Climbing on the ceiling? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Climbing on the ceiling? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FeyearthDM
04-05-05, 02:42 PM I've just been DMing an encounter between the party (5 1st level PCs) and a splinterwaif (from MM3), fighting in an old abandoned warehouse. The 'waif is using its 50' Climb speed to move along wall, attack from above doorways, and I want to know if it should be able to move along the (wooden-beam) ceilings as well. If it can, what would its speed be?
:rolleyes:
golyrut113
04-05-05, 02:49 PM you use its standerd clime speed 50ft because because its triated as if it made the clime check to clime the ceiling
Keenath
04-05-05, 03:08 PM Um.
To expand on the above answer:

A creature with a climb speed still makes climb checks as outlined in the climb skill if the DC is higher than 0, but a successful check allows it to move its climb speed instead of one-quarter of its base speed. Additionally, it gains a +8 racial bonus on climb checks (which is already calculated in for creatures with climb speeds), and it can take 10 automatically under any situation, which means it can basically climb any surface up to DC 18+STR modifier without trying.

However, that said, the creature is still subject to the usual climbing rules -- it can't climb sheer surfaces or go across smooth ceilings without magic.

The physiology of the climber should come into it. For example, a human could easily cross a set of monkey-bars -- I mean, heck, grade-schoolers can, and they're not making DC 25 checks! -- while a leopard couldn't. (Assuming it can't, y'know, leap up on top of them. Maybe they're set close against a stone surface, I dunno.)

But, hey, DM choice. In a barn, the DM could easily declare that once you'd climbed a wall, you could RUN across the rafters (assuming long enough legs) and drop down somewhere else.

edit: Oh, yeah -- and the climber can take a -5 accelerated climb penalty to move twice its climb speed as a move action, BUT it can never exceed its base ground speed by doing this. (If the climb is faster than ground speed -- does that ever happen? -- then you can move that fast as a move action, but accelerated climbing is useless.)
Alcari Ambaron
04-05-05, 04:29 PM if you mean " can it run on a ceiling (normally impossible) with very large wooden beams?" i would say yes, since the Waif can still move on a wall-like sirface (90 degree angle with the ground)
Perun
04-05-05, 05:33 PM I've just been DMing an encounter between the party (5 1st level PCs) and a splinterwaif (from MM3), fighting in an old abandoned warehouse. The 'waif is using its 50' Climb speed to move along wall, attack from above doorways, and I want to know if it should be able to move along the (wooden-beam) ceilings as well. If it can, what would its speed be?
:rolleyes:

The splinterwaif has +13 modifier to its Climb check. CLimb DC to move on a ceiling with handholds but no footholds is 25. If he rolls 12+ on d20, it can do it, and it moves its climb speed (50 ft.) as a move action.

It can't, however, do it with a take 10, since it doesnt beat the Climb DC. So he, effectively, has 60% chance to fail (with all accompanying consequences; if he rolls 8-11 on d20, he can't move along the ceiling, if he rolls 7 or lower, he falls).

At least that's how I remember it working.
Rulebook
04-05-05, 08:18 PM what? it has a climb speed. it can move across non-floor survaces at its climb speed.

it only ever needs to make a climb check if someting strikes it rather hard or if the surface is -really- hard to scale. (an ice celing or something)
Colmarr
04-05-05, 09:41 PM From the SRD entry for climb speeds:

Climb: A creature with a climb speed has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. The creature must make a Climb check to climb any wall or slope with a DC of more than 0, but it always can choose to take 10 even if rushed or threatened while climbing. The creature climbs at the given speed while climbing. If it chooses an accelerated climb it moves at double the given climb speed (or its base land speed, whichever is lower) and makes a single Climb check at a –5 penalty. Creatures cannot run while climbing. A creature retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus on their attacks against a climbing creature.

Keenath is correct.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FeyearthDM 04-05-05, 02:42 PM	I've just been DMing an encounter between the party (5 1st level PCs) and a splinterwaif (from MM3), fighting in an old abandoned warehouse. The 'waif is using its 50' Climb speed to move along wall, attack from above doorways, and I want to know if it should be able to move along the (wooden-beam) ceilings as well. If it can, what would its speed be? :rolleyes:
golyrut113 04-05-05, 02:49 PM	you use its standerd clime speed 50ft because because its triated as if it made the clime check to clime the ceiling
Keenath 04-05-05, 03:08 PM	Um. To expand on the above answer: A creature with a climb speed still makes climb checks as outlined in the climb skill if the DC is higher than 0, but a successful check allows it to move its climb speed instead of one-quarter of its base speed. Additionally, it gains a +8 racial bonus on climb checks (which is already calculated in for creatures with climb speeds), and it can take 10 automatically under any situation, which means it can basically climb any surface up to DC 18+STR modifier without trying. However, that said, the creature is still subject to the usual climbing rules -- it can't climb sheer surfaces or go across smooth ceilings without magic. The physiology of the climber should come into it. For example, a human could easily cross a set of monkey-bars -- I mean, heck, grade-schoolers can, and they're not making DC 25 checks! -- while a leopard couldn't. (Assuming it can't, y'know, leap up on top of them. Maybe they're set close against a stone surface, I dunno.) But, hey, DM choice. In a barn, the DM could easily declare that once you'd climbed a wall, you could RUN across the rafters (assuming long enough legs) and drop down somewhere else. edit: Oh, yeah -- and the climber can take a -5 accelerated climb penalty to move twice its climb speed as a move action, BUT it can never exceed its base ground speed by doing this. (If the climb is faster than ground speed -- does that ever happen? -- then you can move that fast as a move action, but accelerated climbing is useless.)
Alcari Ambaron 04-05-05, 04:29 PM	if you mean " can it run on a ceiling (normally impossible) with very large wooden beams?" i would say yes, since the Waif can still move on a wall-like sirface (90 degree angle with the ground)
Perun 04-05-05, 05:33 PM	I've just been DMing an encounter between the party (5 1st level PCs) and a splinterwaif (from MM3), fighting in an old abandoned warehouse. The 'waif is using its 50' Climb speed to move along wall, attack from above doorways, and I want to know if it should be able to move along the (wooden-beam) ceilings as well. If it can, what would its speed be? :rolleyes: The splinterwaif has +13 modifier to its Climb check. CLimb DC to move on a ceiling with handholds but no footholds is 25. If he rolls 12+ on d20, it can do it, and it moves its climb speed (50 ft.) as a move action. It can't, however, do it with a take 10, since it doesnt beat the Climb DC. So he, effectively, has 60% chance to fail (with all accompanying consequences; if he rolls 8-11 on d20, he can't move along the ceiling, if he rolls 7 or lower, he falls). At least that's how I remember it working.
Rulebook 04-05-05, 08:18 PM	what? it has a climb speed. it can move across non-floor survaces at its climb speed. it only ever needs to make a climb check if someting strikes it rather hard or if the surface is -really- hard to scale. (an ice celing or something)
Colmarr 04-05-05, 09:41 PM	From the SRD entry for climb speeds: Climb: A creature with a climb speed has a +8 racial bonus on all Climb checks. The creature must make a Climb check to climb any wall or slope with a DC of more than 0, but it always can choose to take 10 even if rushed or threatened while climbing. The creature climbs at the given speed while climbing. If it chooses an accelerated climb it moves at double the given climb speed (or its base land speed, whichever is lower) and makes a single Climb check at a –5 penalty. Creatures cannot run while climbing. A creature retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus on their attacks against a climbing creature. Keenath is correct.