D&D 5E Hang Time - What if you jump farther than your speed?

[jaelis]

Yes, the point is that it lets jump (level 1, no concentration) give you some of the benefits of levitate (level 2, concentration) or fly (level 3, concentration). But certainly not all of the benefits.

Also in an extreme case it gets a bit wonky when you are in the air for multiple rounds. Like if you have both the jump spell and the boots, even a conservative interpretation (net 5x jump distance) lets a Str 20 character jump 100 feet, which would take four rounds for a dwarf. Presumably they could cast four spells or attack four times with a longbow while soaring.

Perhaps it would make sense to require you to take the dash action if you start the round airborne and don't have enough regular move to complete the jump this turn.

 

[Krachek]

I guess you time warp, like breaking the light speed limit.

 

[Shiroiken]

Perhaps it would make sense to require you to take the dash action if you start the round airborne and don't have enough regular move to complete the jump this turn.

I would be willing to agree that anyone who starts their turn mid-jump should have to use their action to Dash if their movement will not finish the jump on the current turn. Thus in your dwarf example, the dwarf would have to spend at least 1 round using the dash action.

Another option I could see, is to limit Jump distances by your land speed unless the Dash action is taken. That would force the dwarf to take two rounds to jump 100 ft, with no actions during the jump.

 

[Tormyr]

I have found that in most circumstances, a creature's jump distance fits within their remaining movement if they take the Dash action. My house rule to accommodate things like the jump spell:

1. Your jump distance is limited by your total available movement in a turn (with using the Dash action as much as possible). For most PCs this would be 30 + 30 (Dash) = 60 feet.
2. You must land on your next turn, using movement and the Dash action if necessary.
3. You jump ends if you are knocked prone (or incapacited if you needed the Dash action) while in midair.
4. You may exceed your automatic jump distance with a successful Strength (Athletics) check. The DC is the distance of the gap. You may add jumping bonuses, such as those of the Champion and Thief, to the check.

 

[smbakeresq]

I have found that in most circumstances, a creature's jump distance fits within their remaining movement if they take the Dash action. My house rule to accommodate things like the jump spell:

1. Your jump distance is limited by your total available movement in a turn (with using the Dash action as much as possible). For most PCs this would be 30 + 30 (Dash) = 60 feet.
2. You must land on your next turn, using movement and the Dash action if necessary.
3. You jump ends if you are knocked prone (or incapacited if you needed the Dash action) while in midair.
4. You may exceed your automatic jump distance with a successful Strength (Athletics) check. The DC is the distance of the gap. You may add jumping bonuses, such as those of the Champion and Thief, to the check.

Essential what I do but I also add in a bonus for speed to help out monks. It doesn't make any sense that a fighter in plate mail with 20 Str can just move 10' and then jump 20', naturally out jumping a monk with 10 Str and 60' base speed who would only be able to jump 10', as Monks will put ABI into DEX, WIS and CON first. I get that monks can run across liquids and up walls, but all the good martial arts movies show monks making incredible leaps and I certainly have never seen an Olympic long jumper look like the worlds strongest man competition competitor. If a monk or other fast PC gets a 10' start I give them 5' of extra distance for every extra 10' of movement, so a speed 40' PC with a running start gets and extra 5' of jump distance. A high level Monk with a running start gets a 15' bonus to jump distance in the direction he is moving, so Mr. 10 Str Monk can now jump 25', out jumping Mr. 20 Str naturally.

 

[Tormyr]

Essential what I do but I also add in a bonus for speed to help out monks. It doesn't make any sense that a fighter in plate mail with 20 Str can just move 10' and then jump 20', naturally out jumping a monk with 10 Str and 60' base speed who would only be able to jump 10', as Monks will put ABI into DEX, WIS and CON first. I get that monks can run across liquids and up walls, but all the good martial arts movies show monks making incredible leaps and I certainly have never seen an Olympic long jumper look like the worlds strongest man competition competitor. If a monk or other fast PC gets a 10' start I give them 5' of extra distance for every extra 10' of movement, so a speed 40' PC with a running start gets and extra 5' of jump distance. A high level Monk with a running start gets a 15' bonus to jump distance in the direction he is moving, so Mr. 10 Str Monk can now jump 25', out jumping Mr. 20 Str naturally.

I figure that is what Step of the Wind is for (although that only works for monks rather than any "fast" creature).

One part I forgot to add to my house rule:
4.b. If you double or triple your automatic jump distance, the value of your check is also doubled or tripled.

That allows the monk to try for a 40-foot jump with step of the wind while the 20-foot jump would be automatic.

 

[cooperjer]

Jumping vertically up or down can have consequences as well. I recall one of the designers (Crawford or Mearls) suggesting that if a creature were to jump up very high or jump down from a cliff edge they could still be subject to falling damage. I feel this is in the realm of DM adjudication as the rules are not specifically clear.

In my house rules, I allow characters to hang mid-jump. I have a barbarian with a ring of jumping. I can think of only twice where the player ended their characters turn in mid-jump. The house rule change has not been significant in making encounters easier or terrain easier for my players. I imagine, I will see it used more often when they get to the PotA air node.

I did modify the falling damage rules to ensure they are more impactful to the game. This helps prevent some of the crazy jumping stunts.

 

[Caliban]

Having the player end their turn mid-jump makes the game more complicated and technically is not how the rules work.

That being said, I'm in the hang-time camp. I'm not scared of making the game a little more complex if I feel it makes more sense than arbitrarily limiting their jump distance.

 

[5ekyu]

I believe the official rules are that it simply doesn't work - you can't jump further than your movement.

I handle it as the person jumping is in a "freeze-frame" in mid-air. If they get hit while in mid air, they need to make an acrobatics check or be knocked prone (and fall on their turn). I just think it's more fun and cinematic.

Jump simply changes your speed type, not increase it. Dash can help.

 

[SkidAce]

I might be missing some of the concerns, but it seems to me "Dash" solves everything.

Want to jump farther than your remaining movement of 20 feet (used 10 foot run up)? Use Dash to get more movement.

You might even be able to move farther after the jump.

All in one turn, no hang time needed.


I eagerly await mention of considerations I did not consider.....