FAQ & Clarity on Acrobatics


Rules Questions

Sovereign Court

I read this in the FAQ, and I feel kinda stupid now--does this suggest that you can actually use acrobatics up to two times in a round (1st on the move AND also in place of the standard action?

Acrobatics: What happens if I fail the check when using this skill to move through an enemy's square?
You lose the move action and provoke an AOO. (Note: This means you can attempt this up to two times in the same round, once as a move action and once as a standard action.)

Update: Page 88—In the Acrobatics skill, at the end of the third paragraph (which begins on page 87), add the following sentence: “If you attempt to move through an enemy’s space and fail the check, you lose the move action and provoke an attack of opportunity.”


Erm, you only have 1 move action and 1 standard action per round.
You can choose to use your standard action as a second move action, but in that case you'd never get more to use acrobatics more than twice per turn.

Sovereign Court

I mis-read the FAQ, and edited my op.

So it looks like you can try on the move, and if you fail, you can try again, but you wouldn't get to attack if you do. I'm confused by it saying "once as a standard action" rather than just saying "as a second move action.


First, there's no "second move" action in Pathfinder. Each round, you get (1) one swift action, and either (2a) one full-round action, or (2b) one standard and one move action. "Double-move" means you use your standard action to move as well.

As for your actual question, using Acrobatics to move through another character's square is not an action as such, it's done as part of the move action. So let's say you have a move of 8 squares and start out with two squares between you and your opponent. You then first spend 2 squares to move up to the opponent, then two each for entering your opponent's square, leaving your opponent's square, and leaving his threatened square (assuming you didn't just want to go through him to flank or something). If you fail, your opponent gets an AoO and you stop right next to him. If you want to, you can try again with your standard action, but then you won't get to attack. After that, your round is over.


You're over thinking this. You can "trade down" your Standard Action for a Move Action. But it still remains your "standard action".

You can take a move action in place of a standard action. If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move action for one or more equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step either before, during, or after the action.


I think the confusion comes from the term "Move action".

Move Action is a term used in PF/D&D to specify an action that takes a bit less time than a standard action, and therefore can only do a limited amount of things. One of those thinks is actually moving, which often gets called "move action" too. Maybe calling it "movement action" would reduce the confusion a bit. Drawing a weapon or so is another thing you can do with this action
Standard action is a bit longer than the Move action, and therefor allows more complex things like attacking or casting a spell. But it also allows everything that the Move action does. Like actually moving.

That does not mean you have two Move Actions (the D&D term) but two "movement actions", one as your real Move action the other as your Standard action.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Perhaps in the future you'd be better off deleting and re-posting than editing the OP. ;)

Grand Lodge

Acrobatics is not an action, but is part of movement. You can use it as many times in a round as you need to, as long as you don't fail a check, which for several (or most) usages ends the move action.

Sovereign Court

Starglim wrote:
Acrobatics is not an action, but is part of movement. You can use it as many times in a round as you need to, as long as you don't fail a check, which for several (or most) usages ends the move action.

This response seemed the most helpful.

I'm clear on the move action stuff.
The thing I didn't realize, according to Starglim, is that you can, "use it as many times in a round as you need to."

THAT's a big clarifying point for me.

Example, assuming we all know standard versus movement actions.....

The fighter wishes to run past 2 goblins in a row who stand between him and the Golden Cup. His movement is 30, and the cup is 30 feet away. The goblins are 5 feet from him, two in a row, in a 5' passageway.

Illustration: F=Fighter, x=empty square, G=Goblin, C=Golden Cup, (space_)=beginning of second movement action

555555
FxGGxx_C

FIGHTER MOVES THROUGH 2 ENEMY GOBLINS:
He uses acrobatics on his move a total of 3 times. First to pass through the first goblin, second to pass through the second goblin, and third to move out of the last threatened square.

Once past that fifth square, he uses his standard action as a move action to grab the Golden Cup. Ta-da!

Question: ? The fundamental issue I had was wondering if the number of "acrobatics checks" had anything to do with the actual number of "attacks" the player, per his level, receives? From the above comments, the acrobatics checks are limitless so long as they are reasonable and performed as part of a movement action.

Does this sound accurate?

Sovereign Court

From the PRD: "In addition, you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics. When moving in this way, you move at half speed. You can move at full speed by increasing the DC of the check by 10. You cannot use Acrobatics to move past foes if your speed is reduced due to carrying a medium or heavy load or wearing medium or heavy armor. If an ability allows you to move at full speed under such conditions, you can use Acrobatics to move past foes. You can use Acrobatics in this way while prone, but doing so requires a full-round action to move 5 feet, and the DC is increased by 5. If you attempt to move though an enemy's space and fail the check, you lose the move action and provoke an attack of opportunity."

Question: I guess I forgot the "moving at half speed" part.
So, any time a player uses acrobatics to move through a threated square without provoking an AOO we increase the DC +10.

So in the example of the Fighter moving past the goblins (above)... The first Acrobatics check is versus(Goblins CMD +10 +5) to move at full speed and through an enemy space, and the then versus the second goblin (CMD +5 +10 +2) since it is the second creature the fighter is moving past at full speed. The third check to move out of the last threatened square would likely just be the goblin's CMD.

Total of three checks are needed (regardless of player level).
Three checks would be:
> CMD+10+5 (pass through the first goblin's square, at full speed)
> CMD+10+5+2 (pass through the second goblin's square at full speed)
> CMD (leave a threatened square)

Do I have this right, or am I still doin fuzzy math?


Pax Veritas wrote:

Total of three checks are needed (regardless of player level).

Three checks would be:
> CMD+10+5 (pass through the first goblin's square, at full speed)
> CMD+10+5+2 (pass through the second goblin's square at full speed)
> CMD (leave a threatened square)

I've always played that it's one check per opponent regardless of whether you just move through the threatened area or move through his square.

If we look at the same situation but make it a 10' wide corridor it would only require two checks. In a 5' corridor it should still be just two checks only now the DC is higher (DC+5).

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

You only make one check per foe.


Sorry fo the necroposting, but I need a clarification: let's say we're in a 5 ft. wide tunnel.

A(G1)(G2)(G3)_____

A is the PC (halfling, 20 ft move, so double move needed), G# are the goblin or whatever. Let's suppose I want to pass over the goblins. Tipical DCs are: 17, 19, 21 (goblin DMC 12, +5 for passing through, +2 for each goblin after the 1st).

Let's say I roll, in order, 22, 25, and 15. OMG! I cannot pass through G3, and I remain stuck in G2 square. Where I go? Do I go back to A starting position? Do I stuck with G2 and squeeze me and he? Do I pass anyway on the other side?

Basically, where I go if when I lose movement I'm in an occupied square?

Note that the occupied square can be occupied by ANYTHING.

Sczarni

You return to the last legal square.

In this case, back at the beginning.

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