Charge versus readied difficult terrain

[Tim Bürgers]

A charge over difficult terrain isn't possible.

What if someone charges and an enemy creates difficult terrain right in his path?

Would that...

a) ...make the charger lose his full-round action?
b) ...force the charger to take another action with his full round unspent although he already moved a few feet?
c) ...take away a move action and force the charger to pick a standard action?

Example:

An Outer Rifts-Oracle uses "Unearthly Terrain" to interrupt a charging Orc Warrior. The Orc has to stop right in front of the now difficult terrain and what then?

Thank you all.

[FLite]

Isn't there something about if you run in difficult terrain, you have to make an acrobatics check?

[Gauss]

There has been debate on what happens when it is not possible to complete your readied action.

The two schools of thought are:
A) You get to choose a different action since you have yet to begin your action (readied action goes off before you act).

CRB p203 wrote:

Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action.

This school of thought believes that the above line does not mean that the person who triggered the action must continue the same action but may instead choose a different action.

B) You must complete the action if possible and thus if you cannot you lose it. You still keep any remaining available actions.

This is based on the same quote I already quoted.

What is not in debate for both schools is that in the case of a charge that is partially completed if that charge is interrupted (such as with difficult terrain) the charge is wasted. However, even on this point there is disagreement between the two schools. School A states that if the charge can be redirected (to a legal target) then you can do so while school B states the charge is already in progress and cannot be redirected.

I am in school B and believe that in your situation the full round action is lost. It is how I play and it makes spellcasters with terrain altering spells more valuable as they can ready actions to disrupt charges. Cloud spells work particularly nice for this.

If I were the Oracle I would hit the Orc so that he is a bit in the difficult terrain rather than just before it. It would screw up future charges as well.

One note: difficult terrain does not always stop a charge, there are abilities and equipment that allow you to ignore difficult terrain.

- Gauss

[Gauss]

FLite,

CRB p170 wrote:

You can’t run or charge through any square that would hamper your movement.

Thus, not even an acrobatics check would allow you to.

- Gauss

[FLite]

I wasn't thinking about being able to continue the charge. I thought there was something about if you wind up running through difficult terrain, you had to make an acrobatics roll to stop without falling. That may have been a special situation though.

[Umbranus]

I'd say a or c.
As RAW is not totally clear I guess I would allow the charging one to change the charge into a doublemove ending in the same square he wanted to charge to or to end his round in the first square if difficult terrain.

[Kittenological]

If I were a DM I would've made the charger roll for Dexterity or Wisdom. If he succeeds then it means he was quick enough on feet or in his combat experience to immediately stop his charge and get a standard action back.

If he fails that roll, then it'd be interpreted that he charged on too far only to find out he can't quite reach his target due to debris.

[Gauss]

I am curious why, after burning a full action, he would get an action back. This isn't a case of preventing the charge before he takes a step, it is an interrupted charge in the middle of the charge.

- Gauss