So, when I saw the feat Lunge, I was totally amped.

Prereq: Close Combat Expert or Leap/Climb.

Choose a character.

When the character is given an action, but before it makes a close combat attack, it can break away automatically and move up to 2 squares.

My immediate thought was "hooray, I can put this on my favoritest fig ever, Ultimates Unique Hulk, and he can finally M&A! 2 squares might not be much, but it's something!" I initially thought the feat was meant for this; granting a slight measure of mobility to previously immobile melee brawlers, with the added touch of granting free breakaway so that they could switch when brawling if a juicer target wandered into range.

Than I got to thinking... Now, my rules acumen is not the sharpest, but it seems to me like Lunge is not simply an independent action on it's own. "When the character is given an action," it says, meaning you can use the Lunge before just about anything. "Before it makes a close combat attack" seems to mean a melee attack needs made somewhere for the power to work, but follow me through on this.

Supposing we're dealing with a Bat-Ally in hindering who has Charge with L/C though an SP (AA Robin, AzBats, Lamppost Bats) or CCE (Vet. Azrael), can they use Lunge to move 2 squares before activating Charge, allowing them to "pop out" of hindering so that they can use their full Charge allotment? I then realized this goes even further -- if that were the case, any figure with Charge could be given Lunge and use it to simply extend their movement by 2 squares. Lunge, then Charge. If that's the case, why would you ever play a Charge fig who qulifies for it without Lunge? A character with HSS and CCE could use it to extend their movement, too. Any Charger would be able to Lunge to breakaway automatically, then use their Charge on another target. Heck, a Charger with Perplex could use the Lunge to breakaway before activating their free-action Perplex, right?

I love Charging bricks, and would love to see them get this kind of augmentation (although it would mean I'd have to get at least 8 more copies of Lunge) but the rules interpretations I'm listing above seem somewhat opposed to what I get as the general spirit of the feat, as I described in the first paragraph.

I cannot ferret out the truth of it, though, as the card wording seems a little vague to me. I noticed there wasn't anything on this card on the initial errata sheets that my judge had at the first Sealed event yesterday, and I need to know what's going on here.

Can someone help me with the proper execution of Lunge? When can you Lunge, what can you do with it? Is it just mini-Charge, or can you staple it on to Charge to use as a 2-step extender, free breakaway, or Stealth-exiter?

From just looking at it quickly, I'd say it does the same thing as OOtS Batman does, but only at a 2 square jump. I could be wrong, though.

I think you got the jest of the rule. That's the way I would play it anyway.

That's one option.

That's correct.

Yes, in order to move the 2 squares, you have to follow-up with a close combat attack.

Sounds right.

Because the Charge character may not have CCE or L/C. Because some people don't like playing with feats. Because you don't have enough points left over after putting characters on your team.

Nope. The movement from Lunge happens during the action given to the character. Perplex is its own action. You can't use an action during another action.

Thanks for the input so far, and I have two additional questions:

1. When using Lunge with a L/C or CCE Charging Bat Ally, and you use the Lunge to "pop out" from hindering before using Charge, do you halve the Lunge movement from 2 squares to 1? I'm inclined to say yes, meaning this only works if the Lunging fig is on the edge of hindering or in an item.

2. I mentioned it above, but can you use Lunge to extend HSS movement if the character has CCE (oldschool Black Adam, Black Mary, Crisis SR Supergirl) on that click and you use the HSS to make a close combat attack? I'm also inclined to say yes, but looking for confirmation.

Boy, if the rules are as they seem to be on this one and it doesn't get changed, Charge/Leap/Climb SP figs (only a few) and Charge + CCE figs (a whole bunch out there) just got a whole lot better. 2 extra Charge squares? Lamppost Bats goes from an exceptionally solid 5 Charge movement to a Flash-like 7, or 8 with just one Perplex. Green Scar can make it all the way across the board with his "full move Charge," as the SP also includes L/C. Wowza.

Edit: 11 squares of "Charge" by a Lunging Green Scar on his most mobile clicks. Wow!

you could Lunge away to get access to an object as well. then charge with that new object in hand to hit a target. lovin it.

That's how I understand. It's movement out of hindering terrain as the result of an action given to the character so the movement would be halved.

I don't see why it wouldn't effectively extend movement during HSS.

That would be closer to halfway across the board, but still impressive.

I realize the intent of the card, but since it says "an action", could you use a Free Action? You use Outwit, then make a Lunge in hindering. Then lunge again, out of hindering when given a power action to Charge, and then make the move, and then attack?

Or does it have to be an action that ends in a close combat attack being made? That's the intention, IMO, but it doesn't say that.

From the new Player's Guide:
I see it as the close combat attack is a requirement at the end of the action. Note that it is any type of action that leads to a close combat attack. Therefore the power action given to Charge would not be the action that activates the Lunge but the close combat action give as a free action through Charge is the action that activates Lunge.

So the breakdown is like this:

1.) Give your character a power action to activate Charge.
2.) Move the character half the movement, having to roll for breakaway if necessary.
3.) Give the character a close combat action as a free action.
4.) Reposition 2 squares away with Lunge, automatic breakaway.
5.) Preform the close combat attack.

Since the power action to Charge doesn't immediately result in a close combat attack you can't use it to activate Lunge, however the close combat action given as a free action through Charge does result in an immediate close combat attack so you can Lunge with the activation of that action.

Now try this one on for size: Charge and Flurry with Lunge

1.) Give the character a power action to activate Charge.
2.) Move the character half the movement, having to roll for breakaway if necessary.
3.) Activate Flurry with the close combat action.
4.) Give the character a free action for a close combat attack.
5.) Reposition 2 squares away with Lunge, automatic breakaway.
6.) Preform the close combat attack.
7.) Give the character a free action for a close combat attack.
8.) Reposition 2 squares away with Lunge, automatic breakaway.
9.) Preform the close combat attack.


Correct me if I am wrong on any of this but that looks right to me, as well as very nasty. Think of it with Hercules holding an object in each hand. Ouch. 4 move charge, lunge for another 2, hit, lunge for another 2, hit.

The thing that gets me though is LOF to the destination square with Lunge. It doesn't say LOF is needed so could it be possible to Lunge through a wall?

As for halving your movement in hindering...you would not have to halve the 2 move Lunge because hindering terrain halves your Speed value. The 2 square move with Lunge is not a Speed value.

So Lamppost Batman could be on the edge of a roof, Lunge off of it 2 squares (since he has leap/climb), then Charge? (And also Lunge up on to the roof?)

The way I read the card is the figure can only move the 2 squares prior to it making the close combat attack.

IMO if you charge and use lunge, you would halve your movement, then just before you make the close combat action you move the additional 2 squares. Similarly for HSS.

In the case of flurry, you would move 2 squares make the close combat attack, then you could move 2 more squares to make the second.

The errata makes it very similar in execution to OoTS. You announce an action that will involve a close combat attack, but you do not yet perform said action. You then move your Lunge of 2 squares. From that new square perform the close combat attack from your announced action. There is no additional movement between the 2 movement Lunge and the close combat attack. HSS would allow movement after the attack, however.

You have to be able to make a close combat attack after the two-square movement during the same action as the movement.

He can't use Charge and the move-action part of Leap/Climb together.

True but since Lunge says nothing of needing LOF I don't see why you couldn't Lunge off the rim of elevated terrain. You just can't use the movement granted in Charge to move you off of the elevator terrain.

That's my take on it, but I may not have been clear in the earlier post.

As if that Batman needed to be any better...