Parkour Climbing

[Better_with_Bacon]

Good Evening Fellow Gamers,

In my campaign, I've encountered a bard who has really high acrobatics skill, and has wanted to use parkour-type skills to rapidly climb things.

His justification seemed reasonable, so I made a judgement call on the DC and counted it as accelerated climbing, and let him use his acrobatics skill instead of climb skill. He's fast enough that a 15-ft wall would have really been no problem for him, a double move and he would have cleared it with movement to spare.

I was wondering if there was a better way to do it. Or if you think it's reasonable to allow the ruling to stand?

(Obviously, you aren't going to Parkour up a mountainside, but running up a low wall seems to fit in the spirit.)

Thanks for your input.

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Haargoth]

Someone mentioned a rogue trick that delas with something like this. Other than that, I know of no other rules for it. As long as you both are happy with it, should be good. Just remember, that acrobatics skill will get higher and higher and may lead to abuse and/or absurd antics.

[Dazz]

Yeah, no rules specifically written but easily houseruled. Of course, it's notably harder to run straight up a wall than it is to climb it, so the DC is likely 5-10 points higher than the climb DC.

[Avatar-1]

Parkour is a combination of jumping and climbing. Just being able to jump really well won't cover the necessary climbing as well. If he can jump high enough to clear the obstacle, that's fine - but it's not parkour.

What was the hurdle he had to deal with, and why was acrobatics alone not enough in ordinary circumstances?

[Atarlost]

It's very obvious that the jump DCs don't match what it's possible to hurdle or wall run over from vids if teenagers and low twenty-somethings are not tricked out high level characters.

[Matthew Morris]

just remember, one does not need to yell "Parkour", to do Parkour.

[boring7]

DC 50 as of 3.5 D&D.

The text from here:

Tumble
The character can fall from great heights without taking damage, move greater distances with an adjustment, or “climb” vertical surfaces with a series of bounces.

DC Task
30 Treat a fall as if it were 20 feet shorter when determining damage.
35 Free stand.
45 Treat a fall as if it were 30 feet shorter when determining damage.
50 Climb vertical surface.
60 Treat a fall as if it were 40 feet shorter when determining damage.
100 Ignore falling damage.
Free Stand
The character can stand up from prone as a free action (instead of as a move-equivalent action).

Climb Vertical Surface
The character can climb up to 20 feet (as part of normal move-ment) by jumping and bouncing off walls, trees, or similar vertical surfaces. The character must have at least two vertical surfaces to bounce off, and the two must be within 10 feet of each other.

Ignore Falling Damage
The character can fall from any height and take no damage.

To be honest though, acrobatics got an upgrade from previous versions for a reason, so mayhaps a lower number would be in order. DM's call since we're already using non-standard rules here.

A 15 foot jump (high jump that is) is DC 60, for the record. Arguably you only have to make about 10 feet (DC 40) to get within arm's reach of the top, and pull yourself over without too much trouble.

And let's be real, when we're playing with extraordinary and paranormal characters on level with dudes who can transform into dragons, a little bit of fun with acrobatics isn't that big a deal.