What are the rules for jumping over something (i.e. long+high jump)?

[Greywander]

So we have rules for a long jump, but I think the long jump assumes no verticality. Long jumps are for clearing chasms or ground-based hazards.
We have rules for high jumps, but I think the high jump assumes you're jumping straight up. High jumps are for each a ledge above you. (Though you still need a running start to get max height, so maybe I'm wrong...?)

So what do you do if you have an obstacle that you need to jump over that's taller than your ankles? Let's say, hypothetically, that you have crazy jumping skills, say a 45 foot long jump and a 30 foot high jump, and there's an 8 foot tall monster in your way and you just need to jump over them? One would think that between these ridiculous jump distances, jumping over something 8 feet tall shouldn't be an issue, but as far as I'm aware there actually aren't any rules for combining long and high jumps together. It's not hard to see how jumping both up and forward will probably not get you as high as a high jump or as far as a long jump, but it's not clear how your maximum height and distance would be affected.

I think jumping is kind of a fun way to get around; it's a nice alternative to flying or climbing. Flight is usually the Boring but Effective option, so alternatives with more interesting character are appreciated. Spiderclimbing is fun, but it's probably better known and fairly straight forward. I don't think as many people bother to make use of jumping rules, and it seems like those rules run into issues any time you're not jumping either straight up or straight forward.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Long Jump. When you make a long jump, you cover a number of feet up to your Strength score if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing long jump, you can leap only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement.

This rule assumes that the height of your jump doesn't matter, such as a jump across a stream or chasm. At your DM's option, you must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump's distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit it.

When you land in difficult terrain, you must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to land on your feet. Otherwise, you land prone.

High Jump. When you make a high jump, you leap into the air a number of feet equal to 3 + your Strength modifier (minimum of 0 feet) if you move at least 10 feet on foot immediately before the jump. When you make a standing high jump, you can jump only half that distance. Either way, each foot you clear on the jump costs a foot of movement. In some circumstances, your DM might allow you to make a Strength (Athletics) check to jump higher than you normally can.

You can extend your arms half your height above yourself during the jump. Thus, you can reach above you a distance equal to the height of the jump plus 1 1/2 times your height.


There are rules. Are there good ones? :shrug:

[Ortho]

Is there any rule saying you can't perform a high jump and a long jump simultaneously? They both have the same "move 10 ft before jumping" prerequisite.

[Mellack]

There is rules for this in the book.

" At your GM’s option, you must succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to clear a low obstacle (no taller than a quarter of the jump’s distance), such as a hedge or low wall. Otherwise, you hit it."

So if you can long jump 45 feet, you can also go up 11 feet with a fairly easy check.

[Darth Credence]

There are rules. Are there good ones? :shrug:
Eh, probably good enough. I've used that rule set before, and the players have been fine with it. I've looked into calculating how it would actually work - getting the required velocity to jump a given distance at different take off angles, then calculating the jump height from that, but it is nearly impossible to actually apply. Ideal take off angle is on a person by person basis, and greatly affects the total height, so what do you put in there? Plus, to have enough speed to make a 20 foot jump, you have to be moving at better than 150 feet per round, which isn't assumed for anyone without some sort of speed build, so what do you put in for velocity? One quarter the jump distance as a maximum height with an easy check to do it is good enough for my purposes.


Is there any rule saying you can't perform a high jump and a long jump simultaneously? They both have the same "move 10 ft before jumping" prerequisite.

I don't think there is a rule that says you specifically can't, but there certainly isn't one that says you can. You would have radically different take off angles for the two, so I wouldn't allow it.

[sambojin]

Just for the high point of this, a Female Steeder with Jump cast on it can leap 270', with a vertical point of 67.5' somewhere in the arc (and stick the landing with Spider climb, even if it's on a roof or wall). For a DC10Str(athletics) check. It's not quite flight, but that's about a 5-8 story building you can jump onto, or higher than some city walls (it's DnD. If you want them to do anything, they have to be extra-tall) while still travelling horizontally more than most characters can move in four turns as the halfway'ish point of the arc.

Feel free to bring someone with you with Sticky Leg 🙂

(There's never a point in a player's career where a 2lvl Moon dip shouldn't be considered as an option, just for shenanigans like this. If the reverse applies, you can jump up to 270' upward, with a 67.5' jump distance horizontally, and only go *splat* a little bit if you're not jumping onto something. Just 1/3rd the figures, if you don't feel like wasting a spell slot on 1min of Jumping awesome. It's still pretty awesome. Yes, you can max-powerbomb/air-drop enemies with this, assuming you don't mind "a tiny bit of damage" yourself)

[x3n0n]

Just for the high point of this, a Female Steeder with Jump cast on it can leap 270', with a vertical point of 67.5' somewhere in the arc (and stick the landing with Spider climb, even if it's on a roof or wall). For a DC10Str(athletics) check. It's not quite flight, but that's about a 5-8 story building you can jump onto, or higher than some city walls (it's DnD. If you want them to do anything, they have to be extra-tall) while still travelling horizontally more than most characters can move in four turns as the halfway'ish point of the arc.

Feel free to bring someone with you with Sticky Leg 🙂

(There's never a point in a player's career where a 2lvl Moon dip shouldn't be considered as an option, just for shenanigans like this)

I was like "OMG, why hasn't this turned up in my Moon research?" The answer is because the Steeders are Monstrosities, not Beasts. [:sad trombone:]

Edit: I don't have paper copies of OotA, MToF, or MotM, just D&D Beyond, which thinks that both versions (pre- and post-MotM) are Monstrosities. That said, I can certainly believe that they've been printed as Beasts and then were errata'ed. See below for discussion.

[sambojin]

Some are beasts, some are monstrosities. Apparently you can use either version, and guess which one a Moon Druid would learn about on his day-trips in druid training camp?

I'm not sure if it was errata'd officially, or they just got a reprint as a monstrosity. I think it has been mentioned that you can use any version of a monster that has been printed.

It's not "use newest version", it's "use the version you saw/ want to" I think. Kinda like the new rewritten monsters in the multiverse book. You like the old? Go for it. You like the streamlined but simplistic new ones? Go for it. Hell, mix and match a bit if you're the DM.

But from a Druid's perspective, Steeders were beasts at one point. That would be the version they can wildshape into. They released the monstrosity version, with extra perception, worse jumping, but better attacks, because of Druids. But we remember. Hell, there's probably an entire underdark Druid Circle devoted to just protecting and raising those scary mother's...

[x3n0n]

Some are beasts, some are monstrosities. Apparently you can use either version, and guess which one a Moon Druid would learn about on his day-trips in druid training camp?

I'm not sure if it was errata'd officially, or they just got a reprint as a monstrosity. I think it has been mentioned that you can use any version of a monster that has been printed.

It's not "use newest version", it's "use the version you saw/ want to" I think. Kinda like the new rewritten monsters in the multiverse book. You like the old? Go for it. You like the streamlined but simplistic new ones? Go for it. Hell, mix and match a bit if you're the DM.

But from a Druid's perspective, Steeders were beasts at one point. That would be the version they can wildshape into. They released the monstrosity version, with extra perception, worse jumping, but better attacks, because of Druids. But we remember. Hell, there's probably an entire underdark Druid Circle devoted to just protecting and raising those scary mother's...

Ah, I see. I was only looking at the MPMotM version. Ignore the above.