Cliff Diving (sage ability) - Revision history

Tao alexis at 16:15, 7 March 2025

2025-03-07T16:15:18Z

Tao alexis at 16:14, 7 March 2025

2025-03-07T16:14:22Z

Tao alexis at 16:11, 7 March 2025

2025-03-07T16:11:01Z

Tao alexis: /* Unskilled Divers */

2023-10-14T00:41:28Z

Unskilled Divers

Tao alexis at 23:54, 13 October 2023

2023-10-13T23:54:36Z

Tao alexis at 18:34, 5 January 2022

2022-01-05T18:34:28Z

Tao alexis: /* Skilled Divers */

2022-01-03T20:17:38Z

Skilled Divers

Tao alexis at 20:17, 3 January 2022

2022-01-03T20:17:11Z

Tao alexis at 20:12, 3 January 2022

2022-01-03T20:12:06Z

Tao alexis at 01:22, 2 December 2021

2021-12-02T01:22:26Z

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-[[File:Cliff Diving (sage ability).jpg|right|560px|thumb]]
+[[File:Cliff Diving (sage ability).jpg|right|525px|thumb]]
 '''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A stable platform is required and the character must remove excess gear, carrying no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment. Exceeding this limit results in +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]] per additional 3 lbs. or fraction thereof.
 __TOC__

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 [[File:Cliff Diving (sage ability).jpg|right|560px|thumb]]
-'''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A stable platform is required, and the character must remove excess gear, carrying no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment. Exceeding this limit results in +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]] per additional 3 lbs. or fraction thereof.
+'''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A stable platform is required and the character must remove excess gear, carrying no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment. Exceeding this limit results in +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]] per additional 3 lbs. or fraction thereof.
 __TOC__
-A dive involves leaping headfirst, arms extended, with hands together to break the water’s surface before entry. An unskilled diver may instinctively flail or position their body incorrectly, increasing the likelihood of injury. Entering the water at an improper angle, such as landing flat or twisting unexpectedly, can cause serious harm. Without proper technique, even moderate dives can leave a diver stunned, gasping for air or struggling to regain control after resurfacing.
+A dive involves leaping headfirst, arms extended, with hands together to break the water's surface before entry. An unskilled diver may instinctively flail or position their body incorrectly, increasing the likelihood of [[Injury|injury]]. Entering the water at an improper angle, such as landing flat or twisting unexpectedly, can cause serious harm. Without proper technique, even moderate dives can leave a diver stunned, gasping for air or struggling to regain control after resurfacing.
-Characters without this ability can attempt high dives, but with significant risk. An unskilled diver can safely jump from heights up to 18 feet, assuming calm water and a proper entry position. At greater heights, the danger increases considerably. Poor form can result in injuries such as sprains, bruises, or even broken bones, while an uncontrolled fall from 30 feet or higher can be fatal. The force of impact on the water at these heights is enough to knock the wind out of a diver or disorient them upon entry, increasing the risk of drowning.
+Characters without this ability can attempt high dives, but with significant risk. An unskilled diver can safely jump from heights up to 18 feet, assuming calm water and a proper entry position. At greater heights, the danger increases considerably. Poor form can result in injuries such as sprains, bruises or even broken bones, while an uncontrolled fall from 30 feet or higher can be fatal. The force of impact on the water at these heights is enough to knock the wind out of a diver or disorient them upon entry, increasing the risk of drowning.
-Those trained in cliff diving can safely leap from terrifying heights without injury, provided conditions are favourable. Experience allows them to judge water depth, account for currents, and adjust their form mid-air to ensure a clean entry. Skilled divers instinctively know how to angle their bodies to minimize impact, using controlled tucks and rotations to maintain stability. However, even with training, risks remain if the water below is too shallow, obstructed by hidden rocks, or disturbed by strong currents. Environmental factors such as wind, waves, or unpredictable water movement must always be considered before making a dive.
+Those trained in cliff diving can safely leap from terrifying heights without injury, provided conditions are favourable. Experience allows them to judge water depth, account for currents and adjust their form mid-air to ensure a clean entry. Skilled divers instinctively know how to angle their bodies to minimise impact, using controlled tucks and rotations to maintain stability. However, even with training, risks remain if the water below is too shallow, obstructed by hidden rocks or disturbed by strong currents. Environmental factors such as wind, waves or unpredictable water movement must always be considered before making a dive.
 {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
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 Cliff diving takes practice and training; the benefit is that the diver can use their momentum after striking the water to surface a significant distance from where they entered. A trained diver can travel 2 hexes per 10 ft. drop, making it an effective means of escape when pursued. This is far safer than simply [[Falling#Jumping|jumping]], which provides no such momentum and leaves the character surfacing almost directly below their entry point.
-However, unskilled individuals frequently make mistakes in their form. Common errors include entering the water with arms apart, the head at the wrong angle, or legs bent, all of which increase the risk of injury. The table reflects how even a simple 5 ft. dive can cause a minor injury if performed incorrectly. As the height increases, these mistakes become more punishing, leading to dislocated limbs, unconsciousness, or even death.
+However, unskilled individuals frequently make mistakes in their form. Common errors include entering the water with arms apart, the head at the wrong angle or legs bent, all of which increase the risk of injury. The table reflects how even a simple 5 ft. dive can cause a minor injury if performed incorrectly. As the height increases, these mistakes become more punishing, leading to dislocated limbs, unconsciousness or even death.
-Characters should also exercise caution for reasons beyond form alone. Submerged ledges, shifting currents, or a misjudged water depth can all turn a leap into a deadly mistake. While cliff diving is an effective means of descent for those trained in it, characters without the skill should consider that jumping may be the safer option in many cases. Despite these risks, a healthy character can typically expect to survive a dive of up to 18 feet, even with poor dice rolls, though injuries may still occur.
+Characters should also exercise caution for reasons beyond form alone. Submerged ledges, shifting currents or a misjudged water depth can all turn a leap into a deadly mistake. While cliff diving is an effective means of descent for those trained in it, characters without the skill should consider that jumping may be the safer option in many cases. Despite these risks, a healthy character can typically expect to survive a dive of up to 18 feet, even with poor dice rolls, though injuries may still occur.
 == Talented Divers ==
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 == Skilled Divers ==
-Upon reaching 10 points of knowledge, the character attains amateur status, gaining greater precision and control over their dives. However, beyond this level, the safe diving height increases at a reduced rate of 1½ feet per point of knowledge rather than 2 feet. For example, a diver with 15 points of knowledge can dive from 27½ feet without injury—20 feet from the first 10 points and an additional 7½ feet from the remaining 5 points. Fractions are generally ignored in practical calculations.
+Upon reaching 10 points of knowledge, the character attains amateur status, gaining greater precision and control over their dives. However, beyond this level, the safe diving height increases at a reduced rate of 1½ feet per point of knowledge rather than 2 feet. For example, a diver with 15 points of knowledge can dive from 27½ feet without injury — 20 feet from the first 10 points and an additional 7½ feet from the remaining 5 points. Fractions are generally ignored in practical calculations.
 If a skilled diver exceeds their safe height, they suffer damage according to the unskilled diver table, based on the number of additional feet fallen.

