Climb
Full rules text, use cases, and edge-case handling for this skill.
Description
You can scale sheer surfaces, ladders, ropes, vines, and other climbable terrain. The Climb skill reflects raw upper-body strength, technique, and the ability to find handholds where others see only a flat wall.
Check
Make a Climb check for each round you spend climbing. The DC depends on the surface.
| Surface or Obstacle | DC |
|---|---|
| A slope too steep to walk up, or a knotted rope with a wall to brace against | 0 |
| A rope with a wall to brace against, or a knotted rope | 5 |
| A surface with adequate handholds and footholds (cavern wall, ship's rigging) | 10 |
| Uneven wall with some handholds and narrow ledges (natural rock face) | 15 |
| A rough wall (brick or rough stonework) | 20 |
| An overhang or ceiling with handholds but no footholds | 25 |
| A smooth, flat, vertical surface (glass wall) | 30 |
| A perfectly smooth, flat, sloped surface | 35 |
Modifiers
| Condition | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Climber's kit (masterwork tool) | +2 |
| Extra rope secured above you | +5 situational |
| Accelerated climb (move at half speed instead of one-quarter) | –5 |
A successful Climb check lets you move one-quarter of your speed as a move action (or half speed with a –5 penalty). You can move at half speed as a full-round action without penalty.
If you fail by 4 or less, you make no progress. If you fail by 5 or more, you fall from your current height.
While climbing, you are considered flat-footed unless you have 5 or more ranks in Climb, and you cannot use a shield.
Action
Climbing is part of your move action and requires one check per round. Catching yourself after a fall is an immediate action.
Try Again
Yes. You may retry a failed check each round — however, a failure by 5 or more means you fall and must restart from the ground (or wherever you land).
Special
- Armor Check Penalty: Applies to all Climb checks.
- Acrobatics synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you gain a +2 bonus on Climb checks.
- Spider Climb (spell/ability): Grants a climb speed of 20 ft and automatic success on Climb checks on any surface.
- Climb speed: A creature with a natural climb speed gains a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always take 10, even if rushed or threatened.
- Rogue (talent: Ledge Walker): Move along narrow surfaces or while climbing at full speed without penalty.
Untrained
Yes. Any character may attempt Climb checks regardless of ranks.