Spider climb

[JChung2003]

How do you all handle spider climb?

Does a creature enchanted with spider climb automatically succeed at its Climb checks? Or do you give it a fixed bonus to its Climb checks?

The Player's Handbook spell description says that you can climb as well as a spider does. Just for reference's sake, I checked monstrous spiders in the Monster's Manual. They have Climb bonuses ranging from +8 (Tiny) to +20 (Colossal). Those bonuses actually seem a bit low considering the DC's for the Climb skill given in the Player's Handbook (a Tiny spider cannot take 10 to climb DC 20+ surfaces).

 

[fba827]

Also check out the beggining of the MM. (P7 in my pritning - where it talks about Speed entries).

Of the skill check modifiers you've mentioned, +8 is racial bonus (rather than spent skill ranks).

But, anyway, back to your question -- any creature with a climb speed listed must make a climb check for any DC greater than 0. Also, the creature can always choose to take 10 on any climb even if rushed or threatened while climbing.

 

[shilsen]

Unless the surface is extremely slippery or difficult to climb in some way, I allow creatures enchanted with spider climb to succeed automatically at climbing.

 

[JChung2003]

So spider climb gives the affected creature a climb speed of half its normal movement speed plus all the bonuses conferred by having a climb speed (+8 racial bonus on all Climb checks, automatic Take 10 even when rushed or threatened)?

Ah, now that's some good stuff. I like it, thanks!

A followup question: what if the affected creature already has a climb speed? Does spider climb enhance its climbing ability at all or not?