D&D 5E Climbing and fighting on a mountain side

[Stormonu]

Slipping and doing something like the Death saving rolls might work as well. First fail indicates a minor slippage, character need to take an action (and make another save) to recover their footing. Second failure, character is now hanging by their fingers, need an action (and another save) to get back (prone) on a safe surface. Third failure, now the character is falling. Like death saving rolls, others can try and help, rolling Athletics checks to hoist the character back onto a safe ledge.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Wear armor or take it off sounds like a meaningful choice to me!

Other choices to possibly make are:
- Go fast and reckless (if there is a narrative reason why time is of the essence) or slow and careful?
- Choose the route that's easier, but longer or has more rockfall, or the more direct route that is harder?
- Send a light climber first, who you might be able to catch if they fall, or the strongest one first, who will best be able to help the others?
- Tie in all together, or on separate ropes?

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Other choices to possibly make are:
- Go fast and reckless (if there is a narrative reason why time is of the essence) or slow and careful?
- Choose the route that's easier, but longer or has more rockfall, or the more direct route that is harder?
- Send a light climber first, who you might be able to catch if they fall, or the strongest one first, who will best be able to help the others?
- Tie in all together, or on separate ropes?

Good points. While the NPC guides might suggest they tie up in two groups of 3, it should ultimately be up to the players how they want to attack the climb.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I dig the idea of giving them some choices some of which carry more risk and reward than others - one of the problems that can happen with challenges like this is that there's only one way to go, up. Giving variety and options only makes for a richer adventure.

I would never do that on a single roll, but you can make it a series of rolls, with ever increasing consequences. It works especially well if there are options, and the player(s) can weigh risk:reward of various approaches.

"Hey Schmandalf, could you cast that Feather Fall spell quick? We kinda have a situation back here!"

"You manage to hold on, saving your partner from certain death, but their weight is dragging you inexorably toward the edge of the abyss. What do you do? Oh, and if you want to you can let go with one hand long enough to get your dagger out. Just saying..."

 

[Oofta]

Wear armor or take it off sounds like a meaningful choice to me! These PCs should consider every pound of gear they want to take with them, because walking up stairs with a 10 pound grocery bag is rough. Climbing a mountain with 50 (or more) pounds of gear is a nightmare. Further, fighting on the mountainside sounds disastrous, so adding weight-planning entertainment could make up for a reduction in combat entertainment.

I wouldn't add any rules here that weren't critical, and as @Laurefindel points out, a check fail does not equal falling.

Why are the PCs climbing the mountain, anyway? Because they heard fighting rock-goblins is good sport?

But it's only a "meaningful choice" for a handful of classes. That wizard that's at 95% encumbrance because of all the crap they're carrying? Never, ever, penalized. Meanwhile the guy in plate armor that is fitted to them, that as videos show, can do cartwheels and all sorts of gymnastics suddenly can't walk up a flight of stairs without assistance.

 

[Oofta]

Unless they're climbing a sheer vertical cliff, if someone starts to fall they should have chances to catch themselves. Even then, consider having ledges and outcroppings they'll stop on. It wouldn't be fun to fail 1 check only to plummet to your doom. I'd probably call for athletics checks now and then for particularly steep sections with one person being able to assist another by going first. If someone falls, they tumble a ways and then have chances to catch themselves strength or dexterity save every 10 feet or so.

A lot of mountain climbing is deciding what path you're going to take. Yes, there are sheer vertical cliffs at spots, but in many cases it's really more on an endurance thing than climbing up a vertical wall.

P.S. As others have said, don't penalize the guy that decided not to make yet another dex monkey that doesn't wear armor.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Unless they're climbing a sheer vertical cliff, if someone starts to fall they should have chances to catch themselves. Even then, consider having ledges and outcroppings they'll stop on.

Yes, absolutely this. I wouldn't just say, "Ok, you're dead." Maybe they land on a ledge partway down and take damage and now have to figure out how to get out. Maybe you give them a chance to catch themselves on the ledge, and they can roll with advantage if they let their pack fall into the abyss, etc.

It wouldn't be fun to fail 1 check only to plummet to your doom. I'd probably call for athletics checks now and then for particularly steep sections with one person being able to assist another by going first. If someone falls, they tumble a ways and then have chances to catch themselves strength or dexterity save every 10 feet or so.

A lot of mountain climbing is deciding what path you're going to take. Yes, there are sheer vertical cliffs at spots, but in many cases it's really more on an endurance thing than climbing up a vertical wall.

A way to model route-finding is to describe two choices ("you can go up the crack system to the right, or the less steep but smoother way to the left"). After they decide, make a Survival roll to see if they chose the best path, and give them advantage if they succeed.

And/or you could use different skills: Strength (Athletics) for muscling over the overhangs, or Dexterity (Acrobatics) for balancing/frictioning up the slabs.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

For inspiration I'd recommend the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser short story Stardock, most readily found in the Swords against Wizardry collection, in which our two intrepid heroes attempt to ascend the tallest mountain on their fantasy continent (with a wildcat animal companion).

One particular plot point of interest and consequence was the decision to bury all their extraneous gear in a hidden location near the base of the mountain before the attempt. Personally rather than just pick on the heavy armor guy I would penalize all the characters who insisted on trying to climb while encumbered with a bunch of extra gold, weapons, and adventuring gear (provided they could reasonably accomplish their mission without lots of gear and you or the NPC guides make the DM's stance on it clear). Though if you do encourage them to leave their gear resist the impulse to have someone steal it provided they take reasonable precautions. Personally I find the points in a campaign where you have to figure out how to make do with limited equipment some of the most interesting and engaging.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Stardock is darn good! By that time in the series, the F&GM stories had started to see dips in quality, but it was still a stand-out tale. Just as tense as any of their best adventures.

For inspiration I'd recommend the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser short story Stardock, most readily found in the Swords against Wizardry collection, in which our two intrepid heroes attempt to ascend the tallest mountain on their fantasy continent (with a wildcat animal companion).

 

[cmad1977]

Way too finicky and way too many checks for things that are just basically movement.