The Acrobatics skill covers your attempt to stay on your feet in a tricky situation, such as when you’re trying to run across a sheet of ice, balance on a tightrope, or stay upright on a rocking ship’s deck. The DM might also call for an Acrobatics check to see if you can perform acrobatic stunts, including dives, rolls, somersaults, and flips. Any difficult physical movement based on your Dexterity is an Acrobatics check.
| Surface Width | DC Modifier1 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| >3 feet | +0 | The ground |
| 1 to 3 feet | +5 | Rafters, narrow bridge |
| 2 in to 1 foot | +10 | railings, narrow ledges, a board |
| <2 in | +20 | tight rope |
| Surface Condition | DC Modifier2 | Example |
| Obstructed | +2 to +5 | Gravel, rubble, undergrowth |
| Slippery | +2 to +5 | Wet, icy, slime covered |
| Uneven surface | +2 | Uneven flagstone, natural cave |
| Sloped | +2 | Not flat, but less than 45° |
| Unsteady | +2 | Swaying, rocking |
| Unstable | +5 | Crumbling, boat in a storm |
| Half-speed | –5 | Moving at half normal speed |
| Fast speed | +5 | Moving faster than normal, running or charging |
| Threatened | Special3 | A threatened space |
| Enemy space | +10 | Space an opponent occupies |
| 1 Use the highest modifier. 2 Add all modifiers that apply. 3 An opponent threatening a space adds its Combat Maneuver Bonus to the Acrobatics DC. See below. | ||
Crossing Narrow/Uneven Surfaces
When attempting to walk across any precarious surface, you need to make an Acrobatics check to maintain your footing.
Add the relevant modifiers as given on Table: Acrobatics Modifiers to determine the difficulty class of the skill check. A failure by 5 or less means you can’t move for 1 round. A failure by 6 or more means you fall.
A successful check means you may take your movement action as normal; however, if you take damage during your movement, you will need to make another Acrobatics check to maintain your footing.
While attempting to maintain footing, you are flat-footed, unless your successful check exceeds the DC by 5 or more.
Moving Through Threatened Spaces
When moving through a space threatened by an enemy, you risk provoking an attack of opportunity. A successful Acrobatics check can allow you to avoid provoking such an attack. When moving through a threatened square, determine the difficulty class of the check as normal then add your opponent’s Combat Maneuver Bonus to the DC of the Acrobatics check.
If moving through squares threatened by more than one enemy, use the highest CMB then add an additional +2 to the check DC for each additional enemy.
If your skill check exceeds the total DC, you may move normally without provoking an attack of opportunity. If you exceed the normal DC but not the number modified by the opponent’s CMB , you may move but immediately provoke an attack of opportunity before moving. If you fail the normal DC, you provoke an attack of opportunity before resolving the skill check as indicated above.
Soften a Fall
When falling any distance, you can attempt to roll with the fall and land more softly. You may make a special Acrobatics check against a DC of 15 to treat any fall as if it were 10 feet shorter than it really is when determining falling damage.
Squeezing and Escaping
When squeezing through particularly tight spaces or attempting to escape bindings or restraints, you make a special Acrobatics check to determine success. The difficulty class for these checks is determined by the specific condition.
You may also make an Acrobatics check to escape a grapple, making a check opposed by your enemy’s grapple check. You may not take 10 on attempts to escape a grapple.
Tactical Aerial Movement
While flying, you make an Acrobatics check when you attempt a complex maneuver or face particular hardship. For ease of reference, Acrobatics checks made while airborne are called “Aerial Acrobatics” checks.
| Maneuverability | DC Modifier |
|---|---|
| Clumsy | +8 |
| Poor | +4 |
| Average | +0 |
| Good | –4 |
| Perfect | –8 |
| Creature Size | DC Modifier |
| Fine | –8 |
| Diminutive | –6 |
| Tiny | –4 |
| Small | –2 |
| Medium | +0 |
| Large | +2 |
| Huge | +4 |
| Gargantuan | +6 |
| Colossal | +8 |
You can do the following without needing to make an Aerial Acrobatics check.
- Remain flying at the end of your turn so long as you move at least half your fly speed.
- Turn but to 45 degrees by sacrificing 5 feet of movement.
- Ascend at half speed at an angle of 45 degrees or less.
- Descend at any angle at normal speed.
Taking any action not on this list requires a check. The difficulty of these maneuvers varies depending upon the maneuver you are attempting, as noted on the following chart.
| Flying Maneuver | Fly DC |
|---|---|
| Move less than half speed and remain flying | 10 |
| Hover | 15 |
| Turn greater than 45° by spending 5 feet of movement | 15 |
| Turn 180° by spending 10 feet of movement | 20 |
| Fly up at a greater than 45° angle1 | 20 |
The DC of an Aerial Acrobatics check is modified by a creature’s Maneuverability and Size, as described on Table: Aerial Acrobatics Modifiers. In addition, the DC is increased by 5 for any creature that does not have a natural fly speed (such as if they gained a fly speed through a spell or effect). Because you are not touching a surface, you ignore all surface conditions described above when making an Aerial Acrobatics check.
Flying in high winds increases the DC of the skill check as noted on Table: Wind Effects. Creatures may be Checked or Blown Away by high winds. A flying creature of the listed Checked Size or smaller must succeed on a DC 20 Aerial Acrobatics check (adding modifiers as normal) or be blown back 1d6×5 feet, which does not count against their movement. Flying creatures that are the list Blown Away Size or smaller must succeed on a DC 25 Aerial Acrobatics check (adding modifiers as normal) or be blown back 2d6×10 feet and take 2d6 points of nonlethal damage. The DC of this skill check is doubled for creatures attempting to fly directly against the wind. These checks must be made every round that a creature remains airborne in high wind.
| Wind Force | Wind Speed | Checked Size | Blown Away Size | DC Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 0–10 mph | — | — | — |
| Moderate | 11–20 mph | — | — | — |
| Strong | 21–30 mph | Tiny | — | +2 |
| Severe | 31–50 mph | Small | Tiny | +4 |
| Windstorm | 51–74 mph | Medium | Small | +8 |
| Hurricane | 75–174 mph | Large | Medium | +12 |
| Tornado | 175+ mph | Huge | Large | +16 |
The following are some common situations that require making an Aerial Acrobatics check.
Avoid Falling After Being Attacked
If you take damage while flying, you must make a DC 10 Aerial Acrobatics check to avoid losing 10 feet of altitude. This descent does not provoke an attack of opportunity and does not count against your movement.
Avoid Falling After Collision
If you collide with an object equal to your size or larger, you must immediately make a DC 25 Aerial Acrobatics check to avoid plummeting to the ground, taking the appropriate falling damage.
Negate Falling Damage
If you are falling and have the ability to fly, you can make a DC 10 Aerial Acrobatics check to negate the damage. You cannot make this check if you are falling due to a failed skill check or a collision.