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View Full Version : [3.5] Jump - How many points should I invest?



Emperor Tippy
2008-10-30, 10:17 PM
I'm making a level 20 Assassin just because. Build is Human Factotum 4/ Lion Totem Barbarian 1/ Assassin 10/ Swordsage 5 using fractional BAB and saves (giving me 3 attacks at level 20).

I also have around 200 skill points (depends on what level a tome is used).

Now, should I invest skill points in Jump? And if so how many? Thanks to Brains Over Brawn I already get +11 and Tumble gives Synergy, so with no skill points invested I get +13 on Jump checks.

Oh, one of my stances is likely to be Balance on the Sky (let's me walk on air).

So thoughts?

Ryuuk
2008-10-30, 10:53 PM
I really only use Jump for the Sudden Leap maneuver. Usually end up maxing it in order to move as much as I can as a swift action.

sonofzeal
2008-10-30, 11:04 PM
"Jump" is a skill that scales very well. With many skills, once you hit +20 there's not point boosting it farther; not so with Jump. Every additional +1 gives you an extra little bit of reach, an extra buffer for making the safer jumps and an extra chance of awesome on the ridiculous ones. At no point does Jump ever become high enough that it couldn't use a bit more.

That said, weigh it against what else you'd do with those skill points.

jcsw
2008-10-30, 11:10 PM
Usually I put in just enough skill points to make a jump that equals your full round movespeed minus 20ft(the running jump).

So if you're base movespeed is 30ft, I'd put in enough to jump 40ft reliably.

snoopy13a
2008-10-30, 11:18 PM
I'd invest quite a bit. There is +2 synergy bonus between the Jump skill and Profession: Basketball Player :smalltongue:

Leewei
2008-10-30, 11:26 PM
I don't see the percentage in Jump skill. I'd focus on Hide, Move Silently, Spot, Listen, Bluff, Sense Motive ...

monty
2008-10-30, 11:32 PM
There's just something epic-feeling about being able to jump so far it takes two rounds to do it. That's the best part about having a high modifier.

KevLar
2008-10-31, 09:10 AM
If you have Sudden Leap, remember to take the Extreme Leap skill trick: A horizontal jump of at least 10 feet allows 10 extra feet of movement that round.

Irreverent Fool
2008-10-31, 04:20 PM
Max it out. High jumps are extremely difficult, and being able to make them reliably is just awesome.

I once had a warblade who's armor got destroyed by acid mid-fight, freeing him up to use the various skills I'd been dumping points in over several levels. He jumped into the middle of a swarm of 7 enemies and obliterated them with an Adamantite Hurricane, a feat he would not have been able to accomplish without being able to jump six feet into the air.

In another game, our party ninja (with an 'optimised' jump score) activated an item of jump and intercepted a diving dragon with a prepared action. We still talk about that.

Another time, a successful jump check landed a character on an enemy's flying carpet. One bull rush later and we had a dead enemy and a new flying carpet.

I'm sure you'll have some way to fly, but being able to take out flying enemies who think they're out of reach without resorting to magic makes for some very memorable encounters. Pump it!
obnoxious
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Emperor Tippy
2008-10-31, 05:00 PM
Actually I'm already at +22 on the check (Boots of Agile Leaping switching it from Strength to Dex). Exemplar gives me 10 Skill Masteries and I can spend one on Jump. That means I can always make a DC 32 check.

I suppose I could max it by spending 23 points, allowing me to always make a DC 55 check every time. Combine with Boots of Striding and Springing and I can make a DC 64. That lets me do a standing high jump of 8 feet, running high jump of 16 feet, standing long jump of 32 feet, or a running long jump of 64 feet. Which really should be enough for any conceivable situation.

Gorbash
2008-10-31, 05:14 PM
Boots of Striding and Springing gives you a total of +9 on Jump checks. +5 enchantmenet, and another +4 because of the increased movement speed.

Emperor Tippy
2008-10-31, 05:41 PM
I know. It's accounted for in my calculations. With Cunning Knowledge I could hit a DC 68 once per day with no chance of error and hit DC 64's all day with no chance of error.

