The Art of Climbing Walls
A modified system for thieves
by Vince Garcia

Housebreaker harness or spider
 

Climbing methods

Surface types

Friction and climbing

Using the climbing table

Climb Walls

As pointed out in the DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE, probably the
most abused thieving function is that of
climbing walls. While a number of important
guidelines on this critical talent exist
apart from the PLAYERS HANDBOOK, few
DMs are aware of them, and fewer still
incorporate them into actual play. Perhaps
the primary reason for this can be found
in the PH, which provides a
simple, understandable table for noting
the base climbing percentage of a thief or
assassin. This handy table unfortunately
engraves the thought upon the minds of
both player and DM alike that the subject
ends there, without the realization that
strict adherence to this table alone invariably
results in the talent of wall-climbing
becoming overly simplified and gratuitous.

Successfully scaling surfaces ranging
from slime-covered masonry to slippery
limestone formations is a difficult, specialized
talent of which the thief and assassin
should be justifiably proud ? as well as
aware of the true difficulty entailed in the
action. Cheapening the skill by the assumption
that the climbing percentage
never varies from the base figure (that
figure being referred to as a <i>non-slippery/
dry, rough surface in the enclosed table)
robs the character of the true satisfaction
he deserves when he does make the roll,
as well as granting an undeserved bonus
to the profession not balanced by comparable
bonuses to other classes.

The purpose of this article is to encourage
a change of attitude in the way most
gamers view this skill, and present a
clearer picture of how it is performed and
what terrain factors alter the character?s
climbing potential.

Climbing methods
When a thief or assassin attempts to
scale a surface of any sort, he probably
resorts to one of five different means to
get from the ground to the desired point
aloft. No single method should be presumed
to be superior to any other, and it
must be assumed that the character has
chosen the means most applicable to the
task at hand when the roll is made.

Regarding the use of tools in climbing, it
is up to the DM to decide whether or not
these are necessary in special situations.
Although the PLAYERS HANDBOOK seems to
imply that the thief's ability to climb walls
is unique, there is no explanation for how
these climbs are achieved. One could
assume that since there is no mention of
tools used in climbing walls, that there is
no need for them ? at least in regard to
the thief?s ability to climb. Still, this is not a
very realistic approach. Surely, some walls
are impossible to negotiate without tools;
the slipperiest, smoothest surfaces probably
require some method of approach
other than the isometric or hands, feet,
and muscle methods (described below).

Nevertheless, the question of whether
tools are necessary in certain climbs is one
that must be answered by the Dungeon
Master. If a hard, realistic approach to
gaming is preferred, the DM may require
tools for scaling certain surfaces. (Some of
the types of tools used in climbing appear
in this article and on page 16 of the
DUNGEONEER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE.)
If a more symbolic, figurative gaming
approach is preferred, the DM may describe
the thief?s ability to climb walls as
akin to the monk?s control of mind over
matter. As a result, the thief requires no
tools to negotiate even the slipperiest,
smoothest surface --? the climb walls ability
accounts for this action.

The information provided in this article
is offered purely as a system of guidelines;
it is entirely up to the DM to determine
what approach to take in regard to the
thief?s ability to climb walls.

1. Isometrics. The thief achieves this
mode of ascent by maintaining constant
pressure between two opposing surf aces
and squirming slowly upwards. Two walls
or surfaces are necessary for this, and
they may either be parallel to or at right
angles to each other (e.g., a handy corner
of a room, a chimney, or a narrow corridor).
Surfaces parallel to each other must
be no farther than 5? apart.

2. Hands, feet, and muscle. This is the
most direct climbing method, usable when
the surface has either protuberances or
apertures that the character?s hands and
feet can use as anchoring points as he
muscles himself up the surface.