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 [[File:Cliff Diving (sage ability).jpg|right|560px|thumb]]
-'''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A good platform is required and the character must strip so that no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment is carried.  For every 3 lbs. more, or part thereof, the character will suffer +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]].
+'''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A stable platform is required, and the character must remove excess gear, carrying no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment. Exceeding this limit results in +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]] per additional 3 lbs. or fraction thereof.
 __TOC__
-High dives can be attempted by characters without the ability, though it can be very dangerous.  The highest safe dive for an unskilled character is about 18 ft.  For those with sage-status, dives of more than 100 ft., or more, can be attempted.
+A dive involves leaping headfirst, arms extended, with hands together to break the water’s surface before entry. An unskilled diver may instinctively flail or position their body incorrectly, increasing the likelihood of injury. Entering the water at an improper angle, such as landing flat or twisting unexpectedly, can cause serious harm. Without proper technique, even moderate dives can leave a diver stunned, gasping for air or struggling to regain control after resurfacing.
-== Unskilled Divers ==
+Characters without this ability can attempt high dives, but with significant risk. An unskilled diver can safely jump from heights up to 18 feet, assuming calm water and a proper entry position. At greater heights, the danger increases considerably. Poor form can result in injuries such as sprains, bruises, or even broken bones, while an uncontrolled fall from 30 feet or higher can be fatal. The force of impact on the water at these heights is enough to knock the wind out of a diver or disorient them upon entry, increasing the risk of drowning.
-Diving describes leaping head first, arms outstretched and hands held together to break the water's surface before entering.
 {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
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 | 73+ || 15d6
 |}
-This takes practice and training; the benefit is that the diver is able to use his or her momentum after striking the water so as to surface a significant distance from where the water was entered, some 2 hexes per 10 ft. drop.  This is safer, when being pursued, than [[Falling#Jumping|jumping]], which grants no such momentum.
+However, unskilled individuals frequently make mistakes in their form. Common errors include entering the water with arms apart, the head at the wrong angle, or legs bent, all of which increase the risk of injury. The table reflects how even a simple 5 ft. dive can cause a minor injury if performed incorrectly. As the height increases, these mistakes become more punishing, leading to dislocated limbs, unconsciousness, or even death.
-However, unskilled persons often make the mistake of going into with their arms apart, their head at the wrong angle and their legs bent.  The table shows the effect of this poor technique: even a dive of 5 ft. can result in a light injury.  As the height increases, this lack of technique becomes crippling or deadly.  Characters should be cautious before deciding to dive for other reasons as well ... damage may be sustained from hitting a ledge beneath the surface, or the bottom may be much closer than imagined.  Therefore, characters without diving skill should find it safer to jump.  Still, a healthy player character can expect to survive most dives up to 18 ft., even if the dice are bad.
+Characters should also exercise caution for reasons beyond form alone. Submerged ledges, shifting currents, or a misjudged water depth can all turn a leap into a deadly mistake. While cliff diving is an effective means of descent for those trained in it, characters without the skill should consider that jumping may be the safer option in many cases. Despite these risks, a healthy character can typically expect to survive a dive of up to 18 feet, even with poor dice rolls, though injuries may still occur.
 == Talented Divers ==
-Even one point of knowledge enables the character to show a "talent" for diving.  This dictates the character has grasped the correct form and technique, even if they can't perform it well.  For each additional point, the character can dive from a height of 2 ft. without fear of damage.  This seems incidental, but the height increases quickly, since with 6 points the character can dive safely from a height of 12 ft., enough to make plenty of people nervous.  With 9 points, just one shy of reaching amateur, or "skilled" status, the character can dive safely from a height of 18 ft.
