Slippers of Spiderclimb Question?

[Aluvial]

I have given out this item to one of my PC's.

The rules state that the movement of such an item is 15 ft. I am assuming that you are still able to double move when using them.

The item also allows you to walk on the ceiling.

1) How long are you able to do this? Is there a time limit on hanging upside down?

Also, I've assumed that it is a move equivalent to retrieve these from your possessions, a move equivalent to remove boots, a move equivalent to store boots, and a move equivalent to put them on.

2) Is this right?

3) Once worn, is your movement on any surface, including the floor, 15 ft.?

Aluvial

Aluvial

 

[Antikinesis]

Yes, double-move is allowed.

1. No time limit.

2. I think you're correct, these are all move-equivalent actions, subject to modifications. (E.g., retrieve from Haversack is free action, dropping removed boots (instead of storing) is free action, etc.)

3. Using the slippers magical abilities reduces speed to 15 feet. Walking on the floor will probably not require activating the slippers, so movement would be the normal speed. (If you have some reason to "climb" the floor (tilted?), speed would be 15 feet.

-AK

 

[Celebrim]

I've tended to find slippers of spider climbing a little overpowered.

Do these objects completely negate climb and balance checks? If not, what bonus do they give to them?

If they do negate completely climb and balance checks on non-slippery surfaces, isn't that equivalent to an item that gives epic bonuses in two skills in most circumstance for just 2000 gp or so?

 

[kreynolds]

Do these objects completely negate climb and balance checks?

No. It just gives you a climb speed. Having a climb speed merely means that you can walk on walls pretty much as easily as you can walk on the floor, though generally its slower, about half speed. That's not to say that someone can't trip you while you're spider climbing.

 

[Aluvial]

I forgot one:

4) What if you are knocked unconscious while wearing the Slippers and are currently walking on the wall? Do you remain locked on the wall, or do you fall?

As for the movement on the floor, I think that when wearing these your movement is 15 ft. I don't see how you are necessarily activating the ability when it seems to be permenent in the item.

As for the upside-down question, I thought about reasoning that the Slippers function like a Reverse Gravity spell, in that whichever way the soles are facing, that's the way gravity functions for the creature wearing them. This way the blood isn't running to your head. I just can't reason that you could wear thses upside-down indefinitely. If you included that in the cost, it would jack the price up...

Aluvial

 

[Celebrim]

Ok, hypothetically, a person is walking up a cliff with slippers of spider climbing. Because they have a climb speed, no checks are normally required (DC 0 or less, I suppose). A Griffin swoops by and rakes them with a talon provoking a climb check. Does the climber get a bonus to his climb check? If so, what? Does the climber have to make a climb check at all?

Same circumstance, only instead of going up a cliff, person is 'spider climbing' along a 6" beam. Does the climber get a bonus to his balance check?

 

[Celebrim]

Aluvial: They don't work that way. If they did, you could just turn upside down and 'drop' yourself up to the ceiling. Pretty soon you'd have PC's requesting tumble checks in order to use them to fly. I figure that they allow a person to will his appendages to stick firmly to an object. It probably takes some getting used to, and to use the slippers without hassle, you'd probably have to arrange you clothing, containers, and what not in such a way that everything stays put when upside down.

Novice wizards probably embarass themselves the first time they try spider climbing along a ceiling while wearing robes.

 

[Aluvial]

Aluvial: They don't work that way. If they did, you could just turn upside down and 'drop' yourself up to the ceiling. Pretty soon you'd have PC's requesting tumble checks in order to use them to fly. I figure that they allow a person to will his appendages to stick firmly to an object. It probably takes some getting used to, and to use the slippers without hassle, you'd probably have to arrange you clothing, containers, and what not in such a way that everything stays put when upside down.

Novice wizards probably embarass themselves the first time they try spider climbing along a ceiling while wearing robes.

No, I see where you are going.... I meant to say something to the effect that gravity is effected for your person only... Turning upside down would only preclude your items from falling... you physically wouldn't move unless you were walking on a surface...

Do you see where I was going?

Anyway, what about the falling when unconscious quesiton? Last night I ruled that the guy ended up sticking to wall 35' up in the air bleeding to death...

Aluvial

 

[Celebrim]

That's really a DM call. Pick one and stick with it.

It could work either way. If the slippers function only when they are willed to function, then when knocked unconscious they cease to function and you fall. However, to me that sounds like bad engineering. If I were making the slippers, they would stick when willed to stick, and would remain 'sticky' until you willed them not to stick. In this case, if the user was knocked unconscious they would remain 'stuck' in thier last position. So conceivably you could be left dangling by your hand unconscious on the wall.

As a magitechnical engineer, I'd deem such a safety feature worth it though, because otherwise all you'd have to do was get distracted and *swoof* -- you're falling. Of course, this might be one of those things that varied between manufactures. One mage might reason, you know 'I'm always going to have a contingency - featherfall as a backup, and I'd rather drift to the ground unconscious than be stuck to a wall with my friends unable to get to me.' On the otherhand, with such a design you'd need to make concentration checks whenever something really distracting occured.

Both designs have drawbacks, and maybe both designs exist. I'd go with the former, just because it is simplier.

 

[kreynolds]

Ok, hypothetically, a person is walking up a cliff with slippers of spider climbing. Because they have a climb speed, no checks are normally required (DC 0 or less, I suppose).

Good example. I'm following so far...

A Griffin swoops by and rakes them with a talon provoking a climb check.

Why? If a Griffin swoops by and rakes you while you are walking on the ground, do you make a Climb check? No. Why would you here?