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Born with no arms?
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<blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 1724147" data-attributes="member: 13966"><p>Feet and toes are not the same as hands and fingers (let alone opposable thumbs). They are not as well-coordinated or touch-sensitive. There are many things you could not use if you had no arms/hands/fingers/opposable thumbs to use them with. As already mentioned, the character would not be allowed to make most Strength- or Dexterity-based checks because they generally require the use of hands or arms to some extent.</p><p></p><p>Many acrobatic and athletic maneuvers or activities are impossible without four useable limbs. Definitely some serious penalties to Balance and Tumble checks that way (without arms, you have nothing to help balance yourself, and nothing for making decisive corrections when you lose your balance; try running on slick ice while wearing a straightjacket or something, and I bet you'll fall on your rump or your face every time because you have nothing to help adjust your center of gravity). No Climb or Swim checks possible, nor Disable Device, Pick Pocket/Sleight of Hand, or Disguise checks.</p><p> </p><p>No weapon use or proficiency, because they could never really train well with them; though unarmed strike proficiency would be feasible, and metalshod boots could serve the same function as gauntlets do. Most weapons would be unusable to the character, except for some light weapons (since feet lack opposable thumbs, most weapons would be unusable; though I suppose light crossbows could probably be loaded while sitting down and using the feet, and they might be able to fire the light crossbow too from such a position, but would need both feet to keep the crossbow aimed and steady; without someone's extensive help, they couldn't set up any sort of device or rope-system to do this while standing).</p><p> </p><p>Given the limited usefulness of legs and feet for wielding weapons, the character would probably be considered unarmed even when armed (such that they would suffer attacks of opportunity when striking, and would not be allowed to make attacks of opportunity themselves), though Improved Unarmed Strike may negate that particular weakness (YOU try kicking four people running past you while your arms are stuck in a straightjacket or something, in the space of only a few seconds, without falling on your rump after the first or second kick). Using only your legs, you couldn't just twist your torso to strike a different enemy going past you, you'd have to rely exclusively on the speed at which you can turn your entire body towards them.</p><p> </p><p>They would always have to go prone in order to even receive any chance to make a grapple check (otherwise they'd automatically lose the grapple checks), and in any case they'd definately suffer a grapple check penalty of some sort due to the limited movement range and coordination of legs and feet (I imagine most wrestling maneuvers would be impossible without arms and hands). They would almost certainly fall prone any time they attempted to trip someone (though they may still succeed at the trip attempt, they just wouldn't have any arms to help their balance or to oppose any attempt by the enemy to pull or push them down with them). They would suffer a big penalty like -8 or more on rolls to oppose a trip. They'd likewise suffer a big penalty on opposing bull rushes, and likewise a moderate or big penalty on attempting to bull rush an enemy. Many actions that other characters could do without suffering an attack of opportunity would probably provoke one if this character had to try the action with only their feet (could YOU hold off an enemy with your mace if you needed to use that same foot to pick up your healing potion and guzzle it?). They'd need to sit down to do many things, like to uncork a potion and drink it (would need two limbs to do that, one to hold the container still and another to turn or pull open the top).</p><p> </p><p>Spells with somatic, focus, or material components couldn't be cast, because focus and material components generally need to be held, and somatic components need the fine motor coordination and movements that a hand with several long, multi-jointed fingers and an opposable thumb is capable of but a foot with several short, slightly-jointed stubby toes of extremely limited movement-range are incapable of. A few spells with focus or material components could be used, but like someone said, the character would have to hop around on one foot while doing so, making movement greatly reduced while using a touch spell (probably reducing speed to one-quarter or so, since they lack arms to help keep their balance while hopping about). Somatic components require the gestures that fingers and an opposable thumb could make, so toes wouldn't likely do. Could make a perfectly fine Savant Psion or Shaper Psion, though. Or a Telepath Psion using Charm Monster to control a horde of monkeys to do your bidding and throw poo at those who mock your armlessness! That'll show 'em.