Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 CaliMafioso Mar 29, 2015 14:43:11	So here is my situation... My grouped noticed a pack of wolves approaching from some distance away. We were in a lightly wooded area (open areas with large trees). I tried to make a dash to get to the farthest tree (closest to oncoming wolves), to get the surprise attack once they begin to pass.   Not sure if I'm able to, but what I tried to do was this... Dash to get the 60 some feet to get to the tree. Then climb the tree, all in the same turn. My monk has base 50 movement and the mobility feat. My question is this, does wanting to climb the tree an action or just a ability check within my normal movement? My action for the turn was to dash.   Hopefully I worded all this correctly.
#2 transcendantviewer Mar 29, 2015 15:31:27	According to the rules, it's an action to Climb, so I would rule that you'd make the (Strength) Athletics check as your action, then move up the tree according to your move, but, climbing halves your speed. If you can take the Dash Action as a Bonus Action on your turn, I'd allow you to factor that extra movement into how high you can climb {Should you wish to do so}.
#3 jaelis Mar 29, 2015 16:34:05	I don't see anywhere that it is an action to climb. It is normally just part of your movement.
#4 Thoughts_My_Aim Mar 29, 2015 16:46:55	Actually you're correct, and in fact climbing doesn't even always require a check.   PHB p 182   "While climbing or swimming, each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot (2 extra feet in difficult terrain), unless a creature has a climbing or swimming speed. At the DM's option, climbing a slippery vertical surface or one with few handholds requires a successful Strength (Athletics) check."
#5 CaliMafioso Mar 29, 2015 17:21:00	So, with my MOBILITY feat, I have normal movement within dificult terrain when I dash.  My normal movement is 50. The tree was 60 ft away, and about 10-15 ft tall.  On my turn I state that I wish to DASH to that particular tree and climb it.   Is that possible on a single turn?
#6 EmpactWB Mar 29, 2015 17:29:57	Should be. It would take at most 90 feet of movement to get you to the top of the tree, and Dashing gives you a total of 100.
#7 CaliMafioso Mar 30, 2015 15:48:17	My Dm stated that because I took the "DASH" action I didn't have another action to climb the tree.   Also, with "MOBILITY" I was climbing the tree as if it were normal movement.
#8 EmpactWB Mar 29, 2015 18:26:46	Even if the tree is not difficult terrain, it still costs one extra foot of movement per foot to climb even when you dash. If you didn't dash, and it were difficult terrain, it would require two extra feet of movement per foot of distance.
#9 Noon Mar 29, 2015 19:06:01	I don't think it's actually covered by the rules. Whether you can dash up a tree - who knows? Only your GM. In this case, it was a no.   I'd be inclined to ruling that way as well, unless you had spider climb boots.   Really, if you think you are within the rules on this to ask it, why not look up the books yourself for the reference that backs you up rather than ask us?
#10 CaliMafioso Mar 29, 2015 19:19:26	I'm asking because...   The book states that certain climbing situation requires an ability check. That I understand. But does it require an action or is it part of movement? The action that I took during my turn was DASH.
#11 OoftaMeg Mar 29, 2015 19:57:30	Climbing is part of your movement, not an action.  Normally climbing takes double movement and may or may not require a skill check.  Since dash just gives you extra movement with no restrictions I don't see why you couldn't use a dash to climb.
#12 Macv12 Mar 29, 2015 20:34:11	It occurs to me that if your DM wants a check to climb, you can instead just jump (3+STR modifier) feet with a running High Jump and grab onto the tree (and you can grab onto something of a height equal to your jump + 1.5 times your character's height). Should be plenty to get up a tree and away from some wolves in a single motion. This is all provided by the rules, with the option to go even higher with an Athletics check. PHB 182   Of course, this and the climbing rules are listed in the section for Movement, in the subsection for Special Types of Movement, so nothing should imply an Action being taken.
#13 Coredump00 Mar 29, 2015 21:18:47	There is nothing in the rules dictating that something that requires an ability check must use an action to do....    Some things are an action, and sometimes those things require an ability check.... but it is not absolute, and it does not go both ways.   But movement penalty for climbing is not from difficult terrain.
#14 transcendantviewer Mar 30, 2015 10:56:27	Alright, yeah, I was just reading through the Skill section and the general overview said that making Athletics checks is an action, but I guess that's not always the case.
#15 EmpactWB Mar 30, 2015 11:03:26	Can you point that out to me? I'm missing it, though I may be in the wrong section (looking through Chapter 7).
#16 CaliMafioso Mar 30, 2015 21:12:37	Yes, please indicate where this is. Great to know for future game nights.
#17 Macv12 Mar 30, 2015 21:35:22	Page 174, in the introduction to Ability Checks, implies that Ability Checks are only called for by the DM when a character attempts an "action" that has a chance of failure. Given the fact that they insisted on keeping the game term "Action" in lower-case at all times and pretend not to treat it as a game term with a specific definition, I think this instance of "action" actually means "anything at all that you do," instead of "that thing you get one of each turn."   Assuming that's what TV was referencing.
(Reply to #17) Undrhil	Macv12 wrote: