Boots of Spider Climbing

[Connorsrpg]

OK, so I started this in the errata forum on Wizards, but might get more and faster responses here. So here goes.

Boots of Spider Climbing

Could someone please explain them to me. Our group was a little stumped.

1st: Their description says they make you 'better' at climbing. Guess what? No bonus to climbing at all. All they do is make you faster.

2nd: They let you climb at your normal speed. But their daily lets you climb at normal speed for a move action. Isn;t this inherent in the first part. I mean climb is a move action right?

Overall, quite disappointed in these, given a player's character sought them out and then we read them???

Maybe I am not seeing something. What DOES help you climb if boots of spider climbing don't??? They hardly live up to their name. Nothing about vertical or horizontal surfaces. Someone wearing them is no better at climbing than anyone else - seems odd. (Yes, I know faster, but???)

C

 

[Tale]

They don't simply let you climb at your speed, they give you a climb speed. Having a climb speed means you don't need to make athletics checks to climb.

 

[Hypersmurf]

They don't simply let you climb at your speed, they give you a climb speed. Having a climb speed means you don't need to make athletics checks to climb.

Right. The Property lets you climb faster than other people with a successful Athletics check. The Daily Power lets you ignore difficult terrain while climbing, you do not grant combat advantage because of climbing, and you do not make Athletics checks to climb.

-Hyp.

 

[Connorsrpg]

Hmm. Looked at it again.

It seems you get a climb speed only for the daily power. So...
1. The boots don't enable you to climb 'better' unless you use the daily.
2. You move at half your speed, but must make a check when not using daily power.
3. Using the daily still means you move at the same speed, but don't make a check.

I think I have it now, but still - not that clear. Nor do the boots make you much of a better climbed except for one move action per day?

However: Does it grant the 'spider climbing' part of the climb movement mode in MM?

BTW: Ignore difficult terrain whilst climbing? What do you mean? I see no mention of this anywhere under climb speed in MM.

Does this sound right?

 

[Hypersmurf]

2. You move at half your speed, but must make a check when not using daily power.

No, you move at full speed when not using the daily.

BTW: Ignore difficult terrain whilst climbing? What do you mean? I see no mention of this anywhere under climb speed in MM.

Check the Climb Skill in the PHB, p182.

-Hyp.

 

[AndItsAllGone]

It's quite clear, as Hypersmurf said. The boots' description says, "These enchanted boots enhance your ability to climb." When wearing them, you climb twice as fast. In addition, the Daily power allows you to climb without a check at all. That seems pretty enhanced to me, and not bad for a level 5 item.

 

[Connorsrpg]

No, the 'speed' (movement mode) is increased. Only for one move action a day is their actually ability to climb enhanced.

I don't mean to start a bun-fight over this. It was just a little confusing in the game when the player invested in these. It all played out really well in game and having gotten these from a drow it was a good spider-connection. A pair of boots I believed guaranteed his character the ability to climb better...or as the boots say, like a spider? I just felt his dissapointment when we actually found out boots of spiderclimbing don't improve your chances to climb. Admittedly I missed the climb 'speed' thing needing no check. So now I get to tell him they do improve his ability to climb...for one move action a day. So in my mind (and our group's) I don't see that wearing these boots increase his ability to climb. All the others trained and with much greater Strength scores are FAR better. This player just wanted to make himself better in an area he was not already. (Being a wizard, climb is obviously not an option).

 

[AndItsAllGone]

Really? How is effectively doubling the wearer's climbing speed not an enhancement? A person wearing the boots is better at climbing than a person not wearing the boots. Of course they're not going to be a world-beating item--we're talking about level 5 gear here.

 

[Gruns]

What?

No, the 'speed' (movement mode) is increased. Only for one move action a day is their actually ability to climb enhanced.

I don't mean to start a bun-fight over this. It was just a little confusing in the game when the player invested in these. It all played out really well in game and having gotten these from a drow it was a good spider-connection. A pair of boots I believed guaranteed his character the ability to climb better...or as the boots say, like a spider? I just felt his dissapointment when we actually found out boots of spiderclimbing don't improve your chances to climb. Admittedly I missed the climb 'speed' thing needing no check. So now I get to tell him they do improve his ability to climb...for one move action a day. So in my mind (and our group's) I don't see that wearing these boots increase his ability to climb. All the others trained and with much greater Strength scores are FAR better. This player just wanted to make himself better in an area he was not already. (Being a wizard, climb is obviously not an option).

Hmm... I don't see why you think being able to climb twice as fast counts as enhancing one's climbing ability?
Say Joe Wizard wanted to climb 10 squares.
Without the boots, that's 4 Climb checks.
With the boots, it's 2 Climb checks, which can leave you at your desired destination in a single turn.
It appears that by wearing the boots, one's Climbing is enhanced to twice as good as it used to be... Seems pretty simple to me...
Gruns

 

[Connorsrpg]

I get the increased speed. very handy, IF you can pass the DC's. The wizard got this itme to be able to pull off some surprise moves, but given he has a crap Str and no Athletics all the speed in the world can;t help him if he can't climb the surface.

I just feel a little bummed. I should have searched harder BEFORE he asked for these, but it came up in play when negotiating with a drow 'shopkeeper' (Thunderspire Labyrinth). It seemed just the thing...but doesn't really help him get up those vertical surfaces (except for the one move action a day).

Does anyone see how 'enhancing' climging here can be confusing?

And on another note - is there another item that does improve his ABILITY to climb?

Cheers, C