3. Grapple and line. If he successfully
snags a high projection with a grappling or
climbing hook, the character hauls himself
up hand over hand by rope. In the event
the roll is unsuccessful, the DM may indicate
that the thief or assassin let go of the
rope or that the hook was improperly set
and worked its way loose. In any event,
when using a rope in climbing a wall, a
basic modifier of +40% (as established on
page 16 of the DSG) should be appended to
the base climbing rating. This figure is
then determined using the table at the end
of this article, and is further modified by
the type of surface and its condition.

4. Tiger claws. Similar to the ninja nekode,
these are metal spikes or spiked
sandals the thief slips onto his hands or
feet, making use of them to grip small
cracks and fissures in the surface being
scaled. This method of climbing works
only on the following surfaces and at the
listed bonuses: smooth/cracked at +10%,
fairly rough at +15%, and rough at
+20% Thieves are not able to use tiger
claws or similar climbing hooks on very
smooth walls.

5. Spikes and line. When a number of
cracks are present in an otherwise smooth
or slippery surface, the character hammers
in some climbing spikes, using them
as steps or anchors for a climbing line.
The success of this action is modified by
+40%, as illustrated by the use of a rope
and grapple above, and only works on
surfaces of a smooth/cracked, fairly rough,
and rough nature. Spikes may be used on
very smooth surfaces with some cracks,
but the climber receives no 40% bonus.

Surface varieties
As the DMG points out, a thief or assassin
usually encounters 4 general types
of surfaces when attempting to climb
walls. Just as the relative degree of slipperiness
can alter the base climbing percentage,
it may also be reasoned that the
smoothness of the surface in question
affects this figure.

The different types of surfaces normally
encountered are listed below, along with
the type of climbing method most frequently
applicable to each of them.

1. Very smooth. Some examples of this
surface are cleanly faced walls of granite
or marble, where few deep cracks are
present to aid the character in the climb.
When confronted with a surface of this
type, which is encountered most often in a
temple or throne-room area, isometric
climbing would be the most frequently
used means of ascent. By far the most
difficult surface to deal with, the scaling of
very smooth walls challenges the talents of
even master thieves and assassins.

2. Smooth/cracked. Next in difficulty are
these surfaces. Gigantic statues of stone or
metal would fall under this category (the
cover of the old PH shows
such a statue) as well as the majority of
natural cavern walls. The hands, feet, and
muscle method, as well as tiger claws and
spikes and line, would be the most prevalent
modes of climbing these surfaces,
depending on available protuberances and
cracks.

3. Fairly rough. As most dungeon walls
fall under this category, and as a character
most frequently uses his talents against
these surfaces, this article and the following
climbing table consider the fairly
rough category as the base surface type,
granting neither bonuses nor penalties to
the base climbing percentage except for
applicable slipperiness factors. In ascending
the typical dungeon wall, the hands,
feet, and muscle, grapple and line, or tiger
claws methods are standard.

4. Rough. Rough surfaces are generally
encountered in natural outdoor settings,
such as mountain sides, cliffs, and so
forth. Further, on those occasions the thief
or assassin plies his trade outside of the
dungeon setting, the scaling of urban walls
and buildings also comes under this heading.
The hands, feet, and muscle and grappie
and line methods usually suffice here.

Friction and climbing
The greatest detriment to the character's
climbing ability occurs when the surface
to be scaled lacks friction because of slipperiness
caused by moisture, slime, or
plant growths. In general, the character is
faced with any of 3 condition factors;

1. Nonslippery/dry. When the DM rules
that no moisture or other circumstances
are present to cause the climbing surface
to be slippery, apart from the natural
smoothness of the face itself, no penalties
are assessed <to> the thief's climbing percentage
other than those for armor type (see
UNEARTHED ARCANA, page 22) or heavy
encumbrance.

2. Slightly slippery/damp. According to
the DMG, just as many dungeon walls fall
under the <fairly rough>  category, so most
of them (but not all) are also fairly slippery
due to moisture, slime, and the like. These
conditions make the climb twice as dangerous
as normal.

