Acrobatics skill is the ability to control your actions in the air. Uses of this skill include vaulting fences, swinging on ropes, and landing on your feet after a fall.
Acrobatics Roll: ((DEX - 15) x 3) + (Rank x 5)
Free Move - In combat situations, combatants are allowed to make a 5 foot "free move" with losing any attacks or initiative. This distance is extended for Acrobats who make a successful Acrobatics roll. Compare the roll to the table below.
- Blunder - Terrible acrobatics move. Lose all attacks and land flat on back for 1d6 damage (could be more depending on surface).
- Absolute Failure - Bad acrobatics move. Lose all remaining attacks for the round.
- Failure - Acrobatics maneuver fails. Treat as normal move.
- Partial Success - 5 foot free move extended by 1 foot per 2 ranks.
- Near Success - 5 foot free move extended by 1 foot per rank.
- Success - 5 foot free move extended by 1.5 feet per rank.
- Absolute Success - 5 foot free move extended by 1.5 feet per rank and +10 to strike chance due to surprised foe.
Pole Vault – With the aid of a pole or staff, the acrobat can vault barriers. Maximum height is a factor of rank, die roll and pole length. Base height is equal to 10 feet plus 1 foot per rank and requires a pole with a length equal to 60% of the base height. Pole vaulting requires two skill rolls; one to vault and another to land safely if no protective matting is used to break the fall. Roll on the table below:
- Blunder - Good pole plant. One end into ground, the other into abdomen. 2d4 damage.
- Absolute Failure - Bad pole plant. Nasty skid marks. 1d4 damage (could be more depending on surface).
- Failure - Cleared Base Height – 25%.
- Partial Success - Cleared Base Height – 10%.
- Near Success - Cleared Base Height – 5%.
- Success or better - Cleared Base Height plus X%. X = (roll - 111) / 7 (example, rolled 150 so cleared base height by base plus 5.6%)
Drop Down – The Acrobat’s safe drop down height is equal to half DEX + 1 foot per rank. If the acrobat's drop is equal to or less than his safe drop down distance, then he may drop down, land on his feet and no roll is necessary. How much time he has left to act after dropping depends on movement prior to the drop down. If the acrobat has already moved half his movement prior to drop down, then he has no time left to act this round. Otherwise he has half the round left to act.
To drop down safely, make an Acrobatics roll modified by minus 3 per foot beyond safe drop down and compare it to the following table.
Note that the Drop Down rules/table are also used after a successful Pole Vault to land safely.
For someone without Acrobatics skill, safe drop down is equal to half DEX and a skill roll is made with a modifier equal to ((DEX - 15) x 3). The result is compared to the table below.
- Blunder - Really bad fall. 3d6 damage and two Grievous injuries. Knock unconscious for 10 minutes..
- Absolute Failure - Nasty fall. 3d4 damage and Grievous injury. Fall down. Stunned 1d4 rounds.
- Failure - 2d4 damage. Fall down. Lose one round recovering and one action getting to feet.
- Partial Success - 1d4 damage. –2 Initiative next round.
- Near Success - 1 damage. –1 Initiative next round.
- Success - Safe drop down.
- Absolute Success -Hit the ground running with half the round left.
High Jump – High jump refers to the acrobat’s ability to clear a barrier by diving over it head first, and then tucking into a roll and coming to their feet on the far side. The acrobat’s base high jump distance is equal to 5 feet plus 6 inches per rank. Thus, an acrobat with 6 ranks could clear an 8 foot barrier without touching it.
- Blunder - Slammed into the barrier. 2d6 damage and roll Grievous injury and stunned 2 rounds.
- Absolute Failure - Hit the barrier. 2d4 damage and stunned 2 rounds.
- Failure - Roll 1d2.
- 1) Hit the barrier and tumbled over. 1d6 and stunned 1 round.
- 2) Skidded on take off and aborted. Lose round.
- Partial Success - Cleared the barrier, brushing it. Awkward landing. –2 initiative next round.
- Near Success - Cleared the barrier, brushing it slightly. Slightly awkward landing. –1 initiative next round.
