| Vargock |
Hi! So, I think there's some weird implications in Climb Speed rules that kind of cripple certain abilities of iconic creatures.
As per RAW, Climbing Speed in Second Edition allows creatures to automatically succeed on all the "Climb" checks while climbing up and down "inclines and vertical surfaces". It also replaces the distance you can move on success from listed in the "Climb" action entry to your Climb Speed. Yet, it specifies that "You might still have to attempt Athletics checks to Climb in hazardous conditions, to Climb extremely difficult surfaces, or to cross horizontal planes such as ceilings". So, climbing ceilings still requires a "Climb" check. But do not worry — "Your climb Speed grants you a +4 circumstance bonus to Athletics checks to Climb".
I assume that's how it works both for PCs and Monsters. The PC part I understand — this edition seems to be very restrictive with giving PCs different types of movement and that seems to be in line with other design choices of the sort. But the Monster part creates an interesting issue — what about spiders (or any other creatures of "climbing kind" for that matter)?
"What about them?" indeed. Each Spider-kin monster that we have in this game at the moment possesses Climb Speed like any respectable member of the arachnid family. So, that means that they can climb up and down walls. BUT, ceilings are still an uncharted territory that forces those poor things to make "Climb" like any other non-arachnid peasant. It's already getting weird, as Spiders are renowned for their incredible climbing capabilities both in the real world and in the worlds of fantasy, but it only gets weirder from here.
If this was a strict and intended mechanic — to make traversing ceilings hard even for the creatures with Climb Speed — it would be understandable if somewhat weird design choice. But there are TWO (at least) exceptions: "Black Pudding" (Bestiary 1, pg.255) and "Wizard Sponge" (Bestiary 3, pg.294).
Those two creatures that have a unique creature ability called "Suction" that allows them, and I quote: "climb on ceilings and other inverted surfaces". For "Black Pudding", there is also a note that says "Though such surfaces are difficult terrain for it".
Due to the ambiguous writing of this ability, I can only assume that it expands the limits of Climb Speed, allowing those creatures to traverse designated surfaces without making Climb checks.
If my interpretation is correct, then my question is why only those two creatures among dozens (if not hundreds) of other creatures have this unique ability to Climb ceilings with ease? Wouldn't Spiders, the literal embodiment of wall-climbers, benefit from it?
P.S. Hope this little rant didn't sound too pushy — I'm just really curious if this was an intended design choice or just the result of a complex rule set acting weird when applied to different creatures.