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Arkhandus, post: 1724147, member: 13966"] Feet and toes are not the same as hands and fingers (let alone opposable thumbs). They are not as well-coordinated or touch-sensitive. There are many things you could not use if you had no arms/hands/fingers/opposable thumbs to use them with. As already mentioned, the character would not be allowed to make most Strength- or Dexterity-based checks because they generally require the use of hands or arms to some extent. Many acrobatic and athletic maneuvers or activities are impossible without four useable limbs. Definitely some serious penalties to Balance and Tumble checks that way (without arms, you have nothing to help balance yourself, and nothing for making decisive corrections when you lose your balance; try running on slick ice while wearing a straightjacket or something, and I bet you'll fall on your rump or your face every time because you have nothing to help adjust your center of gravity). No Climb or Swim checks possible, nor Disable Device, Pick Pocket/Sleight of Hand, or Disguise checks. No weapon use or proficiency, because they could never really train well with them; though unarmed strike proficiency would be feasible, and metalshod boots could serve the same function as gauntlets do. Most weapons would be unusable to the character, except for some light weapons (since feet lack opposable thumbs, most weapons would be unusable; though I suppose light crossbows could probably be loaded while sitting down and using the feet, and they might be able to fire the light crossbow too from such a position, but would need both feet to keep the crossbow aimed and steady; without someone's extensive help, they couldn't set up any sort of device or rope-system to do this while standing). Given the limited usefulness of legs and feet for wielding weapons, the character would probably be considered unarmed even when armed (such that they would suffer attacks of opportunity when striking, and would not be allowed to make attacks of opportunity themselves), though Improved Unarmed Strike may negate that particular weakness (YOU try kicking four people running past you while your arms are stuck in a straightjacket or something, in the space of only a few seconds, without falling on your rump after the first or second kick). Using only your legs, you couldn't just twist your torso to strike a different enemy going past you, you'd have to rely exclusively on the speed at which you can turn your entire body towards them. They would always have to go prone in order to even receive any chance to make a grapple check (otherwise they'd automatically lose the grapple checks), and in any case they'd definately suffer a grapple check penalty of some sort due to the limited movement range and coordination of legs and feet (I imagine most wrestling maneuvers would be impossible without arms and hands). They would almost certainly fall prone any time they attempted to trip someone (though they may still succeed at the trip attempt, they just wouldn't have any arms to help their balance or to oppose any attempt by the enemy to pull or push them down with them). They would suffer a big penalty like -8 or more on rolls to oppose a trip. They'd likewise suffer a big penalty on opposing bull rushes, and likewise a moderate or big penalty on attempting to bull rush an enemy. Many actions that other characters could do without suffering an attack of opportunity would probably provoke one if this character had to try the action with only their feet (could YOU hold off an enemy with your mace if you needed to use that same foot to pick up your healing potion and guzzle it?). They'd need to sit down to do many things, like to uncork a potion and drink it (would need two limbs to do that, one to hold the container still and another to turn or pull open the top). Spells with somatic, focus, or material components couldn't be cast, because focus and material components generally need to be held, and somatic components need the fine motor coordination and movements that a hand with several long, multi-jointed fingers and an opposable thumb is capable of but a foot with several short, slightly-jointed stubby toes of extremely limited movement-range are incapable of. A few spells with focus or material components could be used, but like someone said, the character would have to hop around on one foot while doing so, making movement greatly reduced while using a touch spell (probably reducing speed to one-quarter or so, since they lack arms to help keep their balance while hopping about). Somatic components require the gestures that fingers and an opposable thumb could make, so toes wouldn't likely do. Could make a perfectly fine Savant Psion or Shaper Psion, though. Or a Telepath Psion using Charm Monster to control a horde of monkeys to do your bidding and throw poo at those who mock your armlessness! That'll show 'em. [/QUOTE]
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