Did an exhaustive search and was unable to find this addressed.
It’s practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 20) to do so. It’s much easier to catch yourself on a slope (DC = slope’s DC + 10).
If a Create Pit spell is cast and creatures over the pit fail their save, can they then use the Climb skill (DC 45) to catch themselves?
So if I cast the spell and a creature adjacent (described as a slope in the spell) fails his Reflex save - does it then get to make a DC 35 Climb check to avoid falling into the pit?
The spell description simply says that a failed save results in a fall. But the skill seems to allow yet another attempt to avoid taking damage.
Just want to make sure we have a consistent and RAW-compliant solution.
Did an exhaustive search and was unable to find this addressed.
It’s practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 20) to do so. It’s much easier to catch yourself on a slope (DC = slope’s DC + 10).If a Create Pit spell is cast and creatures over the pit fail their save, can they then use the Climb skill (DC 45) to catch themselves?
So if I cast the spell and a creature adjacent (described as a slope in the spell) fails his Reflex save - does it then get to make a DC 35 Climb check to avoid falling into the pit?
The spell description simply says that a failed save results in a fall. But the skill seems to allow yet another attempt to avoid taking damage.
Just want to make sure we have a consistent and RAW-compliant solution.
The way I see it you could try it for the wall but not for the slope. My reason would be that the slope has no climb DC given (or has it?). By doing that the victim could prevent taking falling damage and reduce the way it has to climb to get out of the pit.
With no DC for the slope, it could be argued that a climb check would automatically succeed or maybe it would have to be made at DC 10 (0 + 10). But the GM decided to just go with the 25 DC of the pit as mentioned in the spell.
It just seems odd to me that one could fail the save in the spell but not immediately suffer the effects of the spell due to an interrupting skill check.
Did an exhaustive search and was unable to find this addressed.
It’s practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC = wall’s DC + 20) to do so. It’s much easier to catch yourself on a slope (DC = slope’s DC + 10).If a Create Pit spell is cast and creatures over the pit fail their save, can they then use the Climb skill (DC 45) to catch themselves?
So if I cast the spell and a creature adjacent (described as a slope in the spell) fails his Reflex save - does it then get to make a DC 35 Climb check to avoid falling into the pit?
The spell description simply says that a failed save results in a fall. But the skill seems to allow yet another attempt to avoid taking damage.
Just want to make sure we have a consistent and RAW-compliant solution.
Let's keep in mind that this is not some pit that's opening in the earth - its an extra-dimensional space (you could use it on the deck of a ship), and as such I'd rule that the walls are pretty much un-climbable. You can avoid falling in with a Reflex save or you can fly or teleport out, but the walls may as well be frictionless surfaces as far as my interpretation goes.
Don't the spells actually list climb DCs, implying that one can indeed climb out?
Well, the pit isn't un-climbable. The DC is given for climbing out of the pit (DC 25).
Where our confusion lies is that the Climb skill gives you a way to catch yourself while falling down a sheer surface (DC climb + 20) or a slope (DC climb + 10).
If there is a saving throw, should you also get this skill check?
I would consider allowing the skill for the following reason:
1) Isn't the spell considered a pretty potent one? Some spells require both an attack roll and a saving throw, so "double jeopardy' isn't unheard of when the writer considers it a powerful spell.
2) It would be a very difficult Climb DC to catch yourself, and thus a moot point in most cases.
3) Haven't there been 1001 threads about how useless some skills becomes at mid-level? This would be a pittance given to character who have invested more than a smattering in a skill like Climb.
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Well since there is no text in the Create Pit spell preventing this from working AND the DC for the spell is the same as the DC for a normal Brick wall AND the spell states that only the edges of the spell are sloped then YES a target should be able to make this check.
However remember that the normal DC for a slope too steep to walk out of is a DC 0 making it a DC 10 check to catch yourself from falling into the pit.
I believe that is superceded by the DC 25 for the typical brick wall this pit is referenced as having but expect to see that argument thrown around as well.
On a personal note I believe this is intentional effect to reduce the ridiculously overpowered nature of this spell otherwise it becomes a no chance auto-win spell for anyone who can't fly who falls into it.
Seems that the answer may be pit: yes, slope: no.
If you are over the pit and fail your save you fall into the pit, per the spell description. Once falling into the pit you can make a Climb check (DC 45) to arrest your fall.
If you are next to the pit and fail your save you fall into the pit, per the spell description. Once falling into the pit you can make the same Climb check as above.
At no point are you falling down a slope. You either save and are not falling or fail and start falling down the vertical pit.
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Seems that the answer may be pit: yes, slope: no.
If you are over the pit and fail your save you fall into the pit, per the spell description. Once falling into the pit you can make a Climb check (DC 45) to arrest your fall.
If you are next to the pit and fail your save you fall into the pit, per the spell description. Once falling into the pit you can make the same Climb check as above.
At no point are you falling down a slope. You either save and are not falling or fail and start falling down the vertical pit.
Thats odd since the spell does specifically state there is a slope.
In addition, the edges of the pit are sloped, and any creature ending its turn on a square adjacent to the pit must make a Reflex saving throw with a +2 bonus to avoid falling into it. Creatures subjected to an effect intended to push them into the pit (such as bull rush) do not get a saving throw to avoid falling in if they are affected by the pushing effect.
How difficult of a slope isn't stated but it is there.
Well I would assume the slope's climb DC is 0 since you can walk over this slope without penalty and the climb skill lists "A slope too steep to walk up, or a knotted rope with a wall to brace against." as DC 0.
No.. the opportunity to catch themselves is accounted for in the Reflex save.
That doesn't remove the rule that says you can use the climb skill to catch your fall.
I don't think you need a DC for the slope. If you are standing on the slope and fail your DC you fall into the pit. This is explicit in the spell description. You are not falling down a slope. You are falling in the pit.
Once you are falling, it is not guaranteed that you will hit the bottom. That much is not in the spell description.
You can save yourself with a Climb check to catch yourself. The difficulty of this would be DC:45 (DC 25 + 20).
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I don't think you need a DC for the slope. If you are standing on the slope and fail your DC you fall into the pit. This is explicit in the spell description. You are not falling down a slope. You are falling in the pit.
Once you are falling, it is not guaranteed that you will hit the bottom. That much is not in the spell description.
You can save yourself with a Climb check to catch yourself. The difficulty of this would be DC:45 (DC 25 + 20).
The rule you quoted specifies that if there is a slope you can try to catch yourself with a climb check and the spell specifies there is a slope so you should get that check there.
From the description of the spell it looks like the 5' area around the actual pit is a slope that goes down to the actual pit which drops down up to 30'.
It makes since to, make the save and avoid the issue completely, fail the save and make a skill check to halve the issue (no damage but prone and hanging by your finger tips over a pit for -4 to ac and denied your dex bonus) or fail the skill check and be completely taken out of the fight for however long the caster wants you to be gone.
Cinematic too, like Han Solo hanging onto the edge of the Saarlac pit at the mercy of any bad guy who decides to end him.
I like it, thanks for bringing this too my attention, I was thinking about banning this spell line but now I don't think it's necessary.
Finally something good for the martials to help against the caster disparity.