3. Slippery/wet. The most dangerous
climbing conditions occur when the surface
to be scaled is either slippery or wet
due to excessive dampness or slime. Under
these conditions, the player's character's
risks are 10 times what they would normally
be! Even the most proficient wall-climbers
utter a prayer or two when
ascending any surface of this type, doing
so only under the most extreme of circumstances.

Using the climbing table
The following table has been provided to
give quick and easy determination of a
thief or assassin's chances to climb a given
type of surface. Observant readers may
note several differences between this
section and the DMG. 1st, the character
is given a bonus of +25% to the base
climbing percentage when climbing rough/
natural surfaces. Conversely, a penalty of
-25% and -50% is applied to the base
figure when facing smooth/cracked or
very smooth surfaces, respectively. The
logic behind this is that a rough/natural
surface is somewhat easier to scale than
the standard fairly rough surface, and the
smooth/cracked and very smooth surfaces
are in turn increasingly more difficult to
scale than the fairly rough median.

The biggest change, however, lies in a
restructuring of the slipperiness penalty.
As presently written, the DMG handles
this aspect of wall-climbing by multiplying
the character's chances of falling by 2
when scaling slightly slippery surfaces,
and by 10 when facing <i>slippery ones.
While penalties due to these conditions are
fundamentally reasonable, an imbalance
appears when the DMG formula is applied
during actual play. A 5th-level thief, for
instance, has no chance whatever to climb
a <i>slippery surface, while just 5 levels
later his chances increase to 89%! The
massive penalty at lower levels is not
rationally balanced by large bonuses in
quick succession; as a result, this article
suggests a more consistent use of condition
penalties would be to apply a set
penalty at all levels when ascending
slightly slippery or slippery/wet surfaces
of -25% and -50%, respectively. These
penalties are added to any adjustments for
surface-types, and when both these factors
<something is missing here>
character?s base climbing percentage, the
character?s true chance of scaling a given
surface is revealed.

The final difference between the present
rules and this system lies in the fact that
the character is always allowed a negligible
chance to climb certain difficult surfaces
irrespective of indicated penalties.
Likewise, there is always a 1% chance of
the character?s falling, regardless of indicated
bonuses.

To properly make use of the chart, four
steps must be followed.

1. Determine the particular surface type
to be scaled (very smooth, smooth/
cracked, fairly rough, rough/natural, etc.).

2. Note whether the surface to be scaled
is nonslippery/dry, slightly slippery/damp,
or slippery/wet.

3. Take the character?s base climbing
percentage as listed in the PH
and modify it by any bonuses or,
penalties due to armor or encumbrance,
then find the appropriate column at the
top of the climbing table in which this
number falls.

4. Cross-reference down to the surface
type and its relative degree of slipperiness.
The number revealed is the character?s
actual percentage chance to climb the
surface in question.
 

e.g., a Rogue
plans to climb a dungeon wall with a few
patches of slime on it. We know that the
typical dungeon wall falls under the fairly
rough category, and the slime marks its
relative degree of slipperiness as slightly
slippery The PH shows the
thief?s normal chance to climb walls is
85%. The thief wears normal armor, and
so no modifications are made to this figure.
Finding the ?81-85? column on the
climbing table and cross-referencing down
to the fairly rough and slightly slippery
categories, we see the thief?s final chance
to climb this wall is 60%.

No system can please everyone. If a
group prefers to retain the DMG?s slipperiness
modifiers, any applicable penalties
can be subtracted from the base climbing
percentage, and the climbing table may
then be used only for surface-type adjustments,
referencing only the nonslippery/
dry category regardless of the relative
degree of slipperiness.

Thieves' table for climbing walls
                                                                                                                                    Base climbing rates (for level and race)

Surface type & conditions	01-05	06-10	11-15	16-20	21-25	26-30	31-35	36-40	41-45	46-50	51-55	56-60	61-65	66-70	71-75	76-80	81-85	86-90	91-95	96-00	101-105	106-110	Move round
Very smooth	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
nonslippery/dry	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	6'
slightly slippery/damp	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	3'
slippery/wet	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	1'
Smooth/cracked	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
nonslippery/dry	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	12'
slightly slippery/damp	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	6'
slippery/wet	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	3'
Fairly rough	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
nonslippery/dry	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	18'
slightly slippery/damp	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	9'
slippery/wet	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	6'
Rough/natural	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
nonslippery/dry	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	90	95	99	99	99	99	99	99	99	99	24'
slightly slippery/damp	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	90	95	99	99	99	12'
slippery/wet	01	01	01	01	01	05	10	15	20	25	30	35	40	45	50	55	60	65	70	75	80	85	9'

* As per base climbing percentage
* * * * *

Getting Up in the World
Defining and changing the climbing rules
by Robin Jenkins

The ability to climb walls is best suited
for the thief, although any class is capable
of this action to some minor degree. The
major distinction is that all classes have
the ability to climb natural surfaces, but a
thief is granted a special ability to climb
walls. The distinction between the two
surface types is obvious. For the sake of
definition, a wall is described as any manmade
vertical surface, whereas a natural
surface is any vertical surface created
geologically. Examples of each surface
exist in both subterranean and aboveground
settings.

With recent rules additions, an allowance
has been made for a trade-off between
the two abilities: a thief has a better
chance to climb natural surfaces as a
result of his ability to climb walls, and a
nonthief has a slim chance to climb walls
in some situations. For example, both the
UNDERWORLD SURVIVAL GUIDE and the
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL GUIDE state that a
nonthief character has a basic Climbing
Rating of 40%, as compared with the basic
85% rating a thief gains at 1st level.

In addition to this, the WSG states that a
character with Mountaineering proficiency
has an 80% base rating to climb
natural, rocky terrain using spikes and
climbing tools. This type of surface corresponds
most directly to the rough/natural
surface described in Vince Garcia's article,
"The Art of Climbing Walls." Other outdoor
slopes are accounted for in the WSG with
regard to both thieves and nonthieves;
referencing this section on outdoor climbing
conditions offers further options to the
DM (see pages 34-35 in the WSG).
<Surface Types, Surface Conditions>
Note that Mountaineering skills only apply in
climbing natural slopes and cannot be
performed without the use of climbing
tools.

In subterranean settings, success in
climbing natural slopes can be determined
by the rules established in the WSG for
nonthieves and thieves, or by the table
provided in Garcia?s article. Although that
table is provided for use in a thieves? attempt
at climbing a wall, the DM may elect
to use this table for nonthieves climbing
natural surfaces as well. For the sake of
simplicity, using Garcia's table for all
classes and all surfaces may save both time
and energy during AD&D® game play.

The modifications provided by the various
AD&D game rule books can be dispensed
with at the DM?s discretion if they
impede the progress of the overall game.
If modifications are made due to encumbrance,
armor type, surface condition, and
so forth, these modifications are made to
the character?s base Climbing Rating. This
modified number is the indicator number
Garcia's table; from this number, the various
chances of climbing on different surfaces
and under different conditions can
be determined.
 
 

The UNDERWORLD SURVIVAL GUIDE
offers a variety of guidelines
for climbing for both thieves and nonthieves.
On the whole, the information
provided in Garcia's article corresponds
with the information provided in DSG:
climbing surfaces, rates of climbing, and
so forth are all reflected therein. Some of
the information listed in the DSG may be
of use in determining climbing modifications
for unique surfaces, such as trees
with branches, poles, and so on. On the
other hand, some of the information provided
conflicts with information listed in
earlier works. For example, it is advised
that climbing modifiers by race be determined
by the table provided on page 28 of
the PLAYERS HANDBOOK — not by the guidelines
listed in the UNDERWORLD SURVIVAL GUIDE. These racial modifiers
should apply to nonthieves? Climbing
Ratings as well. Other information that
may be useful in respect to climbing walls
includes the description of climbing tools
and their uses ? particularly, the use of a
grapple and its chance of success.

