Goblins in trees 100' up - avoiding falling damage?

[aboyd]

I'm running the "Into The Wilds" module that includes the goblins in the tree fort about 100' above the ground. They have walkways without railings. It seems obvious to me that there would have been a dead goblin or two from this danger.

I'm interested in hearing about magic items in the DMG or MIC that would help a goblin to survive or avoid a fall. For example, obviously a ring of Feather Fall is good. But what about an item that allows the wearer to avoid a bull rush (over the edge)? What about an item that allows the wearer to execute a jump or teleport as an immediate action, so that right at the edge the goblin could get onto stable footing, even it wasn't the goblin's turn?

I just saw that the Boots of Landing in the MIC are real cheap and allow you to take 20' off the falling damage. I love stuff like that, although in this case I don't think that reducing the falling damage from 10d6 to 8d6 will really help a standard goblin to survive. It's still interesting.

I'd love to hear anyone's suggestions for reducing/removing/avoiding the damage from falling off the edge of these walkways.

 

[Rakusia]

they're goblins sure they would fall. and really most goblins probably wouldn't think to use amagic item. plus usually they don't care about another goblin dying except for getting their stuff

 

[billd91]

I'm a little surprised goblins would care that much about safety. I'd expect them to be more likely to set up a betting pool about how many falling fatalities they'd suffer over a month.

 

[Rakusia]

id just leave a pile of dead or something in the flavor text

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Anything that grants a bonus to Balance checks would be useful up in trees; and depending upon how you handle stopping a fall in-game, I suspect that bonus granting items to those related skills (presumably Climb?) would also help. There's also a +1 equivalent armor property called "Anchoring" in MIC that makes it harder to force the wearer to move (eg with a bullrush).

But those suggestions are useful to avoid a fall rather than mitigating the damage sustained in one. I can invent several low-cost items, but few items actually published in the DMG or MIC really seem to stand out for this sort of thing.

There's also just mundane things, like ratty nets or something that grant the falling creature one chance at catching himself before finishing the plummet; or always carrying a hook for extra stability when working near an edge; or the like.

 

[Gilladian]

I could definitely see the goblins rigging nets below the walkways, hidden in the tree branches. Also, having single ropes strung just beyond the edges of the walkways, as "grab lines" might happen, especially in "very dangerous" spots.

But also, just give most of the goblins a skill focus in acrobatics or something (ie +2 to balance and climb) and have a few bodies down on the ground...

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Another thought, not to diminish damage, but to increase survivability:

Periapt of Wound Closure (DMG) is expensive, but a well-to-do (or else a super 'lucky') gob might have one. It doesn't prevent damage, but it increases his chances of surviving the fall-- assuming he rolls really low on the damage.

Along the same lines but much cheaper, would be a slightly modified Blessed Bandage (MIC, probably up-priced a tad to 10gp or something) that is always worn (like a charm, for ex) and automatically activates if the creature falls below 0hp. It provides a small chance of ensuring a gob survives the fall, but, again, only if he rolls low on the damage. And this is the sort of thing a local witch doctor could probably easily make and sell. (Actually this sounds really familiar, it may already exist.)

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Eberron campaign setting has a bunch of additional feather tokens.

One of them is a single-use feather fall for ridiculously cheap; very popular in Sharn (and, potentially, goblin tree cities).

 

[Alexander123]

There is the safewing emblem which important goblins in the trees could carry. Costs 250 gp.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Maybe it's a group of rare goblin monks that happen to own a monastery in the trees.

I would imagine, death by splat is a common occurrence and quite humorous to the ones that didn't. Also, you speak of magic, why not a practical goblin solution, rigger's belts. In the entertainment industry a rigger runs lights, usually very far from the ground. They wear a belt with a lead line that attaches to a safety catch or "grab line" like Gilladian said.

In this way you could run the lines 10 or 15 feet out with clip points over solid footing, Not noticeable until you realize you need them, on the way down and the "grab line" is out of your reach. The humorous goblin side is if you fall you are left hanging 15' from anywhere waiting on your "buddies" to come get you. Also increases that betting pool and gives great goblin epitaphs like "Groznok the Bouncy" or "Kreg'kran the Yo-Yo"