Amusing Jump Detail

[moritheil]

Apparently Jump states that you must run in a straight line, but it does not state that you must do so in the same direction that you are jumping. Thus, by a strict literal reading of it, you can run in a straight line for the required distance without having to run in the direction you wish to jump.

Naturally, this is illogical, but strictly speaking, it seems to be legal.

Am I right in skimming the text and concluding this, or is this actually covered explicitly in the text for jumping somewhere?

 

[Caeleddin]

Ever seen a high jumper do his run-up?

 

[Plane Sailing]

It also doesn't say that you have to put one foot in front of another, nor does it say that you have to run forwards.

So you point was?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Ever seen a high jumper do his run-up?

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

[moritheil]

. . . nor does it say that you have to run forwards.

So you point was?

That was my point exactly. Since people in this forum often interpret the rules to mean that any restriction not expressly stated in skills or abilities must be a house-rule added by the DM, 99% of DMs out there are running a house rule and they don't know it. I find that funny, even if it is simply the result of an obvious lapse in being specific when they wrote the Jump text.

This was just another "hey, look what funny things result from a strict reading of the rules" post.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It's stated in the description of the Run full-round action. Since jumping is a part of the running, it all must still be in a straight line.

On the other hand, I agree that I'm not happy about the straight-line restriction in Run. Yeah, 100m Olympic sprinters are in a straight line, but 200m sprinters and above are not. I don't think anyone could say that a 200m sprinter or even a 400m sprinter is not running. Do they all have a special "Curved Run" feat? Possibly, but I doubt it. I think minor adjustments are possible, even if considered a house rule.

 

[moritheil]

It's stated in the description of the Run full-round action. Since jumping is a part of the running, it all must still be in a straight line.

On the other hand, I agree that I'm not happy about the straight-line restriction in Run. Yeah, 100m Olympic sprinters are in a straight line, but 200m sprinters and above are not. I don't think anyone could say that a 200m sprinter or even a 400m sprinter is not running. Do they all have a special "Curved Run" feat? Possibly, but I doubt it. I think minor adjustments are possible, even if considered a house rule.

It's not really the "straight line" that I find funny so much as saying, "hey, I can run 20' in the south direction, and then get a bonus to jumping north."

 

[Infiniti2000]

The jump is part of the run, so both must be in a straight line. Turning 180 degrees is not a straight line. It may be one-dimensional, but it's still a turn.

 

[moritheil]

The jump is part of the run, so both must be in a straight line. Turning 180 degrees is not a straight line. It may be one-dimensional, but it's still a turn.

Hmmm . . .

All Jump DCs given here assume that you get a running start, which requires that you move at least 20 feet in a straight line before attempting the jump.

That seems to indicate that the jump is not part of the straight line of movement, since the latter occurs "before attempting the jump."

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

It's stated in the description of the Run full-round action. Since jumping is a part of the running, it all must still be in a straight line.

Not exactly true.

Run is a full-round action which allows you to move up to (3x/4x/5x) your speed in a single round, and all of this movement must be in a straight line.

Jump, however, has no such limitation.

All Jump DCs given here assume that you get a running start, which requires that you move at least 20 feet in a straight line before attempting the jump. If you do not get a running start, the DC for the jump is doubled.

...

Action: None. A Jump check is included in your movement, so it is part of a move action. If you run out of movement mid-jump, your next action (either on this turn or, if necessary, on your next turn) must be a move action to complete the jump.