Rank 1 (Pathetic)
Climb: You can move up, down, across, or just hang from a slope (incline of 45-60 degrees), wall (60-120 degrees), or overhang (120-180 degrees). At this Rank, you cannot even attempt to climb surfaces of Base DC 11 or higher and automatically fail. You must roll an Athletics check each round you start or continue climbing or hanging, before you begin moving, as indicated in the below tables. You may always Take 2 with this power. As an Extended Action (S), you can make an Extended Check to cover more ground. How much more ground you intend to move determines the Extended Check’s DC multiplier. A multiplier of 2 means you travel 5 times as much distance; a multiplier of 3 means you travel 10 times as much distance; a multiplier of 4 means you travel 25 times as much distance; a multiplier of 5 means you travel 50 times as much distance.
| Moderate Success: You are not Slowed. Even if you do not move, you must spend a Shift Action to remain on the surface – you fall if you do not and are not secured. Success: You can move while Slowed. Failure: You cannot move. If this was an Extended Check, you instead travel half of the intended distance and immediately make checks for Drowsy. Moderate Failure: You fall, see below. If this was an Extended Check, you instead travel ¼th of the intended distance and immediately make checks for Drowsy. Critical Failure: If this was an Extended Check, you do not travel any distance and immediately make checks for Drowsed. Take it easy next time! |
You are always Vulnerable while climbing and must use all your appendages to make any progress. You may use one hand (or equivalent) to do something while on the surface, but you cannot progress while doing so. Taking any damage ends your movement immediately. If you take damage exceeding your Athletics Rank x 5, you begin falling. You must make a new check against the surface’s DC to determine how far you slip. If someone has slipped and begins to fall past you, you may attempt to grab them without penalty for falling. If you Succeed at either of these checks, you grab hold of your target and either stop falling or catch them. If you Fail, the faller descends 4d6 meters. If you Moderately Fail, the faller falls as usual and has a very bad day. You may climb a number of minutes equal to your Athletics Rank x Your Tier before you need to make checks to see if you are Drowsy or not. The Base DC for this check is the surface you are climbing on. Upon Success or Failure, you suffer a cumulative -1 penalty to this Drowsy check which lasts until you stop climbing. Upon Moderate Failure, you become Drowsy until you take an Extended Rest.
Special: Creatures with the Wallclimber Capability do not need to make checks to move across inclined surfaces and are not Vulnerable or Slowed while doing so, nor can they become Drowsed. They do not need all appendages on the surface in order to make progress. However, they may fall if they take damage, as normal.
Swim: Your Swim Speed determines how quickly you travel in placid liquids that are at least waist height. If you are swimming in rougher waters, you must succeed on an Athletics check to not be Slowed and Vulnerable. Upon Moderate Failure, you sink into the liquid and begin holding your breath. At this Rank, you cannot even attempt to swim in liquids of Base DC 11 or higher and automatically fail. You must use all your appendages to make any progress. You may use one hand (or equivalent) to do something underwater, but you cannot progress while doing so. You cannot Sprint while swimming at this level of skill. You may swim a number of minutes equal to your Athletics Rank x Your Tier before you need to make checks to see if you are Drowsed or not. The Base DC for this check is the liquid you are swimming in. Upon Success, you suffer a cumulative -1 penalty to this Drowsy check, which lasts until you stop swimming. Upon Failure, you suffer a -3 penalty to this check instead. Upon Moderate Failure, you become Drowsed until you take an Extended Rest.
You may simply wade through liquids that are below waist height, but you are Slowed while doing so unless you pass an Athletics check based on the liquid’s condition. See Suffocation/Drowning for details on when things go horribly wrong.
Special: Creatures with the Water-type are never Vulnerable or Slowed while swimming, and can Sprint in water.
