Charging Directly Towards Your Opponent

[setzer9999]

Does charging directly toward your opponent mean that you can only charge in cardinal directions if you use a grid?

Or does it mean that you can charge in 360 degrees of straight lines and apply the line areas from the magic section to determine the path you took to get there?

[Skylancer4]

You can charge 360, but you have to go in a "straight line." Given the grid, that allows you to go in diagonals as well. Easiest way to figure it out would be use a ruler or string and go from the center of the start square to the center of the end square. If any of the squares in between them has an opponent or is otherwise not 'valid' the charge is blocked.

[setzer9999]

Wait... I was including diagonals as part of my "cardinal directions" assessment. I've seen people talking about this on posts before, but I just don't see a definitive post yet...

Are you saying that you can only go in straight grid lines and diagonal grid lines? I'm confused, because right before saying that, you said you can go 360 degrees (as in reality), but then you specified that you can't go 360 degrees...

[thejeff]

If there's a question, ignore the grid. You can charge in a straight line at any angle you choose. Thus the "use ruler or string" part of the answer.

[Morgen]

You have to go straight towards your opponent. So if there is something in your way like a wall or a tree or other enemies you can't make a charge. That rule has nothing to do with the grid.

[setzer9999]

When you do that, for purposes of determining AoOs and other things that affected by what squares you move through, do you use the rules for line area spells to follow that line?

[Morgen]

When your moving your model along, if it leaves a threatened space then it is subject to the rules for attacks of opportunity.

[setzer9999]

I mean, how do you determine which spaces it enters and doesn't if you are saying that you are moving in a straight line? The "model" would technically overlap squares on both sides of the line for many types of diagonal movement depending on the specifics of the circumstance.

[mdt]

One way to do it is to use a one inch wide ruler, you can find these in stores (I've actually scene one in a game store with squares on it). Then put the ruler down on the straight line to the target. Move him along it. If anyone threatens at least half a square he's moving through, then he's leaving a threatened square and provokes an AoO.

[Morgen]

That's certainly a useful method for doing it.

A good rule of thumb is if you aren't moving closer to your target your likely not charging in a straight line. Think of it as being the most direct path to them.

At some point I'll make a video and start that up.

[setzer9999]

Is there anything in the official rules for how you determine movement "directly at" something? I appreciate the idea there, but is there anything in the book for how to determine the path? The closest thing I could find was line areas in the magic section, so I mentioned those above...

[Skylancer4]

On the grid, a line can seem "jagged" depending on the path so yes the line effects of the spells are a good place to look if you don't understand the grid completely. If that is the case, the best suggestion I can give is use the ruler edge/string as I stated above. When moving avoid don't use the diagonal movement, instead move through every square the string goes through, each counting as 5' (unless it is difficult terrain or contains another creature in which case you cannot charge without other abilities). If any of those squares of movement go through a threatened area, that creature gets an attack of opportunity on you.