Can only high-level Rogues use Tower Shields?

[RangerWickett]

What's the Balance check DC to walk in a straight line, on flat ground? DC 0? So you can normally take 10 and not trip? Or heck, is it DC -5, so even if you're rushed, you won't trip on flat ground?

Okay then. A Tower Shield has a -10 Armor Check penalty. Full Plate has a -7 penalty, I believe. Even if you have masterwork versions of each, you still get at least a -15 penalty to Balance, which means that, Taking 10, a person with a 10 Dex fails to walk in a straight line.

What classes get Balance as a class skill? Rogues, bards, monks?

 

[The Souljourner]

You don't have to make balance checks to walk across flat ground. There's a point at which the DM just says "Everyone automatically passes". Or for that matter, just ignores the fact that anyone might suggest requiring a balance check to walk across flat ground.

Of course, the minute the ground is at all uneven, and the DM decides there's a small chance of tripping, that tower shield and full plate guy is going *down*.

-The Souljourner

 

[frankthedm]

You don't have to make balance checks to walk across flat ground. There's a point at which the DM just says "Everyone automatically passes". Or for that matter, just ignores the fact that anyone might suggest requiring a balance check to walk across flat ground.

Of course, the minute the ground is at all uneven, and the DM decides there's a small chance of tripping, that tower shield and full plate guy is going *down*.

-The Souljourner

for example when they walk on narrow surfaces known as stairs. depending on how one reads balance.


BALANCE (DEX; ARMOR CHECK PENALTY)
Check: You can walk on a precarious surface. A successful check lets you move at half your speed along the surface for 1 round. A failure by 4 or less means you can’t move for 1 round. A failure by 5 or more means you fall. The difficulty varies with the surface, as follows:

Narrow Surface Balance DC[1]**** Difficult Surface Balance DC[1]
7–12 inches wide 10 **** Uneven flagstone 10[]2]
2–6 inches wide 15 **** Hewn stone floor 10[2]
Less than 2 inches wide 20 *** Sloped or angled floor 10[2]
1 Add modifiers from Narrow Surface Modifiers, below, as appropriate.
2 Only if running or charging. Failure by 4 or less means the character can’t run or charge, but may otherwise act normally.

Narrow Surface Modifiers
Surface DC Modifier[1]
Lightly obstructed +2
Severely obstructed +5
Lightly slippery +2
Severely slippery +5
Sloped or angled +2
[1] Add the appropriate modifier to the Balance DC of a narrow surface.
These modifiers stack.

Being Attacked while Balancing: You are considered flat-footed while balancing, since you can’t move to avoid a blow, and thus you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). If you have 5 or more ranks in Balance, you aren’t considered flat-footed while balancing. If you take damage while balancing, you must make another Balance check against the same DC to remain standing.
Accelerated Movement: You can try to walk across a precarious surface more quickly than normal. If you accept a –5 penalty, you can move your full speed as a move action. (Moving twice your speed in a round requires two Balance checks, one for each move action used.) You may also accept this penalty in order to charge across a precarious surface; charging requires one Balance check for each multiple of your speed (or fraction thereof ) that you charge.
Action: None. A Balance check doesn’t require an action; it is made as part of another action or as a reaction to a situation.
Special: If you have the Agile feat, you get a +2 bonus on Balance checks.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Tumble, you get a +2 bonus on Balance checks.

 

[Darklone]

Well, I do know many people who have problems in fullplate (probably not strong enough though these thingies are pretty comfy). Add a REAL towershield, not those rather big shields usually depicted in fantasy... and I can see them falling down some stairs. In fact, I saw it.

There has to be a reason why normal people don't use these thingies without practising a lot with them (e.g. Fighter levels).

 

[Nik_the_Pig]

This brings up a related question I am likely to encounter next session; my players will be fighting a BBEG in an area with normal flooring. The BBEG has a pet that leaves a trail of slime and I was going to impose a Balance check if the PC's attempt to do anything physical while standing in the slime trail (think soapy water on a kitchen floor and then attempt to dance). Now the floor is normally fine but add the slime and you have a +5 mod to the balance check but +5 to what base DC? A normal floor doesn't have a DC .

Even then this shouldn't be that hard on them but I also intend to have the BBEG use the gust of wind spell BUT strong winds only list penalties to ranged attacks and the DC's of Fort saves to stay standing, not additional penalties that may be encountered for trying to do something that already requires a Balance check while being affected by said winds.

Sorry for the partial hijack but I thought it was so closely related I may as well ask.

 

[drnuncheon]

Now the floor is normally fine but add the slime and you have a +5 mod to the balance check but +5 to what base DC? A normal floor doesn't have a DC .

Consider defining the slime trail in terms of the grease spell.

J

 

[Darklone]

Oh yeah. Grease. Love it.