Easy Tumble Question

[Maitre Du Donjon]

The Tumble skill can be used to move through an occupied (by an opponent) square with or without incurring an AoO (depending if the check was made at a DC of 25).

In the next game, the players (2 rogues and a wizard) will probably be fighting a large (5' X 10') dragon in a 5'-wide corridor. Of course they have taken the tumble skill, so am I right in assuming that both rogues will be able to bypass the dragon without much problem, and that the dragon won't be able to do squat about it?

Any news if this is "fixed" in the FAQ or in 3.5?

Thanks in advance...

Maitre D

 

[Hypersmurf]

There are variant Tumble rules around... Sword and Fist or Song and Silence?

I've seen Tumble vs Tumble, Tumble vs Reflex Save, and Tumble vs Attack Roll as opposed check suggestions (+10 if the tumbler is moving through instead of past).

If the dragon wins the opposed check, he gets his AoO... this is where Improved Grab or Large and In Charge can come in handy.

-Hyp.

 

[haiiro]

Played as written, yes, anyone with a decent Tumble skill will be able to get past the dragon. The options Hypersmurf mentions are worth looking into -- Tumble is too useful as it stands, IMO.

On the other hand, you can also rule that the dragon takes up too much of the corridor to be tumbled past easily (or at all). Apply the generic "unfavorable circumstances" mod of -2, or more if you wish. (This would also mean that the dragon won't be doing much moving, either. But that's another issue.)

 

[Hypersmurf]

It might be Song and Silence that points out that tumbling past a Gelatinous Cube that completely fills a corridor, for example, is impossible.

-Hyp.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

*chuckle* just have the dragon ready his attack for the first rogue to get within reach. Include this in the decirption to your players.

"The dragon's head is crouched, his massive body coiled and filling the small corridor with it's terrible bulk. It looks ready to strike at a moments notice any hapless passerby."

Plus give the tumble thru DC a +10 mod for "filling up the space" with dragon bulk. Or make it an impossibility as one cannot obviously tumble through a space (like, say, a wall) that is impassible. It's a DM's call and make it clear to these players (ahead of time preferably, like in some kind of description).

 

[wighair]

Or have the dragon, pulling a gelatinous cube behind him! ;-)

 

[Hypersmurf]

Or have the dragon, pulling a gelatinous cube behind him! ;-)

Reminds me of something I pulled on my party once...

They opened the door, and saw a bunch of skeletons moving towards them... but they were advancing almost in slow motion.

The monk, as monks are wont to do, tried to tumble into the middle of them.

The slow motion was because they were wading through the middle of a gelatinous cube. Undead are immune to paralysis.

Monks aren't.

-Hyp.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

Thanks to all that have answered. I guess i'll have to adjust the rules. I just hope my players don't feel like i've nerfed one of their abilities too much

The slow motion was because they were wading through the middle of a gelatinous cube. Undead are immune to paralysis.

Monks aren't.

-Hyp.

Are undead also immuned to acid?

Maitre D

 

[IceBear]

I use the tumble variant from Song and Silence (other ones might be better, but this one is "offical" I guess).

I'd definitely have the dragon (it is intelligent after all) ready an action to attack the first person to come within range and then use the Reflex Save (+10 bonus if he tries to tumble through) vs DC = tumble check to take an AoO against the other.

Next round - blur

IceBear

 

[mikebr99]

I use the tumble variant from Song and Silence (other ones might be better, but this one is "offical" I guess).

I'll second this...

Phb tumble is broken as it stands. Any moron with 1 rank in it can get by anything... assuming he is willing to take the AoO. But it works automatically!


Mike