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I'm sure this has been discussed before, but my search-fu is not working so perhaps it is lost in the archives.
If you have to jump across a 10ft wide pit, what is the DC?
From my perspective, jumping is no different than standard movement with respect to distance covered. You can jump up to your speed with a successful check.
Therefore, I call clearing a 10ft pit a DC 15 (assuming a running start) because you have to make it to the square beyond the pit which requires 15 feet of movement. But when I say that, I sometimes get strange looks from people. Am I doing it "wrong?"
One person claims it would only be a DC 10, but it costs you 15 feet of movement to account for the square beyond.
DC 11.
The universe isn't 5' squares. That's just a battle mat to help organize combat.
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).
This is kind of where subjective distance clashes with miniature based tactical distance. The miniature based system that uses 'squares' has alot of generalizations. For instance, 2 people could be in 'reality' 4 inches from eachother, but if they are in adjacent squares they are considered 5ft apart for tactical purposes.
In reality you only have to go 11ft or 12ft to jump over a 10ft wide pit, but the miniature system rounds that up to 15 because all movement happens in 5ft increments for convenience. Where as someone just talking about it without implementing it on a map might think 10ft jump = 10 feet of movement thus DC10, because if you are not using miniature based movement, its pretty subjective how far past the edge of the pit you actually have to jump in order to land saftely. That and the fact that it is unlikely (unless precisely engineered) that the pit is PRECISELY 10ft wide, and likely is just big enough to occupy 2 squares worth of space hence rounded to 10ft. So for many instead of trying to consider all these variables, they just assume you have to jump equal to the distance listed for the pit.
So you would rule that, tactically, to jump a 10ft pit would ideally be a DC 10 and require 25 feet of movement?
[10] for the running start + [10] for the pit + [5] for the landing "square"
If in a tactical situation, yes. If it was a non-tactical situation and there was space enough on both sides I would just require the dc 10 check and move on.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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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).
Not the distance peripherally involved, the distance to be crossed. The width of the pit/obstacle. The part you need to actually get across.
If you start including 5 for the "landing square" (which I would point out is not referenced or implied in any way, shape, or form in the rules), then it might sound reasonable for a 10ft gap, BUT...
What if it's a 5ft gap? DC 10, right?
So what if it's a 0-ft gap? What if it's literally a chalk line that you want to jump over? Since you're counting the "landing square", then a line becomes a DC 5. Something a person could just step across. Yet if they choose to jump (for whatever reason), suddenly Full-Plate Pally needs to roll a 10 or better (or a 14 or better if he's a dwarf!) to get across. And make that a 15 or better (19 or 20 for a dwarf) if there's no running start.
If your interpretation of Acrobatics DCs for jumping will take a surface you could walk across and make it a crapshoot for playing hopscotch on, you're doing something wrong.
You could also go with a range.
< DC-3: Complete miss! Splat!
DC-3 to DC-1: Almost! They hit the edge and get a reflex save to hang (failure means fall)
DC: On the edge! Balance check or go prone (or balance check to be able to continue moving or reflex save instead of balance; DC is low, but the idea is that you have a small chance to need a moment to stead)
> DC: Safe and sound! No further checks required.
I mean, I would call it DC 10 with 15' of movement required but the above breakdown gives some variety. It also lets poor guys with bad jump checks some room to wiggle over the edge.
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You could also go with a range.
< DC-3: Complete miss! Splat!
DC-3 to DC-1: Almost! They hit the edge and get a reflex save to hang (failure means fall)
DC: On the edge! Balance check or go prone (or balance check to be able to continue moving or reflex save instead of balance; DC is low, but the idea is that you have a small chance to need a moment to stead)
> DC: Safe and sound! No further checks required.I mean, I would call it DC 10 with 15' of movement required but the above breakdown gives some variety. It also lets poor guys with bad jump checks some room to wiggle over the edge.
That is built into the skill. From the PRD on acrobatics:
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). These DCs double if you do not have at least 10 feet of space to get a running start. The only Acrobatics modifiers that apply are those concerning the surface you are jumping from. If you fail this check by 4 or less, you can attempt a DC 20 Reflex save to grab hold of the other side after having missed the jump. If you fail by 5 or more, you fail to make the jump and fall (or land prone, in the case of a vertical jump). Creatures with a base land speed above 30 feet receive a +4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for every 10 feet of their speed above 30 feet. Creatures with a base land speed below 30 feet receive a –4 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for every 10 feet of their speed below 30 feet. No jump can allow you to exceed your maximum movement for the round. For a running jump, the result of your Acrobatics check indicates the distance traveled in the jump (and if the check fails, the distance at which you actually land and fall prone). Halve this result for a standing long jump to determine where you land.
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).Not the distance peripherally involved, the distance to be crossed. The width of the pit/obstacle. The part you need to actually get across.
If you start including 5 for the "landing square" (which I would point out is not referenced or implied in any way, shape, or form in the rules), then it might sound reasonable for a 10ft gap, BUT...
What if it's a 5ft gap? DC 10, right?
So what if it's a 0-ft gap? What if it's literally a chalk line that you want to jump over? Since you're counting the "landing square", then a line becomes a DC 5. Something a person could just step across. Yet if they choose to jump (for whatever reason), suddenly Full-Plate Pally needs to roll a 10 or better (or a 14 or better if he's a dwarf!) to get across. And make that a 15 or better (19 or 20 for a dwarf) if there's no running start.
If your interpretation of Acrobatics DCs for jumping will take a surface you could walk across and make it a crapshoot for playing hopscotch on, you're doing something wrong.
+1