D&D 5E Jumping

[KarinsDad]

Apologies, was away from my DM Screen and the ole memory ain't what it used to be. The modifier is 15% (not 20%), per 5pts of the Athletics check.

So, if you get a 31 on your check [20 roll + 5 Str mod + 6 prof bonus], divided by 5 is six increments of 15%; total of [.9 * your 20 Str score] for 18ft added to your baseline of 20ft. Grand total of 38ft. Still smashing records, but that's a 20th level PC rolling perfectly...

As for the gear mention, I use the variant encumbrance rules, and keep track of what the PCs are carrying. If the plate wearing, backpack carrying fighter wants to jump a chasm, I will alter the 5pt/15% modifier on a case by case basis. Throw in the Disadvantage from encumbrance, and things can get real tricky real quick.

Actually, I really like the concept of your house rule, but I would simplify it a bit.

Strength plus Athletic check / 5 (normal round down). First level PC with 8 Strength and no Athletics? 8 feet to 11 feet (20 becomes a 19 with a -1 modifier). First level PC with 16 Strength and Athletics? 17 feet to 21 feet. 17th level PC with 20 Strength and Athletics? 22 feet to 26 feet. Much better than the 8 to 20 feet of the normal rules. And by squeezing the roll like this, it's not a situation of jumping 15 feet one round and jumping 28 feet the next. Except for a 8 or 9 Str PC, there's always a difference of 4 feet between best and worse jump (which makes sense, although we do use the DMG optional rule of 1 something bad can happen, 20 something good can happen for checks and saves).

Btw, in my game, things that PCs have to jump over are not increments of 5 foot like the 4E grid system. A chasm can be 6 feet, 9 feet, 11 feet, whatever depending. So, every +1 can help. Also, my rooms are not always 10x20 rooms. Lots of times they are 8x21 or 17x18 or any other dimensions, often weird blob shaped caverns of whatever size.

 

[Syntallah]

Actually, I really like the concept of your house rule, but I would simplify it a bit.

Strength plus Athletic check / 5 (normal round down). First level PC with 8 Strength and no Athletics? 8 feet to 11 feet (20 becomes a 19 with a -1 modifier). First level PC with 16 Strength and Athletics? 17 feet to 21 feet. 17th level PC with 20 Strength and Athletics? 22 feet to 26 feet. Much better than the 8 to 20 feet of the normal rules. And by squeezing the roll like this, it's not a situation of jumping 15 feet one round and jumping 28 feet the next. Except for a 8 or 9 Str PC, there's always a difference of 4 feet between best and worse jump (which makes sense, although we do use the DMG optional rule of 1 something bad can happen, 20 something good can happen for checks and saves).

Btw, in my game, things that PCs have to jump over are not increments of 5 foot like the 4E grid system. A chasm can be 6 feet, 9 feet, 11 feet, whatever depending. So, every +1 can help. Also, my rooms are not always 10x20 rooms. Lots of times they are 8x21 or 17x18 or any other dimensions, often weird blob shaped caverns of whatever size.

Hey, that's pretty good. I have always felt that stats should mean something outside of a 'bonus in combat', and I really like the more consistent jump range. I will definitely give this a whirl..!

 

[jgsugden]

Too much thinking, not enough action.

There is no roll required to make a jump equal to your strength if you get your running start. If you want to jump a bit farther than that, the DM should set a DC for an athletics check. It should be done on the fly and shouldn't allow the jumping distance to grow dramatically - by no more than 5 feet. However, I'd tell people to subtract their strength modifier from their athletics check - they're already getting the benefit of their strength in the base distance they can leap. It should not be double counted. Only count proficiency and the benefits of advantage.

 

[neobolts]

Too much thinking, not enough action.

There is no roll required to make a jump equal to your strength if you get your running start. If you want to jump a bit farther than that, the DM should set a DC for an athletics check. It should be done on the fly and shouldn't allow the jumping distance to grow dramatically - by no more than 5 feet. However, I'd tell people to subtract their strength modifier from their athletics check - they're already getting the benefit of their strength in the base distance they can leap. It should not be double counted. Only count proficiency and the benefits of advantage.

In terms of setting the DC, I might go with a simple athletics DC of 10+(number of feet beyond PC's passive jump distance). So a PC that covers 15 feet without a roll...needs to roll a 12 to make it 17 feet). I wouldn't cap what they can attempt at +5 ft, just let the rising difficulty speak for itself.

 

[neobolts]

Also, there would never be a 16' gap in my game. My graph paper ain't got time for that.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

However, I'd tell people to subtract their strength modifier from their athletics check - they're already getting the benefit of their strength in the base distance they can leap. It should not be double counted. Only count proficiency and the benefits of advantage.

Excellent catch.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

How does a 15 strength character jump a 16' gap?

or a 20' gap?

I'd say they get a running leap and then catch the edge if their hands are free, they then climb up their (height x1.5) provided they have remaining speed.


Really It's up to the DM, but I recommend not being generous as the jumping rules themselves are quite generous to start with.

do they land prone?

Hanging on the ledge I say.

 

[Roger]

Good use case for Aid Another -- "Toss me! Tell no one!"

 

[Rod Staffwand]

Jumping not too far is automatic. Jumping pretty far requires a check of some kind. Jumping really really far is impossible. I hope this helps.

 

[Tormyr]

So what about setting the DC at the distance to be jumped? for a 20' gap with a 10' run the DC would be 20. The d20 rolls needed for various characters would be:
Str 10 no athletics: needs a 20
Str 10 +2 athletics: needs a 18
Str 8 no athletics: needs a nat 20 or don't allow the roll
Str 16 +2 athletics: needs a 15
Str 18 +3 athletics: needs a 13

For a 15 foot gap DC 15
Str 8 no athletics: needs a 16
Str 12 +6 athletics: needs an 8

for a 25 foot gap DC 25
Str 8 no athletics: nat 20
Str 16 no athletics: nat 20
Str 8 +6 athletics: nat 20
Str 16 +3 athletics needs a 19
Str 20 +6 athletics needs a 14

for a 30 foot gap DC 30
Str 20 +6 athletics: needs a 19

Setting the DC equal to the distance seems to keep the difficulty suitably high while still attainable for those that invest in strength or athletics. It also leaves the 30 foot jump firmly in Olympic world record territory since only the character with the maxed out stats can attain it. If a DM does not want someone without maxed out stats to get 30 feet, just don't allow a roll.

EDIT: A DM could also throw an equal Dexterity (Acrobatics) check on the other end of any successful jump. So the character successfully making the 30 foot jump needs a DC30 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to land on their feet on the other side.