Regarding climbing modifications due to
encumbrance, the information in the WSG
(pages 30 and 35 is particularly useful.
This system is similar to the basic description
of encumbrance that appears in the
Players Handbook (pages 101-2): these
classifications are listed as normal gear,
heavy gear, very heavy gear, and encumbered.
For the sake of definition, encumbrance
is described as the the weight and
volume (or bulk) of items carried. Encumbrance
figures are calculated in gold
pieces (10 gp = 1 lb.) and correspond
directly to the encumbrance table listed in
the WSG. On the WSG table, at an average
strength rating of 8 to 11, the following
classifications are equivalent respectively
to those listed in the Players Handbook:
light, moderate, and severe. Using the
classifications in either the Players Handbook
or the WSG, the modifications for
these encumbrances are listed on page 35
of the WSG. For easy reference, these
figures are: no penalty for light or none
(normal), -5% for moderate (heavy),
-10% for heavy (very heavy), and -20%
for severe (encumbered). These figures
apply to nonthieves and are made in regard
to climbing natural outdoor surfaces,
although they can be applied to subterranean
walls as well. In any event, modified
Climbing Rates are then used as base
figures on the chart listed in Garcia?s article,
as modified due to surfaces and
other conditions. Further notes on encumbrance
in relation to climbing appear in
both the DSG (page 15) and the WSG (page
35).

Another system for modifying a character
?s Climbing Rating is based upon type of
armor worn. Certain types of armor re
strict a character?s movement and his
ability to climb. In utilizing this type of
modification, two systems are available.
The first appears on page 22 of Unearthed
Arcana and deals with the effects of armor
on a thief?s chance of climbing a wall. The
second appears in both the WSG (page 35)
and the DSG (page 16); these systems are
are applied to nonthieves in the WSG and
to all characters in the DSG. The figures in
each are the same, although there is some
conflict in regard to modifying ratings for
thieves and nonthieves. Quite obviously, it
is up to the DM to decide which system to
use. Using one system, such as that presented
in Unearthed Arcana, excludes the
use of the system listed in the DSG. The
system in Unearthed Arcana and the system
in the WSG can be used concurrently
as long as it is understood that the system
in Unearthed Arcana applies only to
thieves and their ability to climb walls, and
the system in the WSG applies to nonthieves
and their ability to climb natural,
rough surfaces. If so desired, a DM could
apply each system to the other class in the
event of a thief climbing a natural surface
or a nonthief climbing a wall.

A shorter method might be to simply
apply the rules in the WSG and the DSG to
all natural surfaces for all classes, and
apply the rules in Unearthed Arcana to all
walls for all classes. To keep this system
simple, climbing walls cannot be performed
in any kind of plate mail armor,
and no shield can be carried in hand (as
per the DSG, page 16). In addition, no
character is able to climb in splint,
banded, or scale mail armor, because of
the inflexibility of that armor. Climbing a
wall in chain mail can be attempted at
-40% to the base Climbing Rating. On all
natural surfaces, the armor restrictions
established on page 35 of the WSG apply.
To save both time and trouble, the DM
may advise characters that they are only
able to negotiate walls and difficult surfaces
by removing any armor other than
leather, studded leather, padded, elfin
chain mail, or chain mail. Outdoor climbs
on natural surfaces is limited by percentage
modifiers as listed in the WSG on page
35.
 
 

As a final note, when climbing short
sections of walls or rough surfaces, only
one Climbing Rating check is made. As
stated in the Players Handbook (page 28),
this check is made at the midpoint of the
climb (halfway up the wall or surface).
Over longer distances, such as high walls
or cliff faces, three climbing checks are
made ? one within the first 10', one at the
halfway point, and one within the last 10?
(page 35, WSG). According to the DSG
(page 15), nonthieves have one chance to
climb a surface. A failed roll on a nonthief
?s Climbing Rating means the character
can never climb that surface. With
regard to thieves, it is up to the DM to
determine whether or not a character
receives another attempt at a failed climb.