This is first post here so pardon if this was answered elsewhere. I did attempt to search for like-subjects.
The main question I have here, does charging continue once interrupted? I am under the impression of "no, charging stops".
My GM and I are interested in playing by RAI, however neither of us are terribly experienced with RAW. So do weapons count as obstacles in regards to stopping a charge? I have a character with a Lucerne Hammer which I felt would be exceptional as an object to interrupt charges with while yielding fair damage with Brace.
Also, lets say I change it up a bit and say I miss my readied action to attack, bracing a charger, and then the charger takes an AoO from continuing passed my threatened range. I'd imagine the attack of opportunity if hit would interrupt a charge as all items classify as object/obstacle as for my understanding.
My GM seems to feel that charges aren't stoppable by anything that doesn't hinder movement such as an large immovable obstacle or monk knocking them back with a movement ability, and wonders if a reach trip is functional for this purpose if the above isn't.
Charging
You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles). You must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent. If this space is occupied or otherwise blocked, you can't charge. 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.
Weapon Sizes
Every weapon has a size category. This designation indicates the size of the creature for which the weapon was designed. A weapon's size category isn't the same as its size as an object. In general, a light weapon is an object two size categories smaller than the wielder, a one-handed weapon is an object one size category smaller than the wielder, and a two-handed weapon is an object of the same size category as the wielder.
Readying An Action
You can ready a standard action, a move action, a swift action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, anytime before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. 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. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
Agree / disagree and rules supporting please?
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You would effectively get two attacks off: one for your readied action, and one for them leaving a threatened square (assuming they continued their charge to be adjacent to you, and didn't have reach themselves).
But attacking them doesn't stop their charge. If you used one of your attacks to trip them, and succeeded, that would work. There may be another feat out there that accomplishes a similar function.
Even a Colossal Kaiju wielding a two-handed weapon with 60ft reach wouldn't count as an obstacle that hinders movement.
But in that sense, don't creatures count as an object that hinders movement and stops charging?
My GM actually told me at one point that weapons actually count as part of the creature. (But I don't know where in RAW it might say that.. (Am not sure why he told me this, it just furthered my visions of bullying chargers to the ground!)
If you want to stop creatures from charging you, Pushing Assault is worth picking up. Paraphrasing how a user on these boards described the feat, it reads "CHARGING ME IS STUPID" - it let's you move anyone you attack 5 feet, by forgoing the power attack bonus to damage - thus breaking their charge.
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Creatures typically hinder movement and charging, but only the space that they occupy. There are some feats and abilities that can mitigate that. The surrounding squares are considered "threatened", but they don't hinder movement.
Which would be incredibly overpowering if reach blocked movement. Creatures with reach and Combat Reflexes would essentially become immune to adjacent attacks.
I could see it being overpowering, but one could say that both ways if creatures can do it too!
But at the same time, it would only affect charging.. I could see charging large and higher creatures to be threatening or simply put a bad idea.
However given the majority of response, this doesn't seem to be the intent, thanks for the responses.
Essentially all your belongings are considered to count as part of you as far as taking space on the grid (ie they don't consume any of the grid and reside in your square(s) for determining if someone can make a Sunder or Steal attempt etc...).
The "you interupt the other character" is more for the part you did not highlight "Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues". It just means your readied action can go in the middle of another's action which is an exception to the standard flow of combat. And if this action you perform makes it impossible for the opponent to continue then he can't, ie your action CAN alter the opponents actions. For instance, let's say your opponent is charging, has moved 15ft and triggers your readied action which is to trip him and you succeed. We'll assume he does not have a reach weapon. At this point he can no longer charge as he's not in reach and can't continue as he's prone. Now it's up to the GM if he believes your target has only used up 15ft of movement (thus one move action) and still has a standard action left, but that's something for another time.
Creatures stop charges if they are intervening between you and the opponent you want to charge. You have to charge in a straight line to the nearest square you can attack an opponent from. If that requires you to go through the square of a friend or foe or other object that hinders movement (terrain) then you can not charge.
Technically speaking.. if..
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.
My GM just mentioned.. can't he not continue to charge since he needs 10 feet to charge and he only has 5 feet in front of me?
Idk, it's so confusing!
So you would interrupt an action.. being his charge.. but he would continue.. as the same action?
That just.. sounds really weird!
No. The interrupt clause is just to clarify that you can do something in the middle of someone else's actions. Normally this is a no-no, but a readied action allows it as an exception to the standard rule.
Your opponent is in the middle of his action so after your action he'll continue as if nothing happened unless your action prevents that, meaning it invalidates his action.
You striking him doesn't prevent movement or anything that would make his action evaluated as a whole (both pre and post your readied action) not legal.
If you knock him to the ground it does cause it breaks the rules of a charge. You can't move, go prone, and stand up to carry out a charge.
Similarly if he passed through multiple threatened squares of your allies and provoked attacks of opportunity that only did damage those would not stop his charge because taking damage does not prevent following the restrictions of a charge.
Now if one of them used a trip then again it would as he can no longer carry out the restrictions of a charge (ie moving at least 10ft and no more than double his speed total in a straight line to the nearest square he can attack from without moving through a hindering square).
Ooh, thanks for clarifying that.