Who can climb?

[Jhaelen]

Here is the situation: The players are being attacked by a pack of goblin worg riders. The PCs climb the nearest tree and start shooting their crossbows down at the goblins. The goblins respond by dismounting and returning fire with their crossbows, while letting their worgs climb the tree for an attack.

Protests ensue. The players argue that worgs cannot climb trees because they lack claw attacks. Claw attacks, they reason, mean that the animal possesses enough manual dexterity to climb.

I counter by saying that anybody can climb as long as they have limbs. I am even willing to concede that creatures without claw attacks can have a penalty to their climb check, but I think it is completely unreasonable to say that they cannot climb at all.

What do you guys think?

Actually, there's something about your players' strategy that shouldn't have worked:
It's not possible to shoot a crossbow at targets below you! I'm not sure if it's part of the 3E rules, but it's definitely true in real life and since your players seem to enjoy arguing about things being unrealistic...

Regarding the climbing worgs:
I think that the players' reasoning is definitely flawed. There's no connection whatsoever between the ability to climb and claw attacks.

Basically you're on your own here, you have to decide if it makes sense for worgs to be able to climb or not. I'd allow it, since the description doesn't say they can't.

 

[Drowbane]

Fifteen birds in five fir trees

Now if Gandalf could go mano-a-mano against The Balrog of Moria, why was he running from goblins?

Gandalf gained several levels from The Hobbit to Fellowship? I mean, it was something like 80 yrs... right? And aside from the Balrog-fight, Gandalf has rarely done anything "high-levelish". He clearly went Super Saiyan to fight that demon-lord.

 

[Drowbane]

My brother had a pit-bull that he had trained to climb trees. She singlehandly handled a stray/feral cat problem in the neighborhood.

On the other hand, this was a dog who was "smaller than it was strong"... where as a Warg might be hard-pressed to take its bulk up a tree in combat.

Fifteen birds in five fir trees

Now if Gandalf could go mano-a-mano against The Balrog of Moria, why was he running from goblins?

Gandalf gained several levels from The Hobbit to Fellowship? I mean, it was something like 80 yrs... right? And aside from the Balrog-fight, Gandalf has rarely done anything "high-levelish". He clearly went Super Saiyan to fight that demon-lord.

 

[mwaite]

Actually, there's something about your players' strategy that shouldn't have worked:
It's not possible to shoot a crossbow at targets below you! I'm not sure if it's part of the 3E rules, but it's definitely true in real life and since your players seem to enjoy arguing about things being unrealistic...

Regarding the climbing worgs:
I think that the players' reasoning is definitely flawed. There's no connection whatsoever between the ability to climb and claw attacks.

Basically you're on your own here, you have to decide if it makes sense for worgs to be able to climb or not. I'd allow it, since the description doesn't say they can't.

I ultimately decided to give the worg a -8 penalty to the attempt. I did manage to get into the tree, but the PCs killed it before it could get high enough to reach them. It wound up being moot, as after a couple of rounds exchanging missile fire with the party, the goblins decided to would be easier to burn the tree down.

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful comments. I'll certainly keep them in mind for the next odd situation that comes up.

 

[Thurbane]

I ultimately decided to give the worg a -8 penalty to the attempt.

I think that's a fair ruling.

 

[Vahktang]

In a world where you can 'track a hawk on a cloudy day', give them a check.
Give a big minus, but give them a check.

Yes, the party should be able to make common sense decisions, dogs/wolves don't climb trees.
But, worgs, may.

Recently, we had a hyena animal companion and a druid as a crocodile climb a wall.
They both had a +20 to the check because of a spell, so, I allowed it.

It's fun, it's funny, it raises the fantasy factor.

Fifteen birds in five fir trees

Now if Gandalf could go mano-a-mano against The Balrog of Moria, why was he running from goblins?

Had the wrong spells prepared (he was a wizard)
If there had been worgs rather a balrog in the mine, the book may had ended there.

Originally Posted by mwaite
I ultimately decided to give the worg a -8 penalty to the attempt.


I think that's a fair ruling.

Ditto

 

[Andion Isurand]

Now here is a funny thought... how poorly do Centaurs, Bariaurs and Wemics climb?

Imagine them doing pull ups or a handstand...