What a Charge Means in D&D 3.5
A charge in D&D 3.5 is a special full-attack move that lets you close distance and hit harder if you plan correctly. This guide explains how to declare a charge, the movement and action requirements, the attack and damage bonuses, and the trade-offs that make charging risky but rewarding. You will learn when a charge is appropriate, how to position for it, and how enemy reach, terrain, and condition penalties affect your odds.
How to Declare a Charge
Action Type and Movement Requirements
Charging requires a full-round action, meaning you give up most other actions to move and attack in the same turn. You must move at least 10 feet and up to your full speed in a straight line to gain the charge bonuses. If your path includes difficult terrain, you may still complete a charge as long as you meet the minimum distance and spend the necessary movement. You must also stay standing at the end of the move; a prone character cannot complete a charge even if they moved the required distance.
Straight-Line Restriction and Obstacles
The path of a charge must be a clear line to your target. You cannot curve, zigzag, or go around corners to reach the target; at least one edge of the target must be in your straight line of movement. You can take unavoidable obstacles that you could not reasonably avoid, such as a portcullis or collapsing wall, but you cannot force a charge through harmful barriers or deliberately move through difficult squares to gain distance. If your intended target is not in your line of movement at the start of your charge, you cannot take a charge attack against it.
Attack and Damage Bonuses
Base Attack Bonus and Damage Roll
When you successfully make a charge, you gain a +2 bonus on your attack roll using your base attack bonus, not your full BAB. This is a competence bonus tied specifically to the charge, stacking with any circumstance bonuses that apply, such as a running fighter’s bonus from the Run feat. You also gain an extra +2d6 points of damage with melee weapons, representing the impact of moving at full speed into an opponent. These bonuses apply only on the first attack of your full attack, even if you make multiple attacks with a high BAB or iterative attacks, unless a class feature or item specifically changes this behavior.
Ranged Attacks and Spell Components
You cannot make ranged attacks during a charge, and any spell components or attacks that require somatic components are impossible while you are moving briskly in a straight line. Spells with casting times of 1 full round or longer cannot be started during a charge, and quickened spells are typically not viable because a charge consumes your entire turn. If you want to combine mobility and spellcasting, consider maneuvers or features that support moving while casting rather than a standard charge.
Special Cases and Common Variants
Mounted and Overland Charges
Charging while mounted follows the same basic rules, but your movement distance is determined by your mount’s speed, and you must maintain a clear line to your target. A charge on horseback can close ground quickly, but you still take the same penalties to attacks and cannot make ranged attacks. The Run feat improves your ability to charge, and Mounted Combat can help you keep attacks viable after closing. Some campaigns allow lance and similar reach weapons to deal extra damage on a charge, but that change is a house rule, not a core rulebook provision.
Trip, Disarm, and Off-Hand Considerations
If you trip or disarm your target during a charge, you do not lose the attack bonus or damage bonus; those are applied when you make your attack roll as part of the charge. However, you cannot make attacks of opportunity during a charge, even if your target falls prone or drops a weapon. Because a charge uses a full-round action, you also cannot make a defensive attack or use a ready action on your turn unless a feature allows otherwise. These constraints make charges focused, committed actions rather than flexible combats.
Practical Tactics and Positioning
Setting Up a Charge
Charging works best when you use movement to gain distance, break enemy formations, or exploit favorable matchups. Position yourself so that you can move in a straight line into the target’s threatened area while avoiding attacks of opportunity from other enemies. Features like Combat Reflexes or the Run feat can improve your ability to charge safely, and teamwork with allies who can protect your flanks helps maintain the action’s value. A charge can be used to reach a key enemy, disrupt spellcasters, or seize control of a contested area on your turn.
When Not to Charge
Charging is inefficient when you must move around obstacles, when allies provide better positioning, or when enemy reach and threaten areas make the move dangerous without commensurate gains. If you lack cover, reliable healing, or ways to mitigate opportunity attacks from adjacent foes, a charge may leave you exposed. Consider alternative approaches such as repositioning on your move, using readied actions, or coordinating with allies to create safer openings.
Charge Penalties and Risk Management
Attack Penalty and Combat Risks
Although a charge gives you a +2 bonus on your attack roll, you do not gain this bonus to your Defense. If enemies threaten your space or you provoke attacks of opportunity from sources not prevented by a feature, you may take damage before or after your charge attack. Failing your charge attack can leave you poorly positioned, so weigh the potential damage increase against the chance of missing and the likelihood of retaliation. Some tables allow optional benefits, such as reduced attacks of opportunity or terrain shortcuts, but these are not part of the core rules.
Comparison to Standard Attacks
| Attribute | Charge | Standard Full Attack | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Type | Full-round action | Standard action or iterative attacks | Commitment vs flexibility |
| Attack Bonus | Base attack bonus +2 | Base attack bonus + BAB + modifiers | Bonus limited to charge |
| Damage Bonus | +2d6 extra damage | No automatic extra damage | Extra impact on hit |
| Movement Requirement | At least 10 ft., up to full speed | No movement required | Costs movement, enables bonuses |
| Ranged Attacks | Not allowed | Allowed | Offense type constraint |
| Defensive Bonus | None | Possible with Dodge/Defensive Focus | No AC improvement on charge |
Verifying Charge Mechanics
The details above reflect the standard rules found in the Player’s Handbook and related core materials for D&D 3.5. Where errata or updated printings exist, the most current version published by the game’s official sources should be treated as authoritative. Table attributes compare charge traits to standard attack options to clarify when the trade-off is worth it. Use this information to adjudicate charges consistently at your table and to build characters that can execute effective charges without breaking game balance.
Common Questions and Edge Cases
- Can you run with the Run feat and then charge in the same turn? No; the Run feat replaces your standard action and move action, but you can still take a full-round action to charge provided you meet the movement requirements.
- Do you lose the bonus if you take a 5-foot step earlier in your turn? Yes, because a charge requires a full-round action, and taking a 5-foot step consumes your move action, preventing the charge.
- Can you trip and then make an attack of opportunity? No, you cannot make attacks of opportunity during a charge, even if you trip your target.
- Is the extra damage affected by power attack? Yes, you can apply Power Attack to a charge, applying its penalty after the +2d6 bonus is rolled, consistent with how you would apply it to any melee attack.
- Does improved trip prevent you from falling prone if you trip while charging? Improved trip allows you to attempt a trip against an adjacent opponent, but during a charge you are not adjacent at the start, so you cannot trip unless you reach the target; this depends on space and reach.
Wrapping Up the Charge Rules
Charging in D&D 3.5 is a straightforward way to gain a small offensive edge at the cost of flexibility and defensive capability. By understanding movement requirements, the limitations on attacks and spells, and when to commit to a charge, you can use this action to support effective tactics rather than gambling on risky dashes. Good reads pair well with this topic include guides on the Run feat, trip and overrun rules, and build plans for frontline characters who rely on closing distance and controlled aggression.