Athletics

Athletics (Str)

The Athletics skill represents feats of physical strength such as climbing, swimming, and power lifting. Special rules apply to these actions:

Climb

Climbing is the act of traversing near vertical or vertical surfaces as a Move Action.

Some creatures have a Climb speed, which means that they can climb a normal vertical surface with reasonable texture and handholds without the need of an Athletics check. In addition, some also have a Climb speed followed by the (spider) keyword, meaning that they can climb smooth surfaces and even climb upside down on a surface without the need of a climb check.

For creatures without a climb speed, an Athletics check DC 10 allows them to climb 1 square up a surface with reasonable texture and handholds as a Move Action or part of their total movement for the round. (Example: Kynin, the human combatant had a base movement of 6 and is attempting to get to the roof of a building to snipe his enemies with his bow. If he starts his turn 5 squares from the rough stone wall of the building, he can move to it and by making a DC10 Athletics check, climb up 1 square up the side of the wall.)

Creatures Trained in Athletics who exceed the DC by five or more can climb an additional 1 square for every 5 points by which they exceed the DC to a maximum of their base movement speed.

The maximum total movement used in a round is still limited by its base movement speed.

Failing a climb check ends the character’s movement and requires a character to make an edge save or fall. Success on the edge save means they make no progress in climbing that turn.

Tools such as ladders, knotted ropes and the like reduce the DC to climb them to 5 and allow climbers to make checks as if they were Trained.

Circumstances such as particularly slick or unstable surfaces may increase the DC to climb them by 10 or more.

Only characters Trained in Athletics or with a Climb speed can succeed on attempts with a DC 20 or higher. Any result of 20 or higher by an untrained character is reduced to 20.

Swim

Swimming is the ability to move through liquids as a Move Action.

Some creatures have a Swim speed, which allows them to move that speed as a Move action without making an Athletics check.

For creatures without a swim speed, a DC 15 Athletics check allows them to swim up to ½ their base movement speed in any direction as a Move Action or pert of their total movement for the round. (Example: Neer, the halfling rogue has a base movement of 5 and wants to escape pursuit by diving into a nearby canal. If she has to move 4 squares to reach the canal, a DC 10 Athletics check will allow her to only swim 1 square into the canal on her turn).

A creature that does not have a swim speed who succeeds on a DC 10 climb check may swim with a speed of ½ their base speed. For every 5 points above 10 that a character gets on their Athletics Check, they gain 1 square of Swimming Movement for that action.

Failing a swim check by 5 or more means the character begins drowning until they succeed on a swim check.

Dangerous conditions in the water such as a swift current may increase the DC to swim by 10 or more.

Only characters Trained in Athletics or with a Swim speed can succeed on attempts with a DC 20 or higher. Any result of 20 or higher by an untrained character is reduced to 20.

Feat of Strength

Any character Trained with Athletics can use the Feat of Strength ability:

Burst Bonds

Any character Trained with Athletics can use the Burst Bonds ability:

Doorbuster

Any character Trained with Athletics can use the Doorbuster ability: