Check: With each successful Climb check, the character can advance up, down, or across a slope or a wall or other steep incline (or even a ceiling with handholds) one-half the character's speed as a miscellaneous full-round action. The character can move half that far, one-fourth of the character's speed, as a miscellaneous move-equivalent action. A slope is considered to be any incline of less than 60 degrees; a wall is any incline of 60 degrees or steeper.
A failed Climb check means that the character makes no progress, and a check that fails by 5 or more means that the character falls from whatever height the character has already attained.
A climber's kit gives a +2 circumstance bonus to Climb checks.
The DC of the check depends on the conditions of the climb.
| DC | Example Wall or Surface |
|---|---|
| 0 | A slope too steep to walk up. A knotted rope with a wall to brace against. |
| 5 | A rope with a wall to brace against, or a knotted rope, or a rope affected by the rope trick spell. |
| 10 | A surface with ledges to hold on to and stand on, such as a very rough wall or a ship's rigging. |
| 15 | Any surface with adequate handholds and footholds (natural or artificial), such as a very rough natural rock surface or a tree. An unknotted rope. |
| 20 | An uneven surface with some narrow handholds and footholds, such as a typical wall in a dungeon or ruins. |
| 25 | A rough surface, such as a natural rock wall or a brick wall. |
| 25 | Overhang or ceiling with handholds but no footholds. |
| — | A perfectly smooth, flat, vertical surface cannot be climbed. |
| –10[(:table:stars:>These modifiers are cumulative; use any that apply.)] | Climbing a chimney (artificial or natural) or other location where one can brace against two opposite walls (reduces DC by 10). |
| –5[(:table:stars:#1)] | Climbing a corner where the character can brace against perpendicular walls (reduces DC by 5). |
| +5[(:table:stars:#1)] | Surface is slippery (increases DC by 5). |
~~REFNOTES :table:stars ~~
Since the character can't move to avoid a blow while climbing, enemies can attack the character as if the character were stunned: An attacker gets a +2 bonus, and the character loses any Dexterity bonus to Armor Class.
The character cannot use a shield while climbing.
Any time the character takes damage while climbing, make a Climb check against the DC of the slope or wall. Failure means the character falls from the character's current height and sustains the appropriate falling damage.
Accelerated Climbing: The character tries to climb more quickly than normal. As a miscellaneous full-round action, the character can attempt to cover the character's full speed in climbing distance, but the character suffers a –5 penalty on Climb checks and the character must make two checks each round. Each successful check allows the character to climb a distance equal to one-half the character's speed. By accepting the –5 penalty, the character can move this far as a move-equivalent action rather than as a full-round action.
Making the character's Own Handholds and Footholds: The character can make his or her own handholds and footholds by pounding pitons into a wall. Doing so takes 1 minute per piton, and one piton is needed per 3 feet. As with any surface with handholds and footholds, a wall with pitons in it has a DC of 15. In the same way, a climber with a handaxe or similar implement can cut holds in an ice wall.
Catching the One's Self When Falling: It's practically impossible to catch the one's self on a wall while falling. Make a Climb check (DC = wall's DC + 20) to do so. A slope is a lot easier to catch the one's self on (DC = slope's DC + 10).
Special: A character with 5 or more ranks in Use Rope (DEX) gets a +2 synergy bonus on checks to climb a rope, a knotted rope, or a rope and wall combination.