[4e] Example Acrobatics Checks

[LibraryOgre]

We had a character (recently retired, so his player can be a dwarven Artificer) who constantly tried to make Acrobatics checks, and kept getting shot down, because he was trying to do something covered by Athletics.

What are some sample acrobatics checks you've allowed to be made in the past?

[Tiki Snakes]

Well, my last campaign did not massively feature innovative PC's, so few really asked to try a skill check.

I have allowed a halfling to use it to do a bit of wall-running to bypass a trapped square/flagstone, that I recall, however.

[Nightson]

Generally, if it isn't climbing, jumping or swimming I'm more then willing to allow an acrobatics check.

Wanting to use acrobatics to replace athletics is not an isolated thing though, I've heard other people speak of it, and the rogue in my game had to get used to rolling his much worse athletics modifier.

[Thajocoth]

* Sliding down stairs on your shield
* Swinging across a chandelier
* Reducing fall damage
* Jumping through an enemy's space (they still get an AO)
* Wallrunning
* Rolling under a table instead of walking around it while pursuing some criminal down back-allies in a city (Part of a chasing skill challenge)
* Balancing on a beam
* Participating in a dance contest
* Escaping a grab (versus the grabber's Reflex)
* Anything else that's a physical act and makes more sense as Acrobatics than it does as Athletics or Thievery.

[Hal]

Here's an example from a campaign I played in:

We entered a room with a raised platform/stage at the opposite end of the room from where we entered. On the stage were some enemies. In the middle of the room was a large weight tied by a rope to the ceiling. The enemies on the stage would throw the weight at us, which would swing back to the stage each round. If there wasn't an enemy on each side of the stage to catch the return swing, the rope would return to the center of the room.

I asked my DM if I could prepare an action to grab onto the rope as it swung towards us and ride the weight back to the stage where I would kick the waiting enemy in the face.

Two acrobatics checks and a melee basic attack later, I was on that stage face-stomping a mook. Granted, I then was swarmed by all the enemies we couldn't see from below, but that's not the point of the thread.

[KillianHawkeye]

Here's an example of when I'd allow Acrobatics to sub for an Athletics check: Say there's a platform of between waist and chest height that you want to get onto quickly. You could roll Athletics to climb up or jump on top of it, but if you wanted to run at it, push over the ledge and roll to a standing position, I'd call that Acrobatics.