[RPG] How to Charge and Spring Attack

chargednd-3.5e

Is there any way to Charge (literally, not a functional equivalent, so as tot rigger every 'on a charge' trick in the book) while also applying Spring Attack or an equivalent feature?

The objective here is to Charge, strike and move past the target, all as part of the charge's movement (so no travel devotion to then move as a swift). To 'charge past' an enemy, if you will.

Note that the charge has to be unmounted (and in my specific case, flying, but let's not complicate it this much).

Best Answer

No game element expands the mandate of Spring Attack like the question desires

A charge is a special attack that typically takes a full-round action and the attacker typically makes an attack at its end. Similarly, the feat Spring Attack offers the creature that takes the feat a new full-round combat option that allows the creature to move, make a standard melee attack, and move again.

A creature can make a charge then that creature, on the same turn, can move after having completed that charge in a variety of ways, usually involving the charging creature taking a swift action. That is, the creature can, after its charge, take a swift action to activate the chronocharm of the horizon walker (Magic Item Compendium 86) (500 gp; 0 lbs.) or the anklet of translocation (MIC 71) (1,400 gp; 0 lbs.) or the benefit of the feat Travel Devotion (Complete Champion 62-3). Alternatively, prior to his charge, the creature could've taken a swift action to activate boots of the battle charger (MIC 76) (2,000 gp; 2 lbs.) and made the charge as a standard action then take a move action to make a normal move after the charge.

Then, if the creature wants to avoid utterly attacks of opportunity from the foe he's picked as the target of his charge (like a creature that possesses the feat Spring Attack does), the creature can take the feat Elusive Dance (Dragon #333 88). When combined, these game elements give onlookers the illusion that the creature is using some kind of charge combined with the feat Spring Attack, even though the creature isn't.

A creature can do more with the feat Spring Attack by taking the feats Bounding Assault (Player's Handbook II 75) and Rapid Blitz (82), for example (and, to be clear, further examples build from, instead, the feat Whirlwind Attack (PH 102)), or by wearing claw gloves (MIC 199-200) (5,604 gp; 0 lbs.). However, there just isn't much more support beyond these elements for the feat Spring Attack. (The best support for the feat Spring Attack? Vast speed and hide in plain sight.)

That is, there's no Improved Spring Attack feat, for example, and prestige classes more often give away the feat free (e.g. dervish (Complete Warrior 25), scaled horror (Savage Species 83), swiftblade) than they do meaningfully improve it (e.g. elocator (Expanded Psionics Handbook 142), tempest (CW 81), champion of Corellon Larethian (Races of the Wild 113)—all improve the feat but not really meaningfully).

With all this in mind, there's just no way, so far as this reader is aware, that, using official material, a creature can combine the special attack charge and the feat Spring Attack into a unified whole—into some kind of springing charge.

Workarounds

  • A springing charge can be simulated by using the feat Flyby Attack (Monster Manual 303) in conjunction with a dive, but, as this fine answer explains, determining how that works mechanically may see the DM rend his garments.
  • As this fine-but-deleted answer explains, the feat Ride-by Attack (PH 99) has as its mandate making a charge and moving afterward (in theory—in practice, it's more complicated). While the question specifies that the creature must move under its own power, with the DM's permission, the feat Ride-by Attack can be taken by a member of an appropriate tauric race (also see this question), therefore the tauric creature seeing itself count as its mount.
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