Giantbane: Considered climbing?

[PsiX]

I saw the Giantbane feat from Complete Warrior pointed out recently in another thread. And while perhaps not amazingly powerful, it struck me as being filled with fun and amusing potential, particularly with the Climb Aboard maneuver. On consideration of the maneuver though, some questions came to me on just how it works.

Specifically, are you considered to be 'climbing' while using the maneuver? You certainly use the Climb skill to successfully use it, but does that mean it comes with all of the usual drawbacks associated with climbing, such as needing both hands free, losing your Dex modifier from your AC, having to make a new climb check to avoid falling if you're damaged, etc. It seems to me as if it's probably not intended that this be the case - I think the drawbacks would pretty significantly outweigh the relatively meager benefits involved.

My dreams of a tiny giantkiller wildly cackling as she clings to an opponent's hair while hatcheting at its neck are in the balance! What say you all: Should any or all of the Climb consequences apply to use of this feat, or should it just be read as doing precisely what it specifically says, and nothing more?

[AnonymousPepper]

Putting on my GM hat here... I'd say it depends on the tone of the game in general, imo.

If your game's not taking itself too seriously, by all means, play fast and loose with it. Rule of Cool in those games has a very fond friendship with Rule Zero, and the corresponding fun factor is certainly very high. If you've got a more fun and loose kind of game, you'd be absolutely justified in ignoring the usual climbing penalties. Picture this as the Return of the King approach - Legolas obviously gave zero craps about incoming fire and did just fine.

In a more serious game, yeah, you'd take the penalties. So to, for example, avoid getting knocked off by, say, some lucky kobold with a Lesser Orb of Fire, you'd have to actually use some strategy; here, you'd want your allies to tie up in melee any enemy with ranged attacks. Picture this as what would happen if you tried to do what ol' Leggy did in actuality.