Climbing Stairs

[Davek]

Are there any specific rules re: climbing stairs?

- speed modifiers
- exhaustion etc...

My next adventure may involve a fair amount of stair climbing (followed by the decent, and most likely some combat on the stairs ;-)). By a fair amount I mean it might take the party more than a few minutes to go up, more like 1 to 1.5 hours.

We are using version 3.0

Thanks in advance.

 

[Magic Slim]

Hm. There isn't anything to suggest that climbing stairs is hampering. The only thing I see is that in combat, some people will have the advantage of being on a higher ground.

You could also rule that you need to make balance checks when you get hit, so not to fall down the stairs.

Slim

 

[Norfleet]

You could also rule that you need to make balance checks when you get hit, so not to fall down the stairs.

You do realize that for even a DC 0 check for something simple, like, say, standing upright on level ground, a fighter with something like halfplate and a tower shield (-17 ACP) is unable to pass this even if he takes 10, which is not permitted in combat, and with a higher DC, or even a dexterity penalty, that fighter would be unable to remain standing even if he could take 20?

Of course, there's just something about a heavily armored fighter falling down the stairs that makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. Maybe it's the same sort of joy you had as child from kicking a stack of pots and pans down the stairs. Or that I just really love the mental image of ANYBODY falling down stairs. Combine the two, and you have an irresistable, burst-out-loud laughing combination.

 

[Davek]

Of course, there's just something about a heavily armored fighter falling down the stairs that makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. Maybe it's the same sort of joy you had as child from kicking a stack of pots and pans down the stairs. Or that I just really love the mental image of ANYBODY falling down stairs. Combine the two, and you have an irresistable, burst-out-loud laughing combination.

Well the stair in question is spiral without a rail, so I doubt they would be falling down the stair for very far

I guess I could treat it as rough terrain for anything other than normal paced movement.

 

[Darklone]

Avoid bull rush attacks, they would kill a PC without featherfall.

 

[Davek]

Avoid bull rush attacks, they would kill a PC without featherfall.

What I am planning to do is have the stairway spiral and pyramid in shape. If they fall, the will fall a set distance (need to calc it yet) take damage, and then recieve a chance to check their fall, otherwise they drop to the next level. That way there will be potential for alot of damage, but some measure of hope

 

[Norfleet]

Are there any specific rules re: climbing stairs?
- speed modifiers
- exhaustion etc...

I don't recall seeing any rules for climbing stairs in such a manner, although trigonometry will reveal the fact that when you climb "up" 10 feet of stairs which are 10 feet long, you will have actually travelled 10sqrt(2) feet, or 14.142 feet. We'll say 15 feet for convenience. Therefore, if a character climbs up these stairs 10 feet, he'll actually have moved 15 feet, and have therefore expended that much movement. Running or hustling up the stairs works similarly.

 

[Sanackranib]

back in a 2e game we used similar rules for airborn climbing and decending. basically you move 75% of you move when going up a 45 degree angle and 50 % going straight up. going down was easier at a 45 degree andle you moved 125% of your normal move and a power dive gave you 200% normal move. these were modified by how fast you were trying to move. a failed roll on a powerdive could kill you as you underestimated the distance to the ground or missed the target and did a face plant. thus it wasn't a real common combat move.

 

[jgsugden]

The new DMG is wonderful when it comes to terrain or dungeon features like stairs. Look at pg 63. There is a whole section on climbing stairs. Gradual stairs (less than a 45 degree angle), steep stairs (45 degrees or steeper), spiral stairs, railings and low walls ... it covers everything.

If you decide not to buy the books, sneak down to Borders or Barnes and Noble and sit down with the DMG for a 1/2 hour. Read through chapter 3. It gives a lot of good ideas. If you own the book, read it a few times and bookmark it. It is a nice addition ot the books that many people are overlooking.