Does this count as charging?

Posted by Zazel Richter on June 17, 2013

The original daredevil!

I was the DM for a 4e game and my group was on their way to stop an evil emperor from expanding his empire into the multiverse. As they were flying in their airship towards his floating citadel, the first wave of defenders came to stop our heroes. It was a battalion of Griffon riders lead by big bad guy on a Wyvern.

We had a Barbarian Warforged on our team that was prone to making stupid, outrageous, awesome decisions, but I never in a millions years thought I'd hear him say these words.

"Does being shot out of the airships cannon count as charging?"

I was dumbfounded momentarily, but allowed it, making sure he knew the risks beforehand. The wizard in the party assured him that if he fell they could always rebuild him.

Next thing I know the melee characters are getting him loaded up while the ranged characters get ready to defend the airship from the griffon riders. They take aim at the lead wyvern rider and fire.

The barbarian hits him dead on, sending the guy falling to his death. He makes an acrobatics check to try to catch onto the saddle and misses. Everyone gasps. He makes a second back up check to try to grab onto the tail and after a momentary pause, makes it by 1 point.

On his next turn he climbs up into the saddle and turns the wyvern around.

The bulk of the griffon riders have already retreated, fearing the sanity of the warforged that just flew at them from a cannon. He ended up keeping the wyvern as a flying mount for future encounters. Needless to say he was the talk for the next few sessions.