Movement types on uneven grounds

[_benno]

I know there are already some Threads about uneven ground. But here are some questions that I feel have not been answered completely yet.

1. What does 'or risk falling prone' mean in terms of the rules? Do you have to make a reflex save possibly?
2. Does falling prone while using another move action also end your turn?
3. When do you fall prone while using another move action? (start, end,...)
4. Can you stand up (also a move action) without risking falling falling prone?
5. Can you start using a different speed like fly speed or burrow speed on uneven ground? Do you risk falling prone than?
6. If I leap into uneven ground do I risk falling prone? Whats with leaping out of uneven ground? What about stepping?

[BloodandDust]

As I read it, on uneven ground you replace most normal ground-based move options with the Balance action from Acrobatics.

Balance is a single action that includes the success and failure rules and defines how far you move. The only missed item I think is whether Balance provokes attack of opportunity (like stride) or not (like step). I’m inclined to think that it does provoke like a stride since Balance does not have “does not provoke” language.

Flight would be not a ground-based move and, since you would not be interacting with the ground, not sure I see an interaction.

Whether or not you can use burrow is a gm call, but you should not need help there, your good sense should suffice.

[_benno]

BloodandDust wrote:

As I read it, on uneven ground you replace most normal ground-based move options with the Balance action from Acrobatics.

Balance is a single action that includes the success and failure rules and defines how far you move. The only missed item I think is whether Balance provokes attack of opportunity (like stride) or not (like step). I’m inclined to think that it does provoke like a stride since Balance does not have “does not provoke” language.

Flight would be not a ground-based move and, since you would not be interacting with the ground, not sure I see an interaction.

Whether or not you can use burrow is a gm call, but you should not need help there, your good sense should suffice.

Flight itself is not ground based, but landing and starting would be, or wouldn't it?

[breithauptclan]

Looking at the rules for Uneven Ground. What I see is that it is a terrain type similar to difficult terrain. It doesn't really specify what move actions are or are not allowed, but it does reference the Balance action - which implies that you have to use that to change your grid position instead of using Stride or Step.

_benno wrote:

1. What does 'or risk falling prone' mean in terms of the rules? Do you have to make a reflex save possibly?

You have to use the Balance action to move around on uneven ground. Which as BloodandDust mentions, has failure results that involve falling.

There is also the last sentence: 'Each time you are hit by an attack or fail a save on uneven ground, you must succeed at a Reflex save (with the same DC as the Acrobatics check to Balance) or fall prone.'

Whether the fall does damage or not depends on what the GM has decided for the specifics of the terrain.

_benno wrote:

2. Does falling prone while using another move action also end your turn?

It is part of the Balance action to end your turn if you fall. So if you are using some other action to move around, then no.

_benno wrote:

3. When do you fall prone while using another move action? (start, end,...)

You would have to look at the rules for those other move actions.

_benno wrote:

4. Can you stand up (also a move action) without risking falling falling prone?

Probably. I don't see that it is prevented. You would still be in the uneven ground, so would still be flat-footed.

_benno wrote:

5. Can you start using a different speed like fly speed or burrow speed on uneven ground? Do you risk falling prone than?

Well, at that point you aren't on the uneven ground if you are flying over it or burrowing under it.

_benno wrote:

6. If I leap into uneven ground do I risk falling prone? Whats with leaping out of uneven ground? What about stepping?

I don't think that Step is allowed on uneven ground. Same as with difficult terrain. I am not sure about Leap or Jump.

Long Jump you would need Quick Jump or equivalent since you can't Stride while in uneven terrain. Though I could probably be convinced to allow the Balance action to replace it as long as you do well enough to move the required distance.

When doing Leap or Jump out of uneven terrain, I would probably call for either a Balance check - same as when doing an equivalent of Stride. When doing Leap or Jump into uneven terrain, I would probably call for a Reflex save - same as when you take damage. But those are just my rulings on it since it doesn't specify anything.

BloodandDust wrote:

The only missed item I think is whether Balance provokes attack of opportunity (like stride) or not (like step). I’m inclined to think that it does provoke like a stride since Balance does not have “does not provoke” language.

It does cover this. Balance has the Move trait - meaning that by default it will provoke reactions that trigger on the Move trait such as Attack of Opportunity or Stand Still.

Step has a specific rule text that prevents triggering reactions.

[_benno]

breithauptclan wrote:

_benno wrote:

1. What does 'or risk falling prone' mean in terms of the rules? Do you have to make a reflex save possibly?

You have to use the Balance action to move around on uneven ground. Which as BloodandDust mentions, has failure results that involve falling.

How is it Balance OR risk fall prone than? It would be Balance AND risk fall prone.

But thanks for your answer. It seems to me that there is a big hole in this part of the rules:/

[Squiggit]

Well, if you fail to Balance, you fall prone. If you successfully balance, you don't.