- Success - Cleared the barrier and landed smoothly (see Pole Vault above when trying to jump higher than base height).
- Absolute Success - Cleared the barrier with a foot to spare. Landed smoothly and have half the round to act.
Leap – As in leaping up to touch the ceiling or grab something. Base height is 8 feet plus plus 6 inches per rank. Use Jump table.
Standing Broad Jump – Base distance is 6 feet plus six inches per rank. Use the Jump table.
Running Broad Jump – Base distance is 6 feet plus 1 foot per rank. Use the Jump table.
Jump Table
- Blunder - Slipped and fell. 1d4 damage.
- Absolute Failure - Slipped. Half base.
- Failure - Base - 25%
- Partial Success - Base - 10%
- Near Success - Base – 5%%
- Success - Base
- Absolute Success - Base + 10%
Swinging – The acrobat can safely swing on an anchored rope. Use the drop down table to determine total effect.
Balancing – An Acrobat can walk along a very narrow surface or even a rope. Walking across a narrow surface (e.g., the top of a narrow wall, gives the Acrobat a base TMR equal to half normal (for treacherous surfaces or conditions such as high winds, the GM may rule that their TMR is reduced further, they suffer a penalty to their skill roll, or both. A roll is required on the first round and then another roll is required every X rounds thereafter, where X is equal to Rank. Tightrope walking is more difficult (-10% to roll if acrobat has a 10 foot pole, -25% if not, somewhere in between if Acrobat has shorter pole). Base TMR is equal to one quarter normal. GM may apply further penalties based on tautness of rope.
- Blunder - Bad fall. Roll Grievous injury in addition to other effects of fall.
- Absolute Failure - Fall. Exact results depend on distance of fall (See Drop Down rules).
- Failure - No progress this round. Roll again next round.
- Partial Success - 50% TMR until next roll.
- Near Success - 75% TMR until next roll.
- Success - No problems.
- Absolute Success - Can skip next roll, or double TMR until next roll (Acrobat’s choice).
Acrobatics and Rope Mastery – Acrobats who also have Rope Mastery skill have a “Swinging” TMR, allowing them to move by lassoing tall objects and swinging from location to location. This can only be done in environments where there is a plethora of outcroppings suitable for lassoing. TMR is equal to normal TMR (c.f., Agility) plus the lesser of Acrobatics or Rope Mastery skill. If the lesser of the two is rank 6 or higher, then double rank to determine TMR. Triple rank at rank 10 or higher and quadruple rank at rank 15 and higher.
Acrobatics and Climbing – Acrobats who also have Climbing skill can ascend and descend vertical and near vertical surfaces with startling speed, provided such surfaces have numerous protrusions (e.g., trees, very rough walls, etc.). This ability is a short-term “momentum” effect and requires a running start of at least a few feet on a solid surface. Use the lesser of Acrobatics and Climbing skill on the table below.
Rank | Effect |
10 | Can run up or down a tree or very rough wall at one quarter TMR for one round. Must have readily accessible branches or outcroppings. |
12 | As above but can move at half TMR for two rounds. |
15 | As above but can move at full TMR for three rounds. |
Acrobatics and Diving – Acrobats who also have Diving skill at rank 6 or higher can leap completely clear of the water. Maximum height is equal to 1 foot per rank of Acrobatics skill or Diving skill, whichever is lower. For example, a rank 8 Acrobat with Diving at rank 5 cannot perform this action. If he raises his Diving skill to rank 6, then he can leap out of the water 6 feet.
Martial Artists – Acrobats who are also single-classed martial artists can perform truly spectacular feats upon reaching rank 15 in both Acrobatics and Climbing, and rank 12 in their profession. They can move at full TMR up and down vertical surfaces, regardless of how smooth or unstable the surface! Drop down distance is doubled for such characters. Upon reaching rank 15 in their profession, and rank 16 in acrobatics, their jumping distances also double.
Rank 8 – Safe Drop Down height increases to DEX plus 1 foot per rank.
Rank 12 – Safe Drop Down height increases to DEX plus 2 feet per rank. |