted by a bolt of arcane energy, with toppling spell and all.

I understand. Just saying, if it helps...

[WalterGM]

Not terribly, but its a quasi-precedent so we'll use it until I see a better argument.