Charge



"Blow your enemies away with a powerful CHARGE! Deliver tornado blows or hold and release to devastate your enemies."

- Fink Manufacturing advertisement

Charge is one of the Vigors featured in BioShock Infinite, allowing Booker to ram into enemies at high speeds and deliver a powerful melee strike.

On a simple cast, Charge sends Booker hurtling into a targeted enemy, dealing heavy physical damage upon impact. Charging the Vigor revs up Booker's Sky-Hook, increasing the power of the attack the longer it is held. Charge can be used against all enemies at a sizable range, including foes atop ledges and targets floating in the air. Targeted enemies are highlighted in white while the Vigor is active. Charge deals only half damage against Beasts.

BioShock Infinite


Charge is the sixth Vigor Booker can obtain over the course of the game. In fact, the bottle containing the Vigor can be glimpsed long before it becomes available: on the way to Shantytown through Fink Manufacturing, Charge's distinctive green bottle can be seen through a padlocked metal gate in an office, inaccessible to the player. Upon returning to this location while aiding the Vox Populi, the gate has been sabotaged, thus granting the player access to the Vigor.

Official

 * Charging into an enemy suspended in the air with Bucking Bronco will deal increased damage and send them flying through the air. If the target doesn't fall off the edge of Columbia, they'll take increased fall damage.
 * Charging into an enemy ignited with Devil's Kiss will cause them to erupt, sending out fire fragments all around them and igniting other nearby foes.

Unofficial

 * Electrifying an enemy with Shock Jockey before charging them will double the damage of the attack, effectively killing most enemies in a single combo without having to rev up the attack.
 * Undertow can throw enemies away from Booker after charging, in case the player finds themselves surrounded.
 * Distracting a group of enemies with Murder of Crows can allow Booker to charge into them safely, potentially even as a means of escape.
 * Creating a shield with Return to Sender immediately preceding or following a charge will grant the player a few more seconds of bullet immunity. Alternatively, the player can charge into a group and then charge Return to Sender to pick up the resulting gunfire before firing it back at a priority target.

Combat Strategy

 * As Charge is essentially an augmented melee attack, it will benefit from Gear items that apply effects on melee hits.
 * Shotguns are by far the most complementary weapons to Charge, as they work best in close quarters.
 * In a similar vein, it is generally not advised to have a long-range weapon on hand (such as a Sniper Rifle or a Carbine) when using Charge, as they will be ineffective at such short ranges. Likewise, explosive weapons such as the RPG or the Volley Gun will damage the player if used in proximity to their blast radius, and so are also discouraged.
 * Charging into a group of enemies may end up with the player taking serious amounts of damage if they don't have a plan to back up their move. It is best to either prepare or follow up with a stunning attack so as to allow for more leeway.
 * Though Charge is primarily oriented towards launching the player into the midst of battle, attacking a lone enemy at a distance can work as an escape maneuver.
 * Revving up Charge does not cost any Salts, and so revving up Charge while there are no enemies present will give the player an advantage in the next encounter.
 * Charge may be used to jump gaps provided there is an enemy on the other side. This can be used to reach places that Booker would otherwise have to use the Sky-Line to get to.
 * Though expensive, Charge Aid offers a quick and instant way to recharge one's shield, allowing the Vigor to be used specifically to that effect. Furthermore, the temporary invincibility can be used to great effect when melee rushing a target.
 * Charge Boost, on the other hand, isn't spectacularly useful. Even if the upgrade itself is cheap and adds a bit of extra power to the charge attack, the explosive damage is both low and fairly short-ranged.
 * Charge is notably effective against the Siren, especially when it's been fully upgraded. When fully upgraded, it gives the player's Shield a change to replenish when using it against any enemies, especially when the Siren ressurects them.

Recommended Gear

 * Blood to Salt has the potential to refill the player's Salts, as Charge is both relatively cheap to use and able to kill certain enemies in one shot.
 * Brittle-Skinned will cause enemies hit by Charge to also become vulnerable, taking increased damage from attacks. If Charge doesn't kill the victim outright, a few more melee attacks should down the target.
 * Bull Rush can be used to ram enemies off the edge of Columbia. Alternatively, it can be used to clear a path through enemies using Charge.
 * Burning Halo has a strong chance of igniting melee targets, which will apply to enemies hit by Charge. If the target doesn't die from the charge, the flames should finish them off.
 * Coat of Harms will guarantee the player will be able to execute their target if Charge doesn't kill them outright.
 * Deadly Lungers grants the player a lot more maneuverability once they charge into melee range.
 * Electric Punch/Electric Touch has a strong change of electrifying melee targets, which will apply to enemies hit by Charge. Not only will this stun the target, it'll also double the damage they take for the next few seconds, allowing the player to finish them off easily.
 * Fleet Feet can come in handy if the player launches themselves into a sticky situation, as it will facilitate escape.
 * Hill Runner's Hat will also help the player make an escape if they find themselves taking too much damage by making it much easier to run to cover.
 * Overkill synergizes excellently with Charge: killing a target with Charge will electrify all nearby enemies, allowing the player to finish them off and chain the Gear's effects.
 * Spare The Rod is useful if using this Vigor on Heavy Hitters, and can work as a cheap alternative to Possession.
 * Vampire's Embrace will heal the player upon killing an enemy with a melee attack, Charge included.

Behind the Scenes

 * This ability is similar to the Drill Dash ability and the Aero Dash Plasmid from BioShock 2, and functions much in the same manner. However, while those two Plasmids could be used to dash out of combat, or as a means of retreat, Charge is a purely offensive ability and can only be used while targeting an enemy.
 * The icon and bottle's design are based on the ram, an animal known for aggressively charging into foes to knock them off of mountainous terrain. The bottle is even shaped like a ram's skull.
 * Charge appears to be an air-based Vigor, as Booker gets surrounded by wind and storms when this Vigor is used.
 * Using Charge to knock enemies off of Columbia will count towards the "Bon Voyage" Achievement/Trophy.
 * In contrast to the other bottles, which have decorative tops, the top of this bottle is but a simple cork.