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

[Bill Zebub]

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

I think this mindset is what leads to threads like "Why Exploration Is the Worst Pillar".

I don't think every attempt to climb or swim something should be an extended mini-game, but I think it's possible to design something like a mountain climb as a special event that feels as exciting (and tense) as combat.

But it's essential that the players have choices, and the choices matter.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

If you want to incentivize moving fast and taking risks, allow checks to climb faster than half speed, perhaps 1ft per number in excess of the DC, capped at their normal speed.

failure they lose feet of movement, and must save vs falling.

But this is exactly the sort of thing where I resolve things using multiple checks to determine degree of success. So, a climber might do Athletics, Perception/survival, and a charisma [player choice] or Insight check for communication if taking point, or acrobatics or a second Athletics if just climbing.

Then you set up, and communicate, consequences for 0, 1, 2, and 3 successes.

Complications like taking risks could be an extra check that either erases a success if it fails, or gives Inspiration if a success.

 

[Orchrist]

Thanks a lot for the great comments!

I forgot to mention that the PC's are level 7, so they can take some beating. And beaten they will be (since I know what awaits on the top ...)
It's homebrew, but long story short do they have to get to the top, pass some (undead?) guards and go through an undead, but 'sleeping' army waiting for commands. The aim is to destroy a powerful artifact, that otherwise will give great advantage to the undead army in the looming war between the living and the dead. Not unlike GoT, though this has a wastly more complicated plot behind, that the players will have another 2 campaigns to unfold and stop.

The platforms are 5-15 feet in size. The rope is long enough to provide 30 feet between the PC's (so it's likely some 50-60 feet in total).
One player has levitate but sadly isn't joining this session. Another has Misty Step, which I'd say makes him leave the rope behind and otherwise work as usual.

I have decided to go with quite a few suggestions, so the rules will be:

• No falling to their death during climb though I might use say 2 rounds of rolls where a 1 mean that the falls should be of 1d4x10ft for 1d6s for each 10 feet fallen if hitting a ledge, half if caught by rope and hitting the mountain side, just to keep them on their toes.
• If falling more than 10 feet: I will roll for equipment lost (will create a small table). Concentration is broken on all ongoing spells.
• Strength check to prevent next PC from falling after the first one if tied together. The guides (mountain dwarf) need no check.
• No punishment for the plate armor aside from being shiny and noisy.
• Jumping to a platform in same level: DC10 DEX (acrobatics) save for a good landing. If failed roll another DC10 DEX (acrobatics) save to fall prone instead of falling to the next ledge. If/when landing on a shelf during a fall roll DEX check (15) to not fall further, advantage if tied to an ally.

-Jumping up is according to RAW; 3 + STR mod if 10 feet movement first, half if standing. If arms are used to heave oneself up can 1½ the persons height be added (my addition: if empty handed, otherwise only additional 5 feet).

• No 1d20 rolls for walking on ledges but instead the suggested Athletics/Acrobatics check DC 10 IF the character moves faster than 1/2 speed. No check needed for goblins or dwarves.
• Concentration/Athletics/Acrobatics checks if a character gets hit while climbing (both PCs and NPCs).
• Attacking while climbing or while holding/being pulled by the rope of a fallen ally has disadvantage.
• The goblins will have a few traps in place.

Oh, and I hope to get to throw in Bill Zebub's "Touching the Void" option. I'm sure it will make for interesting conversations around the campfire later on

I'll let you know how it went in a few days. Once again, thank you SO much for your input!

 

[Orchrist]

Computer dying, so I apparently double posted while trying to save - sorry

 

[Rabulias]

• If falling more than 10 feet: I will roll for equipment lost (will create a small table). Concentration is broken on all ongoing spells.

A falling character can cast feather fall, and casting a spell requires concentration, so the mere fact they are falling should not trigger a Concentration check, IMO. If they take damage during the fall, then a Concentration check would be called for.

Be sure to come back and tell us all how it worked out!

 

[Orchrist]

A falling character can cast feather fall, and casting a spell requires concentration, so the mere fact they are falling should not trigger a Concentration check, IMO. If they take damage during the fall, then a Concentration check would be called for.

Be sure to come back and tell us all how it worked out!

That is indeed a good point. My thought is that a hard landing will break the concentration of an ongoing spell, which of course will not be the case if Feather fall is cast.
The only relevant thing in the current party is the monk having Slow Fall, but since he is not casting spells will I stick to this for easy use.

 

[cmad1977]

I think this mindset is what leads to threads like "Why Exploration Is the Worst Pillar".

I don't think every attempt to climb or swim something should be an extended mini-game, but I think it's possible to design something like a mountain climb as a special event that feels as exciting (and tense) as combat.

But it's essential that the players have choices, and the choices matter.

Choices that matter don’t have to involve needless rolls.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Choices that matter don’t have to involve needless rolls.

Fully agree!

However, I do think that for the choice to matter in an interesting way, in a game, the player needs to have information about the result of the choice. So the question is how do you give enough information to make the choice interesting? I'll admit I struggle to have an answer in the context of a mountain-climbing "adventure" without using random chance.

 

[Orchrist]

I want to add a bit of tension to "Despite never having been on a hill before you climb the most dangerous mountain in the kingdom with some trouble, but without drama". Our group have played for around 30 years, so I guess/hope I cater to their idea of a fun game despite me fully agreeing that rolls should be kept to a minimum. These guys do love the odd chance of things going completely good/bad, as it makes a more interesting story. That, and being able to make enlightened choices affecting the game in ways I didn't expect.

Let's see how it turn out. 25 hours till session start.