A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
We had some conversation last night at our game table and I looked for some rules clarification/discussions on the Grease spell on the paizo forum. The clarification I got is listed below in more text than is needed....please let me know if you see any points of contention.
1. Moving through the area of a grease spell requires a person to move at half speed and a acrobatics check. Failure by 5 or more indicates they fall to the floor. Ok, that much we know...
2. A person who has fallen in the area of effect of a grease spell may stand as a move action. Standing provokes the standard attack of opportunity. Now this is a point of debate on the forums and never seemed to get settled. Does standing require an acrobatics check?
Move Action
A move action allows you to move your speed or perform an action that takes a similar amount of time. See Table: Move Actions.You can take a move action in place of a standard action. If you move no actual distance in a round (commonly because you have swapped your move for one or more equivalent actions), you can take one 5-foot step either before, during, or after the action.
I bolded the importand part because we all know you can take a 5-foor step and a standard action. And I do not consider standing to be defined as "moving actual distance" that might be a point of contection for some and a reasonable argument can be made for either.
So getting back on track.
IF you decide that standing required an acrobatics check and they made this check then they may proceed to 5 foot adjust out of the grease area of effect. If you do not require an acrobatics check to stand then to 5 foot adjust they need to make that acrobatics check now.
Ok...take a breath. Ready for the next part? let's go.
3. To move through the area you must make an acrobatics check and in doing so you are making yourself flat footed as per the acrobatics skill description.
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. While you are using Acrobatics in this way, 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.
So do not do this if you are engaged in fighting a rogue!!
4. Crawling
Crawling: You can crawl 5 feet as a move action.
Crawling incurs attacks of opportunity from any attackers
who threaten you at any point of your crawl. A crawling
character is considered prone and must take a move action
to stand up, provoking an attack of opportunity.
The rules are not crystal clear here but let's look at the Rogue Talent Rogue Crawl (PFRPG pg 68)
Rogue Crawl (Ex): While prone, a rogue with this ability can move at half speed. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal. A rogue with this talent can take a 5-foot step while crawling.
This implies that a rogue without this talent cannot take a 5-foot step while crawling. This runing would apply to everyone.
There are no rules (that i can find) written about if crawling helps you get out of a grease spell. I would use common sense and apply a +4 bonus for having all limbs on the ground in the effort to escape the area of effect of grease.
If you have anything to add please let me know. Feel free to discuss.
You can only take a 5-foot-step if your movement isn't hampered by difficult terrain or darkness.
Even though it's not explicitly stated in the Grease spell description, most people treat the area of grease as hampered movement/difficult terrain. (Grease also doesn't specify that the half-movement via Acrobatics is the same as using Acrobatics to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground without falling (resulting in being flat-footed while moving), but it's generally assumed as the intent.
Thank you Grick for that clarification. I will update.
The spell does not expressly state that it creates difficult terrain but common sense tells me otherwise.
I'm still unsure if one needs to make a acrobatics check to stand after having perviously fallen in the AOE of the spell. Standing is a move action however the spell description states walking within or through the area requires the acrobatics check. Standing is not walking...
But then it says creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check. Now it's using the term "move" and not walk. Gahhhhh <head explodes>
Thoughts?
Just because something is a move action doesn't mean it actually involves movement, this is especially relevant for 5' steps. You can draw a weapon (a move action) and step in the same round.
On the other hand, withdraw is a full-round action (and not a move action) that does involve movement and would cause you to risk falling in the grease.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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But then it says creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check. Now it's using the term "move" and not walk. Gahhhhh <head explodes>
Thoughts?
Remember that "move" and "move action" are not the same thing. "Move" generally means "travel from one square to another".
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So, I am bringing the thread back from obscurity.
We had a discussion about Grease that seemed silly. I think I was mistaken in one aspect, but I should explain.
We had a player go through two areas of Grease at full speed, making two different Reflex saves to go to the other side of the small room. Another player tried to inform that the person would have to move at half speed and must use acrobatics instead.
He had to roll acrobatics anyway to avoid being attacked by AoO by the creatures he was going past. (which failed while he made his reflex checks, go figure)
GM faint, guy went full speed and made it to the other end of the room.
Now.
In an ensuing conversation, it is mentioned that the spell says you can (I said may, but it says you can) use acrobatics. I take this to mean that you can forgo the use and try to go at it at full speed, making a reflex save at the higher DC.
The other side, by how it is written, you can acrobatics at half speed or stand still, argued that if you had the choice of moving at full speed, than, "as written," you wouldn't need to make the Reflex check at all, as that is only at the initial casting of the spell. (technically, true, I suppose)
There is also a question of if Standing up would need a Reflex Save, Acrobatics check, or nothing.
This thread answers a question, it is always half movement speed, but do you automatically use Acrobatics. I have GMed undead stuck in grease in the past, who, being undead, would not think to use Acrobatics, but try to forge on past the grease, thus having to make a Reflex Save instead. (Higher DC)
Standing up I have always believed needs another Reflex Save, not Acrobatics. (Your not actually moving, but it is a move to stand up) This is how it is usually done by the various GM's at the gaming table. I tend to think that a Reflex Save vs. Acrobatics is really up to rather the creature/character thinks to actually use Acrobatics or not.
There was something else that came up in passing. When an object is Greased, if the wielder initially makes the Reflex Save, then the effect is avoided. This means that the item is not greased and the spell ends. Most of the time, it is assumed that the item is greased anyway by most.
The Flatfooted thing is a consideration also, so if one still moves at half speed but makes the Reflex instead of using acrobatics, would this still be Flatfooted... hmmmmm.
Thoughts?
Reflex is only on the initial effect. Either to avoid a held item from getting greased, or to stay standing when their balance is thrown off.
item: If used on an item, and fail, they have to make a reflex every time they try to use it, per the grease spell.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/g/grease
The spell can also be used to create a greasy coating on an item. Material objects not in use are always affected by this spell, while an object wielded or employed by a creature requires its bearer to make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the effect. If the initial saving throw fails, the creature immediately drops the item. A saving throw must be made in each round that the creature attempts to pick up or use the greased item. A creature wearing greased armor or clothing gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist checks and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple, and to their CMD to avoid being grappled.
if used in an area, acrobatics would come into play, as you are trying to balance as you walk along. Standing is debatable. mindless... not sure if i like the literal: they have no skills so wont try to balance, ergo: they fall... or the untrained acro check... i think the first, while more accurate, may be a little broken, and humourous.