PCs vs the 15' wall, a D&D Edition retrospective

Greenfield · Oct 24, 2016

mflayermonk said:
Thank you, that should be Jump.

Your reach is 8 feet (depending on race) and you need to jump the additional 7 feet to grab the ledge. DC 28 Jump check.

You're definitely a Pathfinder player.

In D&D 3.*, the high jump check DC is 3 x height, so the number would be a 21. Pathfinder is 4 x height.

<EDIT> I stand corrected. The SRD says that you're right, it's x4, not x3. Sorry </EDIT>

So, Jump to grab an edge, DC 21, then an unassisted Climb check to pull yourself up, DC 15. Oh, and one or more Kobolds attacking you while you're hanging on the wall. You get no Dex bonus while climbing, so that's going to be a rough two rounds. (Run and Jump in round 1,Climb in round 2 ). And that DC 21 jump check in the first round is hardly certain for anyone.

dagger · Oct 24, 2016

So it looks like 1e and 2e have multiple ways to handle the situation just on skills, rules, and nwp's alone. Not much different than 5e

Greenfield · Oct 24, 2016

I'm trying to envision the build required for a Dwarf (Medium creature, average 4 feet tall) to be able to reach 8 feet without jumping.

I'm a hair under 6 feet tall and I can't reach 8 feet without jumping.

So let's pretend that it says "Medium creature can reach 8 feet without a Jump check."

Still presumes that Dwarves can top 3 feet straight vertical without a check, but at least their elbows aren't dragging on the ground.

JRRNeiklot · Oct 25, 2016

Rock to mud.

Greenfield · Oct 25, 2016

JRRNeiklot said:
Rock to mud.

Which does pretty much nothing to a wall? (Doesn't affect worked stone).

But it can make the PC's approach to that wall insanely difficult

Tony Vargas · Oct 25, 2016

mflayermonk said:
Your stalwart group of PCs approach a 15' tall wall with kobolds guarding the top. Here is how the encounter is solved in each edition...

1e: Your group halts.

It's a trick! (All walls are either 10' standard dungeon walls or 20' curtain walls! Clearly the DM is pulling something....)

roll charisma checks to convince your retainers to

No CHA checks. Your Henchmen or Hirelings have a loyalty score, that the DM might roll, and it is partially based on your CHA, but it's not a "CHA check."

You attack from the side, however, your first assault is repelled by the kobold's polearm weapons.

There's no AoOs in 1e, nor any pole arm attacks that stop movement, so unless they're Koa-Toa with mancatchers (entirely likely, it /is/ a trick, afterall), you're going to waltz right past 'em. Unless you mean you can't climb the wall (because only Thieves can Climb Walls), in which case, what's a Kobold doing with a 15' pole arm?

The wizard is killed by the falling damage from a 10' fall.

See? Toldjya there wasn't no such thing as a 15' wall...

JRRNeiklot · Oct 25, 2016

Who said it was worked stone?

Greenfield said:
Which does pretty much nothing to a wall? (Doesn't affect worked stone).

But it can make the PC's approach to that wall insanely difficult