So, my apologies in advance for this post, pretty sure the answer will be 'No.' but I nonetheless think it'll generate an interesting conversation.
My question kinda is a call back to ye-olde-but-goodie 'what exactly DOES a trick attack look like?' In this case, I'm thinking about the use of Athletics skill checks as part of the Stunt and Strike variation. I could see perhaps that one's raw strength or skill unbalances the opponent, be it by footwork or a rapid change in the location or method of a strike, bait, or block.
Then (while trying to find items/feats/abilities that provide a bonus to Athletics checks, I realized any potential bonuses were worded to help a particular Skill TASK - meaning Jump, Swim, Climb et al. - not just Athletics. Which led me to ask, well, a crazy Jump certainly could be a trick, that's possibly an easier way to describe it/roll play it, plus the mechanics are there to do it, and the equipment is there to let me pull it off more frequently.
So, taking this all to it's natural conclusion the questions become:
When performing a Stunt and Strike (or Trick Attack), are you rolling a baseline Skill Check and role playing the results (Athletics, Intimidate...), or can you roll a specific Skill Task (Jump, Demoralize). If a specific skill is allowed, that would imply that Bionic Knees (cybernetics) and Leapers (light armor upgrade) would help meet the 20+CR DC.
When rolling the Skill Check portion of a Trick Attack/Stunt and Strike (regardless of the ruling above), are you able to actually DO the skilled activity? That is, CAN one actually Jump when rolling their jump-task athletics-check. Could one Demoralize when rolling their demoralize-task intimidate-check?
For the record, I assume the answer is no. You could potentially do those things, if they'd be allowed as part of the movement portion of your Trick Attack/Stunt and Strike Full Action. And even if it were possible to Stunt via Jump, if I were also Jumping against environmental factors as a part of movement, I wouldn't be able to use the movement roll for both but rather would need to roll Jump AGAIN against the Stunt DC.
I'd be interested in hearing others thoughts! Hope this isn't coming from a Power Gamer I Want To Break The Game part of me, but as hard as i try to reign that jerk in, he does like to whisper in my ear plenty :-)
[edit: edits]
