Armor, Encumbrance and their effects

[Verequus]

I haven't found a definitive answer in the SRD for the following questions:

Do medium and heavy armor slow down other forms of movements like burrowing and flying?

Can flying creatures still fly with medium and heavy encumbrance? Count medium and heavy armor as medium resp. heavy encumbrance?

Which skills will receive the non-proficiency penalty? Craft, Disable Device, Forgery, Heal, Open Lock, Perform, Ride, Survival, Use Rope? This list doesn't include skills, which receive always the armor check penalty.

 

[Prince Atom]

Medium and heavy armor slow down flying, for sure. I'm not sure about other types of speeds, but I'd be conservative and say, yes.

Flying creatures (with a very few exceptions) can't fly with Heavy encumbrance. Armor does not count as encumbrance in itself; add its weight in. It slows one down, but doesn't prevent one from flying.

There is no non-proficiency penalty for skills. Either a skill can be used untrained (i.e., no skill points in it) or it can only be used trained. You can't use a trained-only skill without putting at least 1 skill point into it.

Hope this helps!

TWK

 

[werk]

Load/Speed table
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm#tableCarryingLoads

A creature with a fly speed can move through the air at the indicated speed if carrying no more than a light load. (Note that medium armor does not necessarily constitute a medium load.)
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/naturalSpecialAbilities.htm
Under Movement Modes

edit: err...MOST skills can be used untrained. Some skills say:
Trained Only
If this notation is included in the skill name line, you must have at least 1 rank in the skill to use it. If it is omitted, the skill can be used untrained (with a rank of 0). If any special notes apply to trained or untrained use, they are covered in the Untrained section (see below).
like:
Use Magic Device (Cha; Trained Only)
or
Sleight Of Hand (Dex; Trained Only; Armor Check Penalty)

 

[Verequus]

Medium and heavy armor slow down flying, for sure. I'm not sure about other types of speeds, but I'd be conservative and say, yes.

I would follow this ruling myself, but I like to see it supported in the rules.

Flying creatures (with a very few exceptions) can't fly with Heavy encumbrance. Armor does not count as encumbrance in itself; add its weight in. It slows one down, but doesn't prevent one from flying.

Looking into the MM2, I've discovered, that medium and heavy encumbrance do both prevent flying. So I've remembered this rule correctly.

There is no non-proficiency penalty for skills. Either a skill can be used untrained (i.e., no skill points in it) or it can only be used trained. You can't use a trained-only skill without putting at least 1 skill point into it.

You misunderstood my question here. If you don't have the correct Armor Proficiency feat, while you wear armor, then the Armor Check Penalty applies to the attack roll and skills with movement - only Ride is explicitly mentioned.

 

[Verequus]

Load/Speed table
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm#tableCarryingLoads

A creature with a fly speed can move through the air at the indicated speed if carrying no more than a light load. (Note that medium armor does not necessarily constitute a medium load.)
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/naturalSpecialAbilities.htm
Under Movement Modes

Anyone can use any skill without penalty, they just are unable to train in it. Lack of ranks is penalty enough in most situations.

Thanks for the links! The last question I've explained more above.

 

[werk]

Thanks for the links! The last question I've explained more above.

I've corrected my original post too.

Look under armor check penalty for your last answer.

Nonproficient with Armor Worn
A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he or she is not proficient takes the armor’s (and/or shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all Strength-based and Dexterity-based ability and skill checks. The penalty for nonproficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for nonproficiency with shields.

 

[Verequus]

Look under armor check penalty for your last answer.

Nonproficient with Armor Worn
A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he or she is not proficient takes the armor’s (and/or shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all Strength-based and Dexterity-based ability and skill checks. The penalty for nonproficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for nonproficiency with shields.

Thanks! Exactly the thing, I needed. But what it your take on question number 1? All movement modes?

 

[werk]

Movement modes are: Walk, Fly, Burrow, Swim, and Climb.

Walk is standard, and we've covered fly.

A successful Swim check allows you to swim one-quarter of your speed as a move action or one-half of your speed as a full-round action. Swim checks are subject to double the normal armor check penalty and encumbrance penalty.
(So swim is based on your walk speed with penalties to the check)

Burrow is a little weird. I can't really find anything because all I can find are burrowing monsters, not anything that would have equipment/armor. Second to that, the burrow speeds are really slow. I'd follow the speed/load table, and just reduce by 5 for less that 15.

Climb is 1/4 your normal speed, see walk.

 

[Verequus]

Movement modes are: Walk, Fly, Burrow, Swim, and Climb.

Walk is standard, and we've covered fly.

A successful Swim check allows you to swim one-quarter of your speed as a move action or one-half of your speed as a full-round action. Swim checks are subject to double the normal armor check penalty and encumbrance penalty.
(So swim is based on your walk speed with penalties to the check)

Burrow is a little weird. I can't really find anything because all I can find are burrowing monsters, not anything that would have equipment/armor. Second to that, the burrow speeds are really slow. I'd follow the speed/load table, and just reduce by 5 for less that 15.

Climb is 1/4 your normal speed, see walk.

Sorry for the delay! I am still confused about two things - how are separate Swim and Climb speed listings affected by the armor? A merfolk, for example, has 5 ft. land speed and swim 50 ft. - shouldn't the rules in the Swim and Climb skills only affect creatures without separate entries?

 

[werk]

Sorry for the delay! I am still confused about two things - how are separate Swim and Climb speed listings affected by the armor? A merfolk, for example, has 5 ft. land speed and swim 50 ft. - shouldn't the rules in the Swim and Climb skills only affect creatures without separate entries?

If you have a swim speed, use it. Land based creatures don't generally have a swim speed, so it's calculated using land speed.

Swim
A creature with a swim speed can move through water at its swim speed without making Swim checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. The creature can always can choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. The creature can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line

I don't know of anything with a climb speed, it's based on land. I guess I don't see the problem.