I notice a difference when I use charge with and without vigor.

I assumed that means frw helps too.

This assumption is not correct

Ar is for defense not block. You will still have less than 25% chance of hitting a mb charchater which is not a good chance when you are charging someone.

Isn't it to break their defense so they don't block? Maybe I've just been luckily hitting everyone lol.

Block and defense are not connected. I recommend u to run maxroll to simulate ur builds in order to answer ur questions.

Defense is for your chance to hit someone. It’s a ratio between your AR and their defense.

If your AR is equal to your opponents defense (and you guys are the same level), then you have a 50% chance to hit them.

But if they have 75% block, it means that they will block 3 out of the 4 (on average) “hits” you could have connected.

Which means if your AR is equal to your opponents defense (and you guys are the same level) and your opponent has 75% block, you will only land 12.5% of your hits on them, or 1 out of 8.

For more in-depth info regarding the chance to hit (CtH) formulae, check this link,
https://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=75247442&f=87

Thank you for all of that information. I did not know that's how it worked. I will check that link out.

does charge add a knockback or is it wise to get it through gloves? blocked character is knocked back?

Charge already has kb.
Knockback chance is 100% vs size 1 targets, 50% vs size 2, and 25% vs size 3.
Players are size 2.

And with a long reach weapon it means you're always far and charging?