Armor and Acrobatic Proficiencies
This system of modifiers for armor other than the usual leather may be used
for non-thief characters as well as those thieves who may be found wearing
heavier protection.
Elfin chain mail is light and thin and can be worn under normal clothing. All
other types of armor except simple leather are stiff or bulky, and can only be
covered by a full body cloak.
Jumping: For an acrobat wearing armor and attempting a jumping maneuver other than pole
vaulting, compute the height or length of the jump as described in the
Player's Handbook, Chapter Five. Then adjust this distance according to the armor of the character, as shown
on Table 37. Should the resulting total be less than zero, the character fails
the acrobatic feat entirely (probably by tripping and landing flat on his face).
Pole vaulting is a different matter. To successfully get off the ground in
armor bulkier than leather requires a proficiency check, adjusted, as indicated on
Table 37, according to the pole vaulter's armor. In addition, a pole vaulter
with armor heavier or bulkier than studded or padded can vault no higher than
the height of the pole.
Tightrope Walking: Adjustments listed on Table 37 indicate the penalties associated with each
sort of armor if it is worn while tightrope walking. The DM should also take into
account how heavy the character and all his armor, weapons and equipment are,
and whether the rope or beam or other surface on which the character walks is
capable of supporting such weight.
Tumbling: Defensive and offensive tumbling maneuvers are limited by the use of armor.
As the Player's Handbook states (Chapter Five), a character with tumbling proficiency can improve his armor class by 4
against attacks directed solely at him in any round of combat, provided he has the
initiative and forgoes all attacks that round. The row "Tumbling—Defensive" on
Table 37 indicates what AC bonus, if any, the character can get when he is
wearing various sorts of armor. When in unarmed combat, a character with tumbling
proficiency is also normally able to improve his attack roll by 2. The bonus, if
any, that the character has when in armor is shown in the row
"Tumbling—Attack."
The third function of tumbling proficiency is the ability to avoid falling
damage. If the character makes a successful proficiency check, he takes only half
damage from falls of 60 feet or less, and none from falls of 10 feet or less.
Modifiers to this proficiency check are listed in the row "Tumbling—Falling."
Table 37:
EFFECTS OF ARMOR ON ACROBATIC PROFICIENCIES
| No
| Elfin
| Studded
|
| Ring or
| Brigandine
| Scale or
| Plate
| Plate
|
Skill
| Armor
| Chain
| or Padded
| Hide
| Chain
| or Splint
| Banded
| Mail
| Armor
|
Broad jump,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
running
| +1'
| —
| -1/2'
| -3'
| -5'
| -7'
| -10'
| -15'
| -20'
|
High jump,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
running
| +1'
| -1/2'
| -1'
| -2'
| -4'
| -8'
| -10'
| -20'
| -18'
|
Broad jump,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
standing
| +1/2'
| —
| -1/2'
| -2'
| -3'
| -4'
| -5'
| -7'
| -10'
|
High jump,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
standing
| +1/4'
| —
| -1/2'
| -1'
| -2'
| -21/2'
| -2 1/2'
| -3'
| -3'
|
Pole vaulting
| —
| -1'
| -1'
| -3'
| -5'
| -8'
| -10'
| -12'
| -15'
|
Tightrope
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Walking
| —
| -1
| -1
| -3
| -5
| -6
| -8
| -10
| -12
|
Tumbling
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Defensive
| +4
| +4
| +3
| +1
| +2
| +1
| 0
| 0
| 0
|
Attack
| +2
| +2
| +2
| 0
| +1
| +1
| 0
| 0
| 0
|
Falling
| —
| -1
| —
| -3
| -5
| -6
| -8
| -10
| -12
|
General Notes: Leather armor is taken to be the standard, with no positive or
negative adjustment to thief skills. No dexterity bonuses apply to thief
functions (though penalties do) when wearing armor other than simple leather.
1. This category applies when wearing bracers of defense or a cloak, but no large protective devices.
2. Includes bronze plate mail.
3. Encompasses both field plate and full plate armor.
4. (Table 38) Assumes that armor worn is covered by another garment. Elfin
chain mail is light and thin, and can be worn under normal clothing. All other
types of armor except simple leather are stiff or bulky, and can only be covered
by a full body cloak.
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