What use is Acrobatics?

[grub]

Hi,
I'm a newly returning player to D&D (last played AD&D, THAC0 anyone?).

I am playing HotDQ as a Rogue Thief and am having a hard time figuring out what to use acrobatics for. It was useful for balancing in a boat, but I've yet to find much use otherwise.

My only other idea I had was to roll between foes to get behind them but not sure really why i need to bother.

*edit clarification

[Gritmonger]

Hi,
I'm a newly returning player to D&D (last played AD&D, THAC0 anyone?).

I am playing HotDQ as a Rogue Thief and am having a hard time figuring out what to use acrobatics for. It was useful for balancing in a boat, but I've yet to find much use otherwise.

My only other idea I had was to roll between foes to get behind them but not sure really why bother.

Get out of bonds or get out of a grapple, and avoid a shove (if somebody tries to knock you prone). It can contest in lieu of Strength (Athletics) checks in a number of cases. Make a leap across a difficult piece of terrain. Tumble to avoid some falling damage. If in doubt, point it out. The worst the DM can say is "no."

Edited to add: you could probably roll to go through a square or hex occupied by a hostile creature a size larger than you, or the same size, perhaps with disadvantage.

[grub]

Could it be used to hold a knife to a foes neck or would that be athletics?

My issue is that many things could be either but I chose this prof.

[Knaight]

Could it be used to hold a knife to a foes neck or would that be athletics?

My issue is that many things could be either but I chose this prof.

That wouldn't fit with either of them all that well, though athletics gets used in grappling. Basically, acrobatics can be thought of as athletics for agile athletes. Gymnasts would be represented with acrobatics. Need to get down a slope fast despite terrible footing? Acrobatics. Need to move across a narrow ledge or rope (without having the time to just lie down and pull)? Acrobatics. Need to precisely land a jump where distance isn't the concern, but your landing spot is kind of tiny? Acrobatics.

How much it comes up is both setting and DM dependent to some extent. If it's a game where the characters are prone to getting in fights on rafters, getting in chases on all sorts of horrible terrain, or other similar things acrobatics is a godsend. If the game is more of a typical dungeon crawl in a dungeon with inexplicably nice terrain everywhere, it's pretty useless.

[themaque]

Could it be used to hold a knife to a foes neck or would that be athletics?

My issue is that many things could be either but I chose this prof.

Descriptive text makes all the difference. If you make it sound reasonable to use acrobatics, you probably can. (ugh, I sound like 4e)

but I don't see why you would need any skill to hold a knife to someones neck, unless you're trying to grab them in combat?

EDIT: The 4e statement was an attempt at humor. I obviously failed my check. I am not initiating an edition war.

[grub]

I never tried 4e, to be fair my daughter was small when it came out.

I was thinking for interrogation purposes. Otherwise I could try to flip over a smaller foe (but that just adds a failure point to combat I'm not sure I'd risk). I guess I just need to jump out of trees and stab more instead of shooting.

[Gritmonger]

I never tried 4e, to be fair my daughter was small when it came out.

I was thinking for interrogation purposes. Otherwise I could try to flip over a smaller foe (but that just adds a failure point to combat I'm not sure I'd risk). I guess I just need to jump out of trees and stab more instead of shooting.

If you're looking to intimidate, making an acrobatics check to perform a weapon stunt might give you advantage, dunno.

[Gwendol]

Please look at my answer in this thread for more skill options:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?403199-skills-used-for-combat-abilities

[hymer]

@ OP: There is an option in the DMG for using Acrobatics to move through space occupied by an enemy. It's called 'tumbling' and can be found on page 272.

[Gnaeus]

The problem with Acrobatics is that the stunts it lets you do are vaguely defined (3 years from now there will be some kind of rogue sourcebook with more guidelines I'll wager). But in games that have DMs who used older editions, Acrobatics was Tumble, so I would expect that some DMs would allow its use for stuff that tumble and related skill tricks could do. That might include:
Avoiding opportunity attacks
Standing from prone at reduced move cost, or as a bonus action or reaction
Crawling without the movement penalty.

[Gwendol]

Yes, and also things that were not covered by the old rules. The list of combat options in the DMG reads more like suggestions and sources of inspiration more than a defined set of actions. I like that.

[BRKNdevil]

Ok, so since 5e is much more flexible and more pushing for better descriptions from the players to gain advantages and inspiration, my players have tended to do some rather acrobatic descriptions to get an advantage or inspiration. Especially, the rogue. So I have him roll acrobatics a good deal of the time. I like to think of it as, the crazy stuff that requires more flexibility rather then brute strength check.

[SliceandDiceKid]

Holding a knife to someone's throat isn't acrobatics unless you're dangling from a clothesline... Just ask DM.

[Yagyujubei]

obviously it's useful for looking absolutely fabulous in combat or any situation. never buckle your swash without it. on my rogue toon I make sure everyone knows how amazing I look when I do anything. this is more for RP and flavor, but acrobatics def. facilitates the behavior