| Climbing Surface | Example | Base DC |
| Surface with hand and foot holds | Very rough rocks, ship’s rigging, surface with pitons or holes | 4 |
| Knotted Rope | Standard rope with knots in it (not on a grappling hook) | 6 |
| Unknotted Rope | Standard rope (attached to grappling hook), vines | 8 |
| Hanging Cloth | Tapestry, curtains, giant clothing | 8 |
| Uneven surface with narrow holds | The side of most buildings | 8 |
| Overhang with handholds | Jungle gym, ceiling hooks | 8 |
| Rough surface without handholds | Natural, weathered rock; smooth stone | 11 |
| Rough overhang without handholds | Cavern ceiling | 14 |
| Perfectly smooth, flat surface | Psychic Wall | 14 |
| Perfectly smooth, flat overhang | Psychic Ceiling | 17 |
| Liquid Condition | Example | DC |
| Calm | Placid lake, calm sea, cooling lava | 4 |
| Rough | Average river, choppy sea, lava flow | 6 |
| Stormy | Fast moving river, stormy sea | 8 |
| Hurricane | Sea in a hurricane, raging river | 11 |
| Tsunami | 50 foot tall waves, flash floods, whirlpools | 14 |
| Calamitous | Kyogre flooding the world | 17 |
| Climbing Condition | Example | Check Modifier1 |
| Climbing an Inclined Surface | Any slope between 45 and 60 degrees | +3 |
| Climbing a Chimney Setup | There is another wall to brace against within reach of your legs that is parallel to the one you are climbing. | +3 |
| Climbing a Corner Setup | There is another wall to brace against within reach of your legs that is perpendicular to the one you are climbing. | +1 |
| Slightly Slippery Surface | Frozen ice without gloves, a moist wall | -1 |
| Very Slippery Surface | An oiled wall, a rope in a rainstorm | -3 |
| Falling past Inclined Surface | Slipped off a slope and are rolling down it | 0 |
| Falling past a Vertical Surface | Lost grip on a wall and are falling through space | -1 |
| Swimming Condition | Example | Check Modifier1 |
| Swimming, 1 hand occupied | Swimming with a weapon out | -3 |
| Swimming, 2 hands occupied | Swimming with two weapons out, or one large weapon | -5 |
| Very Dense Liquid | Lava, mercury | +1 |
| Very Thin Liquid | Feathers, alcohol | -1 |
| General Condition | Example | Check Modifier1 |
| Drowsy | Character used Hyper Beam or has been swimming or climbing for a long time. | -3 |
| 1 – Do not stack condition modifiers arising from similar circumstances, like slippery or very slippery. Simply use the most appropriate one. | ||
Rank 3 (Novice)
Brachiator: You can swing through tree branches, jungle vines, monkey bars, chandeliers, and other hanging objects, provided both hands are free. You are considered Slowed while doing so. If one hand is full, you may only take a single Shift Action in this fashion before you have to return to the ground. The objects used to swing must be able to swing within 1 x Your Tier meters of each other to be usable for movement this way.
Body Conditioning: You may attempt to climb/swim in any surface/liquid with a Base DC of 11 or less. You resist all Collision Damage one step further.
Rank 4 (Adept)
Combat Athlete: You are no longer Vulnerable while climbing or swimming. You may add X to Athletics checks made to stop objects that are about to collide with you, where X is equal to your Athletics Rank x Your Tier.
Power Boost: You gain +X Power, where X is equal to your Tier.
Rank 5 (Expert)
Practiced Brachiator: You are no longer Slowed while swinging. You may brachiate with one hand occupied, but are Slowed while doing so.
One-Handed: You only need one hand free to climb, swim, or catch a fall. You do not suffer DC penalties for swimming with one hand occupied. You can use both hands for an action while climbing, but you cannot progress. If you climb or swim with both hands, you may choose to not be Slowed while climbing or you can Sprint while swimming.
Perfect Conditioning: You may attempt to climb/swim in any surface/liquid, regardless of Base DC. You are not Slowed while swimming. You resist all Collision Damage two steps further.
Rank 6 (Master)
Hardened Body: You gain the Hardy 1 Capability, can hold your breath for twice as long and only need to eat once a week before taking Skill Damage. You gain +X to rolls vs Heat and Cold Checks, where X is your Athletics Rank. You can Sprint, climb, and swim for twice as long before becoming Drowsy.
Rank 7 (Grandmaster)
Peak Athlete: You gain the Superpowered Capability. You are immune to all Collision Damage.
No-Handed: You do not need your hands to climb, swim, or catch a fall. You do not suffer DC penalties for swimming with both hands occupied, nor do you have penalties for fighting underwater. You can use both hands for an action while climbing and progressing. You are never Slowed while climbing and can Sprint while doing so.
Rank 8 (Virtuoso)
Perfect Body: You no longer need to eat or drink. You gain the Breathless and Hardy 2 Capabilities. You automatically pass all Heat and Cold checks. You are immune to Skill Damage. You are immune to the negative aspects of [Time] and [Space] effects unless you choose otherwise.