Barbarian's Knockdown and Charge

[Systole]

GM: Knockdown (Ex): Once per rage, the barbarian can make a trip attack against one target in place of a melee attack. If successful, the target takes damage equal to the barbarian’s Strength modifier and is knocked prone. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

GM: Attacking on a Charge: After moving, you may make a single melee attack. You get a +2 bonus on the attack roll and take a –2 penalty to your AC until the start of your next turn. A charging character gets a +2 bonus on combat maneuver attack rolls made to bull rush an opponent.

Quick question: If a barbarian has the Knockdown ability and uses it during a charge, does he get a +2 on the combat maneuver? My reading is no, but I wanted to be sure.

 

[Dingo333]

RAW, no

Charge only bonuses a bull rush (and a normal attack) and knockdown is a trip attempt.

This means the barbarian would get a bonus fro things like improved trip but not from improved bull rush

The DM could house rule it to work together in favor of flavor though

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yes, you would. A combat maneuver in PF is an attack, and auto fails/succeeds on a nat 1/20 just like any other attack. Further, a trip maneuver is one of the combat maneuvers you can ALREADY use in place of a melee attack, just in its normal use. All the Rage Power does for you is not provoking (if you lack the Improved Trip feat or a tripping weapon) and dealing your str mod in damage along with it.

You absolutely would get the +2 to hit from charging.

Sidenote: The +2 charging bonus to bull rush specifically is a hold-over from 3E. Personally, I'd make Bull Rush get a +4 bonus from charging in PF, since trip, disarm, and sunder can all gain the + from charging anyway, so that bull rush once again actually gets a unique benefit from charging.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Yes, you would.

SotS's got it.

For specific rules support:

Add any bonuses you currently have on attack rolls due to spells, feats, and other effects. These bonuses must be applicable to the weapon or attack used to perform the maneuver.

The bonus from Charging counts.

 

[Systole]

Sidenote: The +2 charging bonus to bull rush specifically is a hold-over from 3E. Personally, I'd make Bull Rush get a +4 bonus from charging in PF, since trip, disarm, and sunder can all gain the + from charging anyway, so that bull rush once again actually gets a unique benefit from charging.

Okay, this is part of what confused me. It seemed to me that if Bull Rush was called out, then the other CMs must NOT have it. I'm happy to hear I was wrong, because I like Trip attacks.