Falling Silently

[Sithobi1]

A situation cropped up last night in a game. My Shadowdancer teleported 15' above a sand dune and fell(knowing he would fall). He then tumbled reactively, lessening the damage.
My question is, could the shadowdancer make a Move Silently check to fall silently? There's an enemy on the bottom of the dune who the Shadowdancer knows is there, and who would like to make a Listen check to hear my Shadowdancer(reactively).

 

[Dei]

I don't see why not? The move silently skill is all about being light on your feet and there's nothing about the scenario you described which indicates being unable to make a check. Though the check would probably better be described as landing silently as you don't tend to make much noise when falling anyway. If he knows the enemy is there he's naturally going to make every effort to land as lightly and noiselessly as possible so I would happily have allowed opposed rolls in this situation.

However you would probably have had quite a hefty penalty considering you were tumbling (probably -10, normally -20 but because you knew you would need to land softly before you began the fall I would factor in that the move silent was actively planned rather than reactively attempted). Then again you were also landing on an extremely soft surface so I would probably have increased the listen DC by at least 15 or so because of that. Overall then I definately allow opposed rolls and even give a -5 to the listener's check.

 

[Dross]

I don't see why not? The move silently skill is all about being light on your feet and there's nothing about the scenario you described which indicates being unable to make a check. Though the check would probably better be described as landing silently as you don't tend to make much noise when falling anyway. If he knows the enemy is there he's naturally going to make every effort to land as lightly and noiselessly as possible so I would happily have allowed opposed rolls in this situation.

However you would probably have had quite a hefty penalty considering you were tumbling (probably -10, normally -20 but because you knew you would need to land softly before you began the fall I would factor in that the move silent was actively planned rather than reactively attempted). Then again you were also landing on an extremely soft surface so I would probably have increased the listen DC by at least 15 or so because of that. Overall then I definately allow opposed rolls and even give a -5 to the listener's check.

I agree with the basics here, just not everything.
- I wouldn't allow a reactive move silently check (though I'd ask if the SD was going to move silently before teleporting).
- I wouldn't half the penalty just because you knew you had to be silent.
- Just remember how many actions the Shadowdancer did before being teleported (it may not matter with teleport, but would with Dimension Door).
- Does your DM consider the distance of the fall as part of movement (some DMs might)? Which means that the SD is likely moving more than half speed.
- Noise wise a sand dune might be like deep snow, very noisey or maybe just noisey. And not all sand dunes are soft either.

Don't forget the distance from the landing point to the guard changes the DC.

 

[Sithobi1]

The shadowdancer in question had no actions left after teleporting(had already done a swift and move before teleporting as a standard action)

 

[Nefrast]

The shadowdancer in question had no actions left after teleporting(had already done a swift and move before teleporting as a standard action)

Well, Move silently is not any action in it self, it is "included in your movement or other activity". I think falling can be counted as "movement or other activity".

Although the dancer had no action left I too would have allowed it and give the check the same penalty as with move silently while running or charging, maybe modified depending on the qualities of the given sand dune and situation.

 

[Brimshack]

What if,

1) You have to choose between Move Silently and a roll to land safely.

2) It does count as movement, if you fall further than half your move action, then it's unfeasible.

3) Perhas, you add a -2 circumstance penalty per 10' fallen (i.e. per dice of damage).

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I would allow it, but at the same penalty as for Moving Silently while running/charging. I might also apply a slight penalty (maybe another -2) for the Tumbling. I'd also apply the -2 to the Tumble check to do so while trying to remain quiet.

Later
silver

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I would go a slightly different way.... ruling that you can either fall and protect yourself from damage {usually by landing as flat/loud as possible} or fall and try to be quiet.

Mechanically this would end up being a Tumble check DC 15. Success allows a Move Silently check to soften the sound of the fall.


Not sure what you would do about the *BAMF* sound tho