Acrobatics?

[Tywyll]

I've been consolidating skill lists from RQ4 and BRP and I came across the Acrobatics skill. So I've been thinking of adding the skill to the skill lists.

So, if you add acrobatics, is there a use for the agility roll? The problem I have with the agility roll taking the place of a skill in acrobatics is that acrobatics is something one can develop and practice it seems odd to have all dexterous people be good at leaps and spins, but not the other dex skills.

Any thoughts?

[Trifletraxor]

I don't like the acrobatics skill. Prefer the DEX roll. If using it, I'd let people chose whether to roll acrobatics or a DEX roll.

SGL.

[Chaot]

I view the DEX roll as either a fast reaction or getting out of the way, not as trained acrobatics. Therefore, I say keep it. I'm not sure how much impact it will have in game though.

So now I'm thinking about capoeira. I tend to combine rolls when two skills overlap. An example, Brawl plus Acrobatics equals Capoeira.

[Jason D]

So, if you add acrobatics, is there a use for the agility roll?

Absolutely.

Look at some Olympic gymnastic events and figure out what these athletes do - from things like balance beams, swings, cartwheels, flips, tumbles, walking on hands, tightrope-type walking, etc. Make those use the Acrobatics skill. If you were doing anything gymnastic like that, use that skill.

Then use the DEX roll for less basic stuff that anyone without training but high reflexes could do, like catching things, landing on your feet if you're pushed over, etc.

Anyone using the Acrobatics skill successfully will look like someone who's trained and is highly skilled. Using the DEX roll successfully will look like you managed to do it, but it looked like it was raw reflexes rather than any sort of training.

[Tywyll]

Absolutely.

Look at some Olympic gymnastic events and figure out what these athletes do - from things like balance beams, swings, cartwheels, flips, tumbles, walking on hands, tightrope-type walking, etc. Make those use the Acrobatics skill. If you were doing anything gymnastic like that, use that skill.

Then use the DEX roll for less basic stuff that anyone without training but high reflexes could do, like catching things, landing on your feet if you're pushed over, etc.

Anyone using the Acrobatics skill successfully will look like someone who's trained and is highly skilled. Using the DEX roll successfully will look like you managed to do it, but it looked like it was raw reflexes rather than any sort of training.

Cool, thanks! You can't get higher recommendation than from the writer.

[FunGuyFromYuggoth]

If you follow G4's "Ninja Challenge" ("Sasuke" in Japanese), you will probably appreciate that the obstacle course competition attracts people from all walks of life, including amateur athletes (track and field, gymnastics, trampolinists, parkour, etc.). Interestingly the show has a wide number of winners with backgrounds that would not necessarily suggest they'd get to the final rounds, which is what I find most interesting b/c these are just very physically talented people.

So yes, I think that it will all depend on the era, the background of the character, and the GM's permissions. As mentioned, this doesn't necessarily mean that people who have natural aptitude can't compete with them on a neutral, run/climb/jump type of challenge you'd find in-game. You just have to adjust for Difficulty depending on how (dis)similar the proposed task is to what they trained for and decide what's appropriate and what's not. As Jason said, trained athletes tend to look better (form and presentation) in comparison.

A good analog is the opening foot chase scene with Daniel Craig in "Casino Royale." He does keep up with the runner, but is definitely not pretty in the way he does it.

Edited August 6, 2008 by FunGuyFromYuggoth

[Jason D]

Cool, thanks! You can't get higher recommendation than from the writer.

Thanks!

But I'm just another freelancer these days.

The game rules are as much yours as mine now.