Triaxx
2008-10-31, 08:36 PM
Hmm... Combine that with Spider Climb and you can bounce up and over any wall that happens to get in your way. Perfect for an assassin who might need to get into inconveinently placed (Read: High) windows.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-10-31, 08:44 PM
Hmm... Combine that with Spider Climb and you can bounce up and over any wall that happens to get in your way. Perfect for an assassin who might need to get into inconveinently placed (Read: High) windows.Or a Bard. For the same reason. :smallwink:

icefractal
2008-10-31, 08:58 PM
Of course, flight is pretty prevalent by 20th level, so I'd only get Jump for it's use in combat manuevers like Sudden Leap and Battle Jump. Not that springing around isn't cool, but you don't want to be regretting those skill points when people are tossing around Fly at a whim.

Emperor Tippy
2008-10-31, 09:20 PM
Of course, flight is pretty prevalent by 20th level, so I'd only get Jump for it's use in combat manuevers like Sudden Leap and Battle Jump. Not that springing around isn't cool, but you don't want to be regretting those skill points when people are tossing around Fly at a whim.

Skill points aren't that much of an issue for this build.

Hectonkhyres
2008-10-31, 09:31 PM
If you are playing it flight heavy, your DM might (read: will) start pulling out the heavy artillery. Possibly literally.

Do not flaunt your thong of supersonic flight in front of your DM or you will suddenly find yourself in an impromptu game of Call of Cthulhu.

Emperor Tippy
2008-10-31, 09:35 PM
If you are playing it flight heavy, your DM might (read: will) start pulling out the heavy artillery. Possibly literally.

Do not flaunt your thong of supersonic flight in front of your DM or you will suddenly find yourself in an impromptu game of Call of Cthulhu.

...
What are you talking about? Your comment makes no sense at all in the context of this thread.

GrassyGnoll
2008-10-31, 10:23 PM
I'm making a level 20 Assassin just because. Build is Human Factotum 4/ Lion Totem Barbarian 1/ Assassin 10/ Swordsage 5

The only problem with the build. Go thri-keen, +30 to Jump checks= more jump-age than your body has room for.

Of course if you're really sold on using squishy humans take a peek at this (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=943738).

Emperor Tippy
2008-10-31, 10:28 PM
The only problem with the build. Go thri-keen, +30 to Jump checks= more jump-age than your body has room for.

Of course if you're really sold on using squishy humans take a peek at this (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=943738).

This isn't a jump focused build. I was just solicting advice on how many (if any) points I should place in jump. I'm going human so I can take Able Learner (stupid human only) and because I could use the extra feat. If I could find a way to get Able Learner on a grey elf then I would be one of those (Embrace/Shun for the feats).

nargbop
2008-10-31, 10:32 PM
For giggles, check out the Jumplomancer (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=943738) , someone so good at Jumping that they immediately transform anyone who sees them jump into ravenous fanatics. You leap from town to town, converting to your new state religion as they watch you jump.


Similarly, there's Use Ropelomancy. Also Concentratlomancy.

GrassyGnoll
2008-10-31, 10:49 PM
This isn't a jump focused build. I was just solicting advice on how many (if any) points I should place in jump. I'm going human so I can take Able Learner (stupid human only) and because I could use the extra feat. If I could find a way to get Able Learner on a grey elf then I would be one of those (Embrace/Shun for the feats).

Ah, then the answer is yes. Max it. A good enough Jumper can supersede his need for Climb and in combination with Tumble has excellent benefits to mobility and qualifies you for some supremely handy skill tricks.

Learnedguy
2008-11-02, 02:55 AM
...
What are you talking about? Your comment makes no sense at all in the context of this thread.

No, it does make sense. He says that jump is useful even when fly is readily available, as you don't want to overuse fly in fear of aggravating the DM.

Emperor Tippy
2008-11-02, 03:10 AM
No, it does make sense. He says that jump is useful even when fly is readily available, as you don't want to overuse fly in fear of aggravating the DM.

Yeah, that does fit better. That what I get for posting when sleepy and having brain farts.