Level Up (A5E) How is Bounding Strike combat maneuver supposed to work?

[guachi]

I've started a A5e campaign with people brand new to RPGs. I think they're having fun. Next session the Berserker will reach level 2 and gain combat maneuvers. He might choose Bounding Strike as it looks like it'll get him into melee faster by boosting his movement.

It says "Move 15 feet in a straight line and make an Acrobatics or Athletics check to jump as you do so. If a creature is within your reach when you land, you can make a melee weapon attack against it using the result of your check instead of an attack roll."

I assume this means I can move up to my speed and then activate the combat maneuver by spending my action. I can move a further 15 feet and then I jump. Is the jump in addition to the 15 feet?

Is the following a correct interpretation?
The Barbarian has a Speed of 30 and a STR of 14. He moves 30 feet, activates Bounding Strike as his action, moves 15 more feet, and then jumps 14 feet for a maximum total of 59 feet of movement on his turn.

 

[lichmaster]

I think that's a fair interpretation and it's how I've run it so far.

However I think there may be some issues with a strict interpretation: suppose that the enemy is only 20ft away. The only way to use this maneuver to hit that target would be to use part of your normal movement to back away from the target, so that when you use the 15+14ft of movement given by the maneuver you land next to it. Otherwise, you risk jumping past it, probably also granting it attacks of opportunity.

Anyone else has suggestions?

 

[Steampunkette]

The jump is part of the 15ft of movement. Your Strength Score is irrelevant to the distance traveled, as the combat maneuver replaces it.

So you could move 30ft, then do a Bounding Strike to jump 15ft and land next to a target (or behind them if you jump while in front of them, pass over them, and land on the far side) for a total of 45ft of movement.

This allows a Dex-Focused martial character to jump 15ft across pits even if their Strength score is an 8.

 

[Tessarael]

Strictly speaking, Bounding Strike doesn't specify the length of the jump, so it is not clear that a low Strength character would clear 15'. That said, I think it is entirely reasonable to lower bound the length jumped as 15' if a character uses the Bounding Strike maneuver, and I like Steampunkette's interpretation in that regard.

Given that it costs an action to activate Bounding Strike, the significant benefit to it that you can move an extra 15' on your turn, as it allows you to move 15' and attack as part of your action. Other than that, it feels a little on the weak side, unless you've got some other class features (e.g., expertise in Athletics or Acrobatics) that are boosting your Athletics or Acrobatics bonus above that of your melee attack bonus. Assuming you are proficient and using a non-magical melee weapon, both would typically be proficiency bonus + Strength modifier, or Dexterity modifer if it is a finesse weapon.

Once you have Extra Attack, you are forgoing the extra attack to move that 15'. So the most benefit of this maneuver is before the Extra Attack at level 5, after which it is a trade-off between the extra movement and the extra attack.

 

[Steampunkette]

Strictly speaking, Bounding Strike doesn't specify the length of the jump, so it is not clear that a low Strength character would clear 15'. That said, I think it is entirely reasonable to lower bound the length jumped as 15' if a character uses the Bounding Strike maneuver, and I like Steampunkette's interpretation in that regard.

Given that it costs an action to activate Bounding Strike, the significant benefit to it that you can move an extra 15' on your turn, as it allows you to move 15' and attack as part of your action. Other than that, it feels a little on the weak side, unless you've got some other class features (e.g., expertise in Athletics or Acrobatics) that are boosting your Athletics or Acrobatics bonus above that of your melee attack bonus. Assuming you are proficient and using a non-magical melee weapon, both would typically be proficiency bonus + Strength modifier, or Dexterity modifer if it is a finesse weapon.

Once you have Extra Attack, you are forgoing the extra attack to move that 15'. So the most benefit of this maneuver is before the Extra Attack at level 5, after which it is a trade-off between the extra movement and the extra attack.

Jumping Specialty!

 

[Toan Li]

I definitely read it as the 15' being the jump, allowing a low strength long jump, as said, but also a standing long jump without a running start. And making an attack with a jump check can be a great way to add an expertise die or make up for an attack at disadvantage.

 

[guachi]

Jumping Specialty!

Also, right in that Tradition, is Springing Stance. That gives you expertise on Acrobatics checks and checks to jump.

 

[Toan Li]

Looking at the full description, with no caveat of sight, it seems like a great way to beat the blinded condition.

 

[Tessarael]

If blinded, you should still have disadvantage on the roll.

 

[Toan Li]

Why? Jumping doesn't require sight and the ability check replaces the attack roll.