|
|
|
- Tightrope Walking (Physical 1, Dexterity/Balance) — A character with this skill can balance on ropes, wires, slender beams and other narrow, perilous surfaces. A typical Movement Rate is MV 6, though an upward angle will slow this. Ascents and descents of 45 degrees or more are not possible.
- One skill check is required every 60 feet (or fraction thereof), with failure indicating a fall. The check is made with a -50% penalty if the surface is one inch or less in width (a rope), a -25% penalty if two to six inches wide, and unmodified if seven to 12 inches wide. Surfaces wider than a foot require no check for skilled characters under normal conditions.
- For every 10 skill points spent on this skill over 50%, the Tightrope Walking penalties above are reduced by 5%. Use of a balancing rod gives a +10% bonus to skill checks. Winds or vibrations in the line increase the penalties by -10% to -30%.
- A character who attempts to fight while Tightrope Walking suffers a -5 penalty to hit and must make a successful skill check to maintain balance. In addition, Armor Class adjustments for high Dexterity are negated because of the lack of maneuverability.
- If the character suffers damage while balanced on a rope (or other surface), a skill check is required to maintain balance. A character who suffers damage while Tightrope Walking multiplies the hit points of damage suffered by five to calculate the penalty to his subsequent skill score. For example, Flurd suffers five hit points of damage and thus rolls his skill check at a -25% penalty.
- A character who attempts to fight or suffers damage while balanced on the spars or rigging of a ship suffers an additional -2 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws and suffers a -10% penalty to skill checks (including Tightrope Walking). These penalties are in addition to normal penalties and are due to the movement of the ship at sea which makes Tightrope Walking even more difficult than normal.
- Barbarians: A barbarian with this skill has an unusually developed sense of balance. In his homeland, a barbarian might use this skill to negotiate a narrow mountain ledge or scamper across a vine strung between two trees. The same bonuses and penalties apply as for other characters using the skill. However, a barbarian rarely uses a balancing rod.
- Toughness (Physical 100) — By physical and mental training the character makes himself more resistant to pain and otherwise uncomfortable states. All physical attacks made on the character do one less point of damage. Saving throws vs. poison are made at +1. The character can eat food on the verge of spoilage without any ill effects and the character heals twice as fast as normal.
- Racial modifiers: A half-ogre can take Toughness at half the normal cost (Physical 50).
- Tumbling (Physical 1, Dexterity/Balance) — A character with this skill can roll, somersault, stand on his hands, flip forward and backward, and otherwise perform feats of acrobatics. He can only perform tumbling feats if unencumbered or lightly encumbered.
- A tumbling character, with a successful skill check, can improve his Armor Class by 4 on a given round if he acts before his opponent and elects not to attack that round. A tumbling character can move 20 feet or remain in place during the course of this evasion. In unarmed combat a character with Tumbling skill improves attack rolls by +2.
- A character with a skill score of 75% or higher may elect on a successful skill check to tumble into combat with the intent of attacking. By taking this action, he gains either a +2 bonus to Armor Class or a +2 bonus to hit and his attack always falls at the end of the round. Should the character fail his skill check the attack still falls at the end of the round, but the attack/defense benefits are not gained. This form of tumbling attack can only be done with size small weapons and spellcasting or the use of a nonweapon magic item is impossible. In unarmed combat a character with a skill score of 75% attacks with a +3 bonus.
- A character with a skill score of 90% or higher may elect on a successful skill check to tumble into combat as detailed above, but he may choose either a +4 bonus to Armor Class or a +2 bonus to hit and Armor Class. His attack still falls at the end of the round. Alternatively, he may take only a +2 bonus to hit or Armor Class and attack normally during the round. In unarmed combat, the Tumbling specialist attacks with a +4 bonus.
- The character with this skill can also attempt to dodge through obstacles or escape through narrow openings, but a successful skill check is required.
- If the character falls from a height of 60 feet or less, a successful skill check results in the character suffering only half damage. A character with a skill score of 75% or higher can fall 70 feet and receive the same benefit. A character with a skill score of 90% can fall 80 feet.
- Barbarians: In most cases, a barbarian won’t use the Tumbling skill for entertainment purposes. Instead, he uses it to elude and confuse enemies.
- Water Walking (Physical 1, Dexterity/Balance -1) — This skill allows a character to use mizugumo, the special pontoons a ninja uses to walk across still, watery surfaces. The ninja must make a skill check each round; an unsuccessful roll means he falls into the water with a splash.
- This skill is only available to ninja characters.
- Whistling/Humming (Physical 1, Dexterity/Aim +2) — Almost anyone can whistle or hum. Those who take this skill are exceptional whistlers and hummers. They can produce tunes as captivating as most songs. A person with this skill is a true master whistler and hummer.
- It is so easy to learn a new tune to whistle or hum that a character with this skill can learn numerous tunes. In fact, if a skill check is made, a whistler or hummer knows any particular tune in question. In addition, a character with both this skill and the Animal Lore skill (50%) can mimic any bird call he has heard.
- However, most adventurers do not take whistling just for entertainment value. Instead, they are looking for its uses in communication. This communication is possible only among those who know the skill. If both characters succeed with their skill checks, a single concept can be communicated.
- Some examples are “Go around to the side door,” “I hear them coming,” and “Slowly reach out now, the guard doesn’t see you.”
- Racial modifiers: Halflings receive a +10% bonus when using this skill.
 
|
