Christopher Lambert
First Post
Some GMs don't like to wing it. Some aren't good at it (like me), some are uncomfortable with it, some are hard-core rules lawyers and consult the rulebooks, etc.
Let's give an example. Your players are onboard a floating magical castle, fighting an evil potentate. Said potentate grabs a magical pendant and activates it, tilting the castle wildly to the side. It doesn't affect him, but it affects the players.
IMO coming up with a save DC to avoid being tossed overboard is easy. However, what if a player, dangling off the side (now bottom) of the castle wants to jump through a window and slowly come around the potentate (in order to surprise him)? What if he wants to jump on the potentate's pet dragon (who was flying around, hoping to grab a morsel)? That's a moving target that gets AoOs and grapple checks!
Now you probably need a Jump DC. How do you figure it out? The rules don't really cover this situation.
Do you base it on the player's Jump score? Do you pick a high and heroic number (eg DC 30)? Do you base it on average Jump skill values for all the players? What if they vary quite a bit (you've got an agile rogue and a clunky dwarven cleric)? Do you even know how good these skills are?
Let's give an example. Your players are onboard a floating magical castle, fighting an evil potentate. Said potentate grabs a magical pendant and activates it, tilting the castle wildly to the side. It doesn't affect him, but it affects the players.
IMO coming up with a save DC to avoid being tossed overboard is easy. However, what if a player, dangling off the side (now bottom) of the castle wants to jump through a window and slowly come around the potentate (in order to surprise him)? What if he wants to jump on the potentate's pet dragon (who was flying around, hoping to grab a morsel)? That's a moving target that gets AoOs and grapple checks!
Now you probably need a Jump DC. How do you figure it out? The rules don't really cover this situation.
Do you base it on the player's Jump score? Do you pick a high and heroic number (eg DC 30)? Do you base it on average Jump skill values for all the players? What if they vary quite a bit (you've got an agile rogue and a clunky dwarven cleric)? Do you even know how good these skills are?
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