Athletics
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The Athletics skill replaces Climb, Jump, and Swim. It is a catch-all skill for full-body movement.
Athletics (Str; Armor Penalty)
Climb (Requires Tools; DC 10): With a successful Athletics skill check, you can climb a wall or steep slope at one–quarter your normal movement rate with proper climbing equipment. The DC increases by +5 each for the following special circumstances: climbing without proper equipment, if the surface has no real handholds or footholds, or if the surface is slippery. Climbing less than 10 feet drops the DC by 5. A failed Athletics skill check means you make no progress, and a skill check that fails by 5 or more means you fall from whatever height you attained (unless you are secured with some kind of harness or other equipment).
While climbing, the character is flat–footed (the character loses his or her Dexterity bonus to Reflex defense, if the character has one). If the character takes damage while climbing, he or she must make an Athletics check again to avoid falling. Moving twice in a round requires two checks, one for each move action.
A climber can make handholds and footholds by pounding pitons into a wall. Doing so takes 1 minute per piton, and one piton is needed per 3 feet. In similar fashion, a climber with an ice axe or other proper implement can cut handholds or footholds in an ice wall.
It’s practically impossible for a character to catch him or herself on a wall while falling. Make an Athletics check (climb DC + 20) to do so. A slope is relatively easier to catch on (climb DC + 10).
High Jump (DC 5+distance): With a successful Athletics skill check, you can make a vertical leap as part of a move action, such as to jump up to grasp something overhead, such as a tree limb or ledge. The Difficulty of a high jump is 10 plus twice the distance in feet.
Hop Up (DC 10): With a successful Athletics skill check, you can jump up onto an object of half your height or less as part of a move action. Doing this counts as 2 squares of movement.
Jumping Down (DC 15): With a successful Athletics skill check, you take falling damage as if the character had dropped 10 fewer feet than you actually did. Doing this counts as 1 square of movement.
Long Jump (DC 5+distance): With a successful Athletics skill check, you can make a horizontal jump as part of a move action. At the midpoint of the jump, you attain a vertical height equal to one–quarter the horizontal distance. The Difficulty of a long jump is 5 plus the distance in feet.
Rescuing Someone Who Can’t Swim (Trained Only; DC 15): With a successful Athletics skill check, you can swim with another character who cannot swim (for whatever reason). Rough water conditions increase the difficulty by +5, while stormy water increases the difficulty by +10.
Swim (DC 10): With a successful Athletics skill check, you can swim one–quarter of your speed as a move action or half your speed as a full–round action. If the check fails, you make no progress through the water. If the check fails by 5 or more, you go underwater. If you are underwater you must hold your breath to avoid drowning (see Suffocation). Rough water conditions increase the difficulty by +5, while stormy water increases the difficulty by +10.
Each hour you swim, make an Endurance check (DC 15). If the check fails, you suffer a level of Fatigue. Unconscious characters go underwater and immediately begin to drown.
Retry: A new check is allowed the round after a check is failed.
Special: A character can take 10 when making an Athletics check, but can’t take 20.
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