====== Balance (DEX; ARMOR CHECK PENALTY) ======

**Check:** The character can walk on a precarious surface as a move-equivalent action. A successful check lets the character move at half the character's speed along the surface for 1 round. A failure means that the character can't move for 1 round. A failure by 5 or more means that the character falls. 

The difficulty varies with the surface:

^ Surface                 ^   DC    ^
| 7–12 inches wide        |  10   |
| 2–6 inches wide         |  15   |
| Less than 2 inches wide |  20   |
| Uneven Floor            |  10   |
| Surface Angled          |  +5[(:table:stars:>Cumulative; if both apply, use both.)]  |
| Surface Slippery        |  +5[(:table:stars:#1)]  |
~~REFNOTES :table:stars ~~\\

**Being Attacked while Balancing:** Attacks against the character are made as if the character were off balance: They gain a +2 attack bonus, and the character loses any Dexterity bonus to AC. If the character has 5 or more ranks in Balance, then the character can retain the Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) in the face of attacks. If the character takes damage, the character must make a check again to stay balanced.

**Accelerated Movement:** The character can try to walk a precarious surface more quickly than normal. If the character accepts a –penalty, the character can move at normal speed as a move-equivalent action. (Moving twice the character's speed in a round requires two checks.)

**Special:** If the character has 5 or more ranks in Tumble, the character gets a +2 synergy bonus on Balance checks.