Climb

Climb

(Active) best of STR and DEX [armour penalty]
  Possessed By: Some Humans, Kobolds, Halflings, Wood Elves, Barbarians, Monks, Rangers, Rogues, Warriors, Assassins, Earthsingers, Master Archers, Tattoo Mystics, Twilight Huntsmen, Underdark Warriors.
  Effects:The Climb skill can be used in several different ways. Most of the passive applications can be invoked with the Ascend and Descend commands -- the same ones used to climb up and down stairs.
   * Climb Vines/Trees (Passive): A character with a Climb skill rating of 7+ can climb trees (or giant mushrooms) and move about above the ground in a wooded area by standing in a square with a tree in it ans using the Ascend command. This does not require a skill check, merely the listed skill rating. The Descend command returns the character to ground level. If you are struck for damage while climbing in trees, you must make a Climb check against DC 10 + 2 per 5% of your total hit points suffered. Failure means you suffer falling damage, the terrain effects of whatever square you are climbing over and you become prone.
   A skill check against DC 13 allows a character to move from tree to tree while elevated in this manner; with a skill check against DC 25, the character is even able to use the Jump skill as if she were on the ground. When climbing in trees, a character gains a bonus to hit and to her defense class equal to 2 + 1/6th of her Climb skill, and also benefits from 25% cover against missile attacks.
   Casting a spell while climbing in trees requires a Climb check against DC 15; failure causes you to fall, and to botch the spell.
   * Descend Chasm Safely (Passive): With a Climb check against DC 15, a character standing on the edge of a chasm can attempt to descend to the level below safely, coming to rest in the nearest safe square one dungeon level below where she began.
   * Ascend Level (Passive): If you fall down a chasm or trapdoor trap, you can attempt a Climb roll to climb back up to the level you were on. You need to have a Climb score of at least +12 to attempt this, you must have rope equal to the distances to the nearest ledge and you need to succeed on a Climb check versus DC 20. Failure means that you suffer the falling damage again. Anytime you are underground and the game tells you there is no ceiling, you can climb up to the level above -- you can recognize these areas because the floor will be cyan, and the status bar will include '(open above)'.
   Failing the Climb check causes falling damage. The fly spell allows you to ascend in such areas automatically, but levitate is insufficient, as you cannot use it to rise very far above the ground.
   * Escape Pit Trap (Passive): Attempting to get out of a pit trap requires a Climb check, usually against DC 20. Failing the check causes you to suffer the effects of the trap (falling damage, poisoned spikes, etc.) again, as you climb partially out and then fall.
   * Climb Along Ceiling (Passive): If you have an Climb skill rating of 20+ (probably throuh spider climb), you can climb on the roof of the dungeon. You can ascend whenever you're standing next to a wall. On the ceiling, you get a bonus to Hide equal to +6 +1/3 your Climb skill, can walk over creatures undetected, are at a higher layer and gain the same combat benefits as a character climbing in trees, save for the cover. You also avoid traps and terrain effects.
   You have no Dex bonus when climbing on the ceiling, and it costs 1 Fatigue to make the climb up. Your movement rate is 30% normal, +5% per point of Climb above 20. On one in thirty movement actions while climbing on the ceiling you must make a Climb check against DC 25. If you fail, you fall; if you score less than 35, the effort costs you one fatigue. Furthermore, if you are struck for damage while on the ceiling, you must make a Climb check against DC 25 + 2 per 5% of your total hit points suffered. Failure means you suffer falling damage, the terrain effects of whatever square you are climbing over and you become prone.
   Casting a spell while climbing on the ceiling requires a Climb check against DC 25; failure causes you to fall, and to botch the spell. Even if you succeed, the casting requires 15 phases more than usual, unless the spell is Stilled and thus does not require somatic gestures.

 Unimplemented Uses:
   * Climb Structures (Passive): On the city map, you can use the Climb skill to climb up on top of any building or barrier, including the city walls (which is counted as criminal if the city guard sees you). Climbing buildings may also allow you to enter some buildings by upper floor windows, which it rumoured to be the only way to enter certain locations (such as the thieves' guild and some wizards' towers). The DC of the Climb check is determined by the structure in question.
   Characters who have ascended buildings have significant bonuses to Hide and to attack and damage rolls, and if not standing near the edge of a building they simply cannot be seen by other creatures withour exceptional sense abilities.
   * Cross Mountains (Passive): You must have the Climb skill and possess a rating of at least +10 in order to travel across mountains on the wilderness map. Any terrain survival checks you make in mountanous areas use the lower of your Climb and Wilderness Lore skills.