Tumble problems

[Rhun]

in my opinion the skill should have been named acrobatics. It quite clearly doesn't always imply tumbling in the literal sense.

qft.

 

[billd91]

Acrobatics may not be the best word for it either. You could envision making a tumble check to avoid attacks of opportunity as the canny footwork of a skilled boxer. But, still, you have to name it something so you pick what seems closest fit at the time.

 

[billd91]

Yeah, I read that back in the day. Are you aware that Gygax was trying to avoid being sued by the Tokien estate after the success of D&D? The whole Tolkien influence thing is a big controversey. Some say that Gygax kept saying "minimal" influence because of Tolkien estate's threats.

Don't think of it as Tolkien's estate. Think of Tolkien Enterprises (recently renamed Middle Earth Enterprises), the entity which would be behind any lawsuits/cease and desist orders involving Tolkien IP in games, film, stage, and other merchandizing. And that's run by Saul Zaentz (of some notoriety to John Fogerty fans).

That said, the Tolkien influence on the D&D melting pot is substantial, clearly not at all dwarfed by other literary influences.

 

[kitcik]

You wanna really REALLY wrack your brain on something? Per 3.5 RAW, a dwarf in full plate can tumble. Yea. In full plate. Cartwheels and all.

Kinda makes your issue with leather armor and loose equipment a bit smaller, eh?

Let's say you (in real life) went to a carnival.

And there was this dwarf in full plate.

And he did a cartwheel.

You'd be like "Frickin' amazing!" Applaud a bit. Move on.

Now let's say there's a guy in a pointy hat.

He summons a giant demon from another world, turns you into a frog and flies away.

Now, which one causes you to doubt reality?

Seems like the dwarf cartwheeling in plate armor is kinda a minor problem...

Kinda makes your issue with tumbling a bit smaller, eh?

 

[Dandu]

Tumbling?

Grappling, climbing, jumping, running, attacking, charging, sneaking, swimming, riding, balancing.

 

[Water Bob]

As details do. But there's only so much time one can spend, and I'd rather not spend it too much on equipment. Unless it's something you really need to describe to understand.

A lot of people wouldn't. It's not as much work as you might think. It's a little additional prep time (not much, because players equip their characters anyway) when a player creates a character, but once it's done, it's done. If you lose something, you just scratch it off and write in the new item. This is usually done between game sessions.

I don't find it tedious at all (if I did, I wouldnt' do it).

See, the thing that strikes me odd here is that you're talking about living in a fantasy world, and yet you're focusing on mundane details.

Details are the pillars on which the bridge of disbelief is suspended.

Mundane as in things we already experience in the real world. For that you might as well be playing Sims the RPG.

I do like a more simulationist game. Even the way I run combat is simulationist.

Yeah, only the ones who have light load and take ranks in Tumble (trained only) are. In my opinion it's perfectly reasonable to assume that they have made sure their equipment is secure enough since they've trained to Tumble in combat.

I'll go that far with you, but I want to take that into account if the character needs to draw a weapon quickly.

Or, even before. The player needs to remember to tie the leather cords around the handle of his dagger, securing it to the sheath, or the GM will describe how it went scittering across the floor when the character started cartwheeling.

BTW, do you also assume that someone who falls from a tree or into a pit trap has dropped some equipment?

Well, falling straight down from a tree is not likely to throw a dagger from its sheath. But, I have been know, back in the day, to roll item saving throws in situations like that.

 

[Rhun]

Or, even before. The player needs to remember to tie the leather cords around the handle of his dagger, securing it to the sheath, or the GM will describe how it went scittering across the floor when the character started cartwheeling.

???

I've got several swords and daggers in my collection, and I can twirl them all over the place without them flying out of their sheaths. There is absolutely no reason they would need a cord to tie them into their sheaths to prevent them from accidentally coming out.

 

[Water Bob]

???

I've got several swords and daggers in my collection, and I can twirl them all over the place without them flying out of their sheaths. There is absolutely no reason they would need a cord to tie them into their sheaths to prevent them from accidentally coming out.

You can cartwheel 30 feet with a sword tied to your waist, a dagger at your belt, your waterskin draped across your torso, a pouch with a few coins in it, another pouch with tinderboxl, flint, and steel, and maybe some leather armor on?

C'mon.

Nothing's going to fall off of you while you're doing the Daryl Hannah-Pris-Thing?

 

[Dandu]

I take it you've tried?

 

[Water Bob]

I take it you've tried?

No, but I haven't jumped out of a plane, either, and I've got a sneakin' suspicioun that if one does, without a parachute, and spins end-over-end all the way down, that he's bound to lose stuff out of his pockets.