Is this how to overrun?

Question

Below is a summary of the combat maneuver overrun. After checking that for accuracy, I have a few questions.

Overrun

A creature can attempt an overrun combat maneuver under the following conditions:

• Charge: When the creature takes a full-round action to take the charge action against a foe, and the creature's path to the target of its charge is occupied by a foe that's not the target of the creature's charge.
• Move: Before the creature's taken a move action or a standard action, the creature takes a move action to move up to its speed along a path that is occupied by a foe.

A creature can't make an overrun attempt against a foe more than 1 size category larger than the creature.

Steps in the Overrun Process

During the movement afforded by the charge action or the move action, the creature's path is occupied by a foe.

1. The creature takes a standard action to enter at least one of the foe's squares, provoking an attack of opportunity from the foe. If the foe's attack of opportunity hits and deals damage, the creature suffers a −1 penalty per point of damage dealt to the creature's combat maneuver check when making the overrun attempt. If the creature has the feat Improved Overrun, the creature doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity from the foe.

2. With the creature now in at least one of the foe's squares, the foe picks 1 of the following options:

   • Let the Creature Continue: The foe allows the creature to continue its movement. If this option is picked, the creature continues either its charge action or its move action, as appropriate. The foe can't pick this option if the creature possesses the feat Improved Overrun or, if the creature is mounted, the feat Trample.

   • Try to Stop the Creature: The foe becomes the target of the creature's overrun attempt. The creature makes a combat maneuver check, the foe gaining a +2 bonus to its combat maneuver defense for each leg it possesses after the second.

     • The overrun attempt succeeds by at least 5: The foe is rendered prone and the creature can continue its charge or its movement. A creature with the feat Greater Overrun causes a foe he renders prone this way to provoke attacks of opportunity.
     • The overrun attempt succeeds: The creature can continue its movement.
     • The overrun attempt fails: The creature first must try to return to the space it left before it entered the foe's space then to the nearest legal open space to the space it left before it entered the foe's space. The creature ends its charge or movement.

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Questions

1. Is the overrun process as summarized above correct?
2. Is it accurate to say that the general rule that forbids taking a standard action both in the middle of a full-round action and in the middle of a move action is superseded by the specific rules for the combat maneuver overrun? Specifically, does the combat maneuver overrun, when used during a charge, grant the creature the standard action necessary to use the combat maneuver overrun during a charge?
3. Is it accurate to say that the general rule that forbids a charge against a foe along a path blocked by a different foe is superseded by the specific rules for the combat maneuver overrun?
4. Can a creature use the combat maneuver overrun against more than one foe if it enters squares occupied by all of those foes simultaneously? For example, can a mastodon overrun a horizontal line of 3 pants-wetting dwarven recruits, or can a common orc overrun the 4 grigs who stupidly occupy the same square?

Note: I think those questions are tightly grouped enough, but if moderators insist I'll split them off into separate questions. As for purpose, I'm concerned about a character in an upcoming game who rides a mastodon and plans to use this combat maneuver a lot. I want to confirm my understanding of the combat maneuver first then figure out how it works with the rider and mount.

Answer 1

Let's do a bit of set-up:

Charging
Charging is a special full-round action that allows you to move up to twice your speed and attack during the action. Charging, however, carries tight restrictions on how you can move...

Full-Round Action
A full-round action requires an entire round to complete. Thus, it can't be coupled with a standard or a move action...

Overrun
As a standard action, taken during your move or as part of a charge, you can attempt to overrun your target, moving through its square...

All emphasis mine. Links point to the d20PFSRD

So Overrun may be used it only 2 scenarios:

1. A creature is moving (as per the Move Action), and wishes to pass through another creature's square.

2. A creature wishes to Charge (move double it's Speed in a straight line) and to continue it's charging movement beyond it's target's occupied square.

Steps in the Overrun Process

Scenario (1)

1. A creature (A) takes a Move Action, but it's movement is blocked by another (B) that *does not grant A passage* through it's occupied square. (If granted passage, there is no point in using Overrun.)

2. A declares use of the Overrun combat maneuver, using up their Standard Action for that turn. A rolls a combat maneuver check against B's Combat Maneuver Defence (CMD).

• On a successful roll:

  3a. A may move through B's square unimpeded. If A is within range of another creature after their move they may not attack it as they have already used their Standard Action.

• On a successful roll, 5 or more higher than the B's CMD:

  3b. A may move through B's square and B is knocked prone, granting attacks of opportunity to nearby creatures. A may use their attack of opportunity to attack B, using their AoO for that round.^[1]

• On a failed roll:

  3c. A's movement is halted in the previous square in their movement, adjacent to B. They may take any remaining actions (Swift or Free), and their turn ends. They may not attack B, as they have already used their Standard Action attempting to Overrun.

Scenario (2)

1. A declares B the target of a Charge (which is a Full-round action), but wishes to end their movement in a square beyond that occupied by B.

2. As per the specific rules of Overrun, A may use this maneuver as part of a Charge even though Overrun is usually a Standard Action, so A declares use of the Overrun combat maneuver in order to charge through B's occupied square.

• On a successful roll:

  3a. A may charge through B's square unimpeded. A continues to move in a straight line up to the maximum granted by the Charge. B was declared the target of the Charge, so no further attacks may be made by A against any other creature.

• On a successful roll, 5 or more higher than the B's CMD:

  3b. A may charge through B's square and B is knocked prone, granting attacks of opportunity to nearby creatures. A may use their attack of opportunity to attack B, using their AoO for that round.^[1] A continues to move in a straight line up to the maximum granted by the Charge.

• On a failed roll:

  3c. A's movement is halted in the previous square in their movement, adjacent to B. They may not take any remaining actions (except Free Actions) because their Full-round Action has failed, and their turn ends.

Bonus Scenario!

1. A wishes to declare a Charge against creature B, but another creature (C) occupies a square between A and B.

2. A cannot declare a Charge against B, because of this specific rule from Charging:

You must have a clear path toward the opponent... If any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can't charge.

3. Instead, A decides to declare a charge against C and attempts to Overrun. A's Combat Maneuver Check is successful, so A continues to charge up to their max movement (as granted by the Charge; movement must remain in a straight line). If A ends in a square adjacent to B, A may not attack B as they have used up their actions for this turn; they must wait until the next round and their next turn..

In Sum, to answer your direct questions

1. Yes and No. You don't take a Standard Action to enter their square. There are also two (slightly) different uses of the maneuver, as I've outlined. If charging, the target of the Overrun is also the target of the Charge. Overrun does provoke an AoO unless you have the feat. The other various minor details were also correct. As a side note, I found it odd to describe Overrun's use from the perspective of the target, and have outlined my answer slightly differently.

2. Yes, as per the rule of specificity. It's worth noting that while Overrun does allow you to break your move with a Standard Action, this does mean it uses up your Standard Action and you can't take another until your next turn. (So no attacks after your movement has ended.)

3. No. You don't/can't overrun a creature in order to charge another. The target of the charge is also the target of the overrun. Overrun just allows you to pass through their square; you essentially trade an attack against the creature for mobility on the battlefield. It's also No if moving, as you only have one Standard so you cannot attack after the overrun attempt is made, regardless of success or failure.

4. No. For the same reason as (3), and also for the fact that you cannot target more than one creature with a Charge.

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[1]: An attack of opportunity "interrupts" the normal flow of actions in the round. If an attack of opportunity is provoked, immediately resolve the attack of opportunity, then continue with the next character's turn (or complete the current turn, if the attack of opportunity was provoked in the midst of a character's turn). (d20PFSRD)