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Seems like there has been a ton of questions about acrobatics in Pathfinder RPG. My son brought up something that I was concerned that he read it wrong and more concerned if he read it right.
On page 87 at the end of the first paragraph it says "If you take damage while using Acrobatics, you must immediately make another Acrobatics check at the same DC to avoid falling or being knocked prone." Now I know this is in the section that might be called balance but I wondered if this pertained to all acrobatics checks since it is written that way. If it is it really sucks for the poor guy trying to tumble past an opponent since not only would he be hit but he might find himself on his butt very soon. I understand the risk to tumbling past an opponent to be that you might get smacked good if you fail. This seems like a little much to me since there are few way of getting up without attracting another AoO.
Seems like there has been a ton of questions about acrobatics in Pathfinder RPG. My son brought up something that I was concerned that he read it wrong and more concerned if he read it right.
On page 87 at the end of the first paragraph it says "If you take damage while using Acrobatics, you must immediately make another Acrobatics check at the same DC to avoid falling or being knocked prone." Now I know this is in the section that might be called balance but I wondered if this pertained to all acrobatics checks since it is written that way. If it is it really sucks for the poor guy trying to tumble past an opponent since not only would he be hit but he might find himself on his butt very soon. I understand the risk to tumbling past an opponent to be that you might get smacked good if you fail. This seems like a little much to me since there are few way of getting up without attracting another AoO.
I do not have any documentation to support my opinion but I am positive this would not pertain to tumble as you only have to make the one tumble check to avoid the AO. If this was in the "balance" section I would assume it would pertain only to that feature.
Since acrobatics is one big section I was worried their rules were universal for the whole acrobatics skill. When it is phrased like that it makes it even worse.
That's how we play it: Fail the acrobatics check, they get their AoO. If they hit, make another check or fall prone.
I am curious, too, I think I will FAQ this one.
Actually it is a dangerous proposition. If lets say you attack then tumble away. Failing your tumble check you are hit by the opponent and fail another tumble. Now you are on the ground until your next turn which mean the opponent not only gets an attack on a prone target but a AoO when you get up. Getting hit is bad enough for a mobile character but to be triple hit can cause a character death.
Is there an official ruling on this?
In my game, you can stand from prone without provoking with a successful acrobatics check since acrobatics lets you move through a threatened area.
I will FAQ this one as well, though I think it is meant be for balancing only.
Also FAQ'd - the layout of the different ways you can use the skill leads me to suspect this is just for balancing, however I can easily see it pertaining to the skill as a whole as well.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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This doesn't come up to often in my sessions but I would think the DC should be 10 plus damage dealt that way getting hit by a Barbarian is gonna be worse than a Wizard hardly poking you with his Quarterstaff.
Just to play devil's advocate here, you could argue that getting hit by that Barbarian *will* be worse, because he has a higher CMD than the Wizard. Since the Tumble DC is based on the opponent's CMD, you achieve a similar effect, and it's easier to use the same DC than to calculate 10 + damage.
"You can use Acrobatics to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground without falling. A successful check allows you to move at half speed across such surfaces—only one check is needed per round. Use the following table to determine the base DC, which is then modified by the Acrobatics skill modifiers noted below. ]b]While you are using Acrobatics in this way[/b], you are considered flat-footed and lose your Dexterity bonus to your AC (if any). If you take damage while using Acrobatics, you must immediately make another Acrobatics check at the same DC to avoid falling or being knocked prone."
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I would think "in this way" refers to balancing, and not using the skill in its entirety. Notice this paragraph ends and the next one begins:
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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.
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This shows that this is a separate way to use the skill with its own rules. After this it finally goes on to the last way to use the skill with yet another set of rules.
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"Finally, you can use the Acrobatics skill to make jumps or to soften a fall. The base DC to make a jump is equal to the distance to be crossed (if horizontal) or four times the height to be reached (if vertical)....."
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All of this combines shows that the rules are different for each particular use.
Balance, and acrobatics, and jump all former 3.5 skills have their own sections within acrobatics.
edit:added dotted lines to better show separation of paragraphs
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RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I rule while moving on uneven ground or a narrow surface, taking damage leads to falling prone if another check is failed.
If you are going through a threatened square and fail your check, the opponent gets an AoO. But since you are not on uneven ground or a narrow surface, you don't need to check to see if you fall prone.
Now if you are going through a threatened space that is uneven ground or a narrow surface, fun begins:
Check 1 - Make the check to move, fail check and fall. According to rules, no AoO if falling prone.
Check 2 - Make the check to pass the threatened area, fail the check and take the AoO. If the AoO hits, you take damage, and and have to remake Check 1 or fall.
TA DA!: Make check 1) and check 2) = good times