harpy
2010-03-25, 07:14 AM
So this came up last night in a Pathfinder Society game. An elephant trying to climb down a ladder. I've seen this issue before with horses and other creatures that you normally wouldn't expect to be able to do any climbing.
At the table various arguments were laid out:
Simulationist Argument
Climbing ladders needs a certain amount of anatomical features to be successful. You can't expect a horse to be able to climb a ladder. Perhaps a harness and rope system could be devised to lower the animal down, but in this instance the climb skill for the creature can't be used, or it needs to have a large negative modifier.
RAW (Rules as Written)
Nothing in the RAW seems to exclude certain creatures from climbing due to anatomy. The game is written with the assumption that humanoids are going to be using the skills most of the time, but it stays pretty abstract so that it can apply to any creature.
Gamist Argument
RAW arguments are quite often fit neatly into a gamist zone, but this is a further gamist extension. Animal companions are class features and so having barriers that prevent these animals from being able to continue with the party undermines the assumptions of the class balance.
In addition, the nature of Pathfinder Society games, with their limited time slots, means that if a more common sense approach is used there is little time for problem solving to try and find another way for the companion to join the party. The gamist structure of PFS, with its limited game time, which then injects simulationist expectations of resolution (an open ended time frame) can really hamper the class feature.
Thoughts?
At the table various arguments were laid out:
Simulationist Argument
Climbing ladders needs a certain amount of anatomical features to be successful. You can't expect a horse to be able to climb a ladder. Perhaps a harness and rope system could be devised to lower the animal down, but in this instance the climb skill for the creature can't be used, or it needs to have a large negative modifier.
RAW (Rules as Written)
Nothing in the RAW seems to exclude certain creatures from climbing due to anatomy. The game is written with the assumption that humanoids are going to be using the skills most of the time, but it stays pretty abstract so that it can apply to any creature.
Gamist Argument
RAW arguments are quite often fit neatly into a gamist zone, but this is a further gamist extension. Animal companions are class features and so having barriers that prevent these animals from being able to continue with the party undermines the assumptions of the class balance.
In addition, the nature of Pathfinder Society games, with their limited time slots, means that if a more common sense approach is used there is little time for problem solving to try and find another way for the companion to join the party. The gamist structure of PFS, with its limited game time, which then injects simulationist expectations of resolution (an open ended time frame) can really hamper the class feature.
Thoughts?