Ratfolk Roll is a pretty cool feat. But exactly how cool is it?
Your ability to curl up into a tight ball comes in handy. You roll up into a ball and move up to four times your Speed in a straight line down an incline. If you reach the bottom of the incline or hit an obstacle during this first turn of movement, you stop rolling safely. Otherwise, you automatically keep rolling at this Speed during subsequent turns until you hit the bottom of the incline or an obstacle ends this movement (which can happen in the middle of your turn). You're slowed 2 each turn after the first that you keep rolling, and if you hit an obstacle on a turn after the first, you and the obstacle both take 4d6 bludgeoning damage and you stop rolling.
At first I thought this was an ok, if expensive niche feat. Then I read into it a bit more and came to some surprising conclusions. I am posting to see if my read on this is reasonable.
So if I have this right, you can roll down an incline 4x your speed for 2 actions, then continue at that speed until you get to the bottom of that incline or hit something in the way. If this happens after your first turn rolling you take avg. 14 damage but otherwise are fine, not even prone.
The weird bits:
1. Aside from being slowed 2, there are no other restrictions placed on what you can and can't do with your remaining action. You could be tumbling 100 feet down a hill, then make an accurate shot with a firearm for example. Or you could "roll" a further 25 feet (assuming 25 speed character) by striding, but this time in any direction you want, including back up the hill.
2. There is no guidance given on the minimum and maximum angle that qualifies as an incline for Ratfolk Roll's purposes. How steep does a hill have to be to qualify? Does a vertical wall count? While I am a fan of leaving some specifics up to the gm, some guidance on this would be nice. Personally, I love the idea of a ratfolk rolling down a vertical wall stopping to take a shot with their Arquebus every 200 or so feet to account for a reload round.
Does that sound reasonable? If not, why?
For the point 1, no there are no restrictions. Still, the GM can apply some common sense (Striding looks a bit weird while doing a roll, even if I can see the Isoki accelerate/decelerate).
For the point 2, a wall is not an incline as it's vertical. I think the word incline is quite clear, I don't see your issue with it.
For the point 1, no there are no restrictions. Still, the GM can apply some common sense (Striding looks a bit weird while doing a roll, even if I can see the Isoki accelerate/decelerate).
For the point 2, a wall is not an incline as it's vertical. I think the word incline is quite clear, I don't see your issue with it.
Point 1, sure, you could impose some restrictions, but that is firmly in that age old, "house rule" territory that everyone around here dislikes so much. As worded there really isn't anything I'm aware of stopping such a character from using that action to do whatever they want, including striding right back up the hill they just rolled down. Which seems odd.
Point 2, you are correct that incline does not mean a vertical wall. But at what point do you really draw the line? Remember that the fiddlier the answer, the less useable the feat is in practical play. If the player has to ask if every slope happens to be steep enough for the feat, they likely just won't want to use the feat, or more likely, forget that they have it entirely.
Another area that will require gm adjudication I think. It should probably be looked at and clarified though.
Point 1, sure, you could impose some restrictions, but that is firmly in that age old, "house rule" territory that everyone around here dislikes so much. As worded there really isn't anything I'm aware of stopping such a character from using that action to do whatever they want, including striding right back up the hill they just rolled down. Which seems odd.
As long as you find a plausible explanation, I don't see why the GM would object. Accelerating/Decelerating is a good way to explain such movements. But "striding" during your roll doesn't sound logical.
Point 2, you are correct that incline does not mean a vertical wall. But at what point do you really draw the line? Remember that the fiddlier the answer, the less useable the feat is in practical play. If the player has to ask if every slope happens to be steep enough for the feat, they likely just won't want to use the feat, or more likely, forget that they have it entirely.
Between 5° and 85°. Before it's the ground after it's a wall.
Hope it helps!