Attacking while climbing ?

[Infiniti2000]

Climbing also doesn't require anything like a free hand, only the ability to move.

You don't even need legs. Heck, you don't need arms or legs to swim or run, either, because the rules don't explicitly require it! Let's consider a PC Fighter with a superb Athletics check, call him Bob, without any arms or legs. He swims in the ocean just fine!

 

[OnlineDM]

He climbs with his chin, popping from ledge to ledge. Go Bob!

 

[Balesir]

It's even more extreme - every single character swims, climbs, walks, tunnels and flies without legs, arms or wings!

They are all imaginary constructs, you see, so they actually have none of these things...

 

[Unwise]

All of my players know that as soon as a fight starts when they are climbing, they are deeply into "rule of cool" territory. They can be darn sure that they will be making rolls or fall and that they will be given all sorts of ridiculous ways to stop other people falling.

Our last fight that involved climbing also involved people grappling then riding harpies through the use of athletics/acrobatics/intimidate. People were pushing off the cliff diving down with a rope to save falling companions and the Eladrin even jumped off to grapple somebody that was being carried away by a harpy then used "Fey Wayfarer" to teleport them both safely to a cliff edge. To top it off, the Artificer who uses a superior crossbow spent a turn rigging up his super-light wire to a barbed bolt. He then shot a friendly NPC through the leg as the harpy was carrying him away, then reeled him in like a fish.

So yeah, rules are a mere suggestion when there is opportunity to swash and buckle. To the posters above saying to use common sense, I say pheeewy Common sense is over rated.

 

[S'mon]

All of my players know that as soon as a fight starts when they are climbing, they are deeply into "rule of cool" territory. They can be darn sure that they will be making rolls or fall and that they will be given all sorts of ridiculous ways to stop other people falling.

Our last fight that involved climbing also involved people grappling then riding harpies through the use of athletics/acrobatics/intimidate. People were pushing off the cliff diving down with a rope to save falling companions and the Eladrin even jumped off to grapple somebody that was being carried away by a harpy then used "Fey Wayfarer" to teleport them both safely to a cliff edge. To top it off, the Artificer who uses a superior crossbow spent a turn rigging up his super-light wire to a barbed bolt. He then shot a friendly NPC through the leg as the harpy was carrying him away, then reeled him in like a fish.

So yeah, rules are a mere suggestion when there is opportunity to swash and buckle. To the posters above saying to use common sense, I say pheeewy Common sense is over rated.

I didn't mean "rigorous imposition of real-world reality" - cinematic reality is fine. Eg I'd let a PC attack while clinging to a vertical cliff face, but they'd need to explain what they were doing, there might be a penalty and/or a climb check involved.

 

[OnlineDM]

I didn't mean "rigorous imposition of real-world reality" - cinematic reality is fine. Eg I'd let a PC attack while clinging to a vertical cliff face, but they'd need to explain what they were doing, there might be a penalty and/or a climb check involved.

I like the philosophy of rewarding or at least not penalizing players who try something cool-sounding. Realistically, would it be hard to leap from the cliff wall on one side of the canyon to the wall on the other side, 15 feet away, while backflipping and stabbing at a harpy as the PC flies by? Yes. Perhaps darn near impossible.

But if one of my players tries it, I'm standing up and cheering and giving them a bonus to hit for sheer awesomeness. Athletics check? What athletics check? Boom, you're across the canyon and the harpy might be dead.

Of course, I wouldn't count this as "setting a precedent" and if the next player says, "Um yeah, I do that too," then I'm requiring some skill checks. I reward creativity and coolness, not just doing what the last person did. It's not to say that it can't work a second time, but you don't get the awesomeness aura of protection the second time.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Of course, I wouldn't count this as "setting a precedent" and if the next player says, "Um yeah, I do that too," then I'm requiring some skill checks.

Well, that's just inconsistent and sucky. A lot of groups have one player who is really creative. So, in your view only that one player should ever be rewarded? I just hope you don't give out extra XP for this because he should be level 20 when everyone else is level 12.

 

[OnlineDM]

Well, that's just inconsistent and sucky. A lot of groups have one player who is really creative. So, in your view only that one player should ever be rewarded? I just hope you don't give out extra XP for this because he should be level 20 when everyone else is level 12.

I don't track XP any more; the whole party levels up when it's time to level up. So no worries there.

And I respect that you disagree with my philosophy, but I have absolutely no problem with players who constantly think of cool and creative things getting to DO those cool and creative things while players who don't think of cool and creative things use solely what's on their character sheet. I encourage creativity and awesomeness by rewarding that, and I have no qualms at all about doing so.

Keep in mind that the next player is welcome to try their own creative and cool thing. But if they can't come up with anything, then they're using whatever is on their character sheet - and that's okay.

 

[S'mon]

I go more by 'PCs are cool within their area of expertise' - the Guardian Fighter can hold off giant crocs by shield-bashing them on the nose, the Brawler Fighter can (with luck) ram gourds of alchemist's fire down the croc's throat and make it go *boom*. If the Athletic or Acrobatics trained PC wants to jump off the wall and engage a harpy on the way down, I'll be generous with the DCs & bonuses. Not every PC can do that, though. Do look at your character sheet - if you're a wizard with STR 8, DEX 10, no athletics or acrobatics, think of something else cool to do.

 

[OnlineDM]

I go more by 'PCs are cool within their area of expertise' - the Guardian Fighter can hold off giant crocs by shield-bashing them on the nose, the Brawler Fighter can (with luck) ram gourds of alchemist's fire down the croc's throat and make it go *boom*. If the Athletic or Acrobatics trained PC wants to jump off the wall and engage a harpy on the way down, I'll be generous with the DCs & bonuses. Not every PC can do that, though. Do look at your character sheet - if you're a wizard with STR 8, DEX 10, no athletics or acrobatics, think of something else cool to do.

Sure, I think that's fair. If it's not the kind of thing the PC would have a realistic chance to do, I'd probably demand a check (though perhaps with a bonus for chutzpah - I like chutzpah in my PCs).