What is to keep people from simply jumping over difficult terrain, essentially bypassing it entirely? (And don't say low Acrobatics checks.)
Nothing, that's what jump is for. Difficult terrain still prevents you from taking a 5ft step.
|
You first need 10 feet non-difficult terrain to get a running start - or the DC doubles. And you need to have non-difficult terrain to land if you want to carry on moving afterwards.
So if you have 10 feet normal terrain, 10 feet difficult terrain and 10 feet normal terrain in a single line - go ahead and do a jump check (DC10) - you should be fine. Not sure this scenario is very common.
Now knowing how your questions are often asked I assume this is not a scenario you are after. You likely want to jump into difficult terrain and move on after the jump.
Nothing says it can't be done - but nothing says it can be done. So if you do this on my table you move ends at the end of the jump (or before if your movement runs out).
So why do people not jump often?
Because there isn't often a good situation to actually jump in a sensible way.
You first need 10 feet non-difficult terrain to get a running start - or the DC doubles. And you need to have non-difficult terrain to land if you want to carry on moving afterwards.
So if you have 10 feet normal terrain, 10 feet difficult terrain and 10 feet normal terrain in a single line - go ahead and do a jump check (DC10) - you should be fine. Not sure this scenario is very common.
Now knowing how your questions are often asked I assume this is not a scenario you are after. You likely want to jump into difficult terrain and move on after the jump.
Nothing says it can't be done - but nothing says it can be done. So if you do this on my table you move ends at the end of the jump (or before if your movement runs out).
The rules don't require you to take a separate move action for difficult terrain; the rules just double the expended movement when you do so.
I don't see any problem with a monk, speed 50', moving 10 feet through normal terrain, jumping 20 feet, then landing and moving another 10 feet at half speed through difficult terrain. This seems to be how the rules deal with normal/difficult terrain.
If you accept that the word Run in this sentance
You can't run or charge across difficult terrain.
Is the same as the word running in this sentance
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.
Then you need non-difficult terrain in order to get your running start. Though if you have a sufficiently high acrobatics check you could just make a standing jump.
If you accept that the word Run in this sentance
You can't run or charge across difficult terrain.Is the same as the word running in this sentance
Then you need non-difficult terrain in order to get your running start. Though if you have a sufficiently high acrobatics check you could just make a standing jump.
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.Running start simply means that you're moving, it's not literally the same as running.
For example, a running start in a car race rarely involves the driver running.
In this case though it may refer to actually running.
I think it is nebulous enough to be under the realm of dm discretion, which is why I said if you accept it. It makes sense to me that difficult terrain would keep you from building up enough speed to get a 'running start'.
|
|
I don't see any problem with a monk, speed 50', moving 10 feet through normal terrain, jumping 20 feet, then landing and moving another 10 feet at half speed through difficult terrain. This seems to be how the rules deal with normal/difficult terrain.
This should be fine - provided you tell ahead of time how far you want to jump. Want to do the above - fine. Do a DC20 Acrobatics.
What I wouldn't allow is to make an Acrobatics check how far you jump and then let's move the character half speed any remaining distance.
Just wanted to point out that there is absolutely nothing preventing someone from making multiple smaller jumps as part of the same action.
Therefore, you could bunny hop from one square to the next until you run out of movement. The DC could be anywhere from 12 to 20, depending on circumstance and one's interpretation. You might even be able to do a 5 foot step jump in this manner.
.
Which set of DCs would you rule as correct for a 5-foot jump in difficult terrain?
5 distance x 2 standing long jump + 2 unstable surface = DC 12
5 distance x 2 standing long jump + 5 unstable surface = DC 15
VS
(5 distance + 2 unstable surface) x 2 standing long jump = DC 14
(5 distance + 5 unstable surface) x 2 standing long jump = DC 20
I don't see any problem with a monk, speed 50', moving 10 feet through normal terrain, jumping 20 feet, then landing and moving another 10 feet at half speed through difficult terrain. This seems to be how the rules deal with normal/difficult terrain.This should be fine - provided you tell ahead of time how far you want to jump. Want to do the above - fine. Do a DC20 Acrobatics.
What I wouldn't allow is to make an Acrobatics check how far you jump and then let's move the character half speed any remaining distance.
Obviously, I would announce a jumping distance that I KNOW I couldn't fail at. I would then make that same type of jump over and over again until I ran out of movement, effectively ignoring difficult terrain entirely.
EDIT: Also, I'm not talking about jumping over a small patch of difficult terrain by starting my movement in the clear, jumping over a patch (moving through its square), and ending my movement in the clear on the other side.
I'm asking if you can ignore difficult terrain via jumping when beginning in difficult terrain, entering other squares of difficult terrain, and then ending one's movement/jump in a square of difficult terrain.
The DCs would be higher due to the terrain, certainly, but if you can make them I see no reason your speed would be slowed down as you are moving OVER the terrain, not through it.
|
I don't see any problem with a monk, speed 50', moving 10 feet through normal terrain, jumping 20 feet, then landing and moving another 10 feet at half speed through difficult terrain. This seems to be how the rules deal with normal/difficult terrain.This should be fine - provided you tell ahead of time how far you want to jump. Want to do the above - fine. Do a DC20 Acrobatics.
What I wouldn't allow is to make an Acrobatics check how far you jump and then let's move the character half speed any remaining distance.
Obviously, I would announce a jumping distance that I KNOW I couldn't fail at. I would then make that same type of jump over and over again until I ran out of movement, effectively ignoring difficult terrain entirely.
EDIT: Also, I'm not talking about jumping over a small patch of difficult terrain by starting my movement in the clear, jumping over a patch (moving through its square), and ending my movement in the clear on the other side.
I'm asking if you can ignore difficult terrain via jumping when beginning in difficult terrain, entering other squares of difficult terrain, and then ending one's movement/jump in a square of difficult terrain.
The DCs would be higher due to the terrain, certainly, but if you can make them I see no reason your speed would be slowed down as you are moving OVER the terrain, not through it.
RAW, there is nothing against it, other than Rule 0.
RAW, there is nothing against it, other than Rule 0.
Yeah, but I figured some rules sticklers would say something like "jumping or not, you are still entering a square of difficult terrain and thus must pay the movement costs." That's why I asked the question, I wanted to see what the prevailing opinion was. It's a matter of rules VS concept.
Some people might argue that it works because he is jumping over the difficult terrain (concept guys). Others would argue that it doesn't because the jumper is still entering squares of difficult terrain (rules guys).
I'm actually quite surprised at how one sided it has been so far.
I don't have any problem with allowing jumps to be made from within difficult terrain. But I would probably only permit an acrobatics check per action taken. That is, a single acrobatics check per move action, or whatever.