+Even a single point of knowledge grants the character a natural aptitude for diving, meaning they understand proper form and technique, even if they have not yet mastered execution. For each additional point of knowledge, the character gains the ability to dive safely from an additional 2 feet without risk of injury. While this may seem like a minor benefit at first, it quickly compounds. With 6 points, the diver can safely descend from 12 feet, a height that would make many uneasy. By 9 points, just one shy of achieving amateur or "skilled" status, the character can confidently dive from 18 feet without harm.
 == Skilled Divers ==
-As the character reaches 10 pts. of knowledge and becomes an amateur, greater acuity is gained.  However, above 10 pts., the safe height is reduced to 1½ ft. per point of knowledge.  Thus, a diver with 15 points of knowledge would be able to dive safely from a height of 27½ ft. — 20 ft. for the first 10 points of knowledge and 7½ ft. for the additional 5 points.  For most calculations, the fraction is ignored.
+Upon reaching 10 points of knowledge, the character attains amateur status, gaining greater precision and control over their dives. However, beyond this level, the safe diving height increases at a reduced rate of 1½ feet per point of knowledge rather than 2 feet. For example, a diver with 15 points of knowledge can dive from 27½ feet without injury—20 feet from the first 10 points and an additional 7½ feet from the remaining 5 points. Fractions are generally ignored in practical calculations.
-Attempts above this height cause damage according to the number of additional ft. on the '''unskilled diver table'''.
+: '''For example''', an amateur diver with 15 points of knowledge attempts a 47-foot dive. This exceeds their safe limit by 10 feet, so they suffer 1d4 damage upon impact.
-: '''For example''', an amateur diver with 15 points of knowledge makes a dive of 47 ft.  This is 10 ft. beyond the diver's ordinary skill, so 1d4 damage is suffered.
+=== Required Depth of Water ===
-==== Depth of Water ====
+: '''For example''', a dive from 35 feet requires the base 12 feet, plus 4 feet for the additional 20 feet of height, for a total required depth of 16 feet.
-: '''For example''', a dive from 35 ft. requires 12 ft., +4 ft. for the additional 20 ft. dive.  The total depth of water needed is therefore 16 ft.
+If the water is shallower than the required depth, the impact is more dangerous. For every foot of depth missing, the diver suffers damage as if falling into water only 2½ feet deep.
-For every foot of depth lacking, count the damage as equal to a fall into water of 2½ ft.  Thus, a dive of 35 ft. into 11 ft. of water would cause damage equal to a fall of 22½ ft.
+: '''For example''', a 35-foot dive into 11 feet of water is 5 feet shallower than required. This results in damage equal to a fall into 22½ feet of water, increasing the risk of injury.
-Divers of authority-status, with 30 knowledge or more, don't need a wisdom check to determine whether or not the depth of water dived into is safe.
+Divers of authority-status (with 30 knowledge points or more) no longer need a wisdom check to determine if the water is deep enough for a safe dive. Their experience allows them to judge depth with certainty, ensuring they only attempt dives that will not result in injury.
 See [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]]
-[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Don't Review until 2024]]
+[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Reviewed]]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 Diving describes leaping head first, arms outstretched and hands held together to break the water's surface before entering.
-{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 15px; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
+{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 25px; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
 |+Unskilled Damage
 ! Distance (ft.) !! Damage

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 [[File:Cliff Diving (sage ability).jpg|right|560px|thumb]]
-'''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A good platform is required and the character must strip so that no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment is carried.  For every 3 lbs. more, or part thereof, the character will suffer +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]].
+'''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Athletics (sage study)|Athletics]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A good platform is required and the character must strip so that no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment is carried.  For every 3 lbs. more, or part thereof, the character will suffer +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]].
 __TOC__
 High dives can be attempted by characters without the ability, though it can be very dangerous.  The highest safe dive for an unskilled character is about 18 ft.  For those with sage-status, dives of more than 100 ft., or more, can be attempted.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 '''[[Cliff]] diving''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] that enables the character to leap safely from extraordinary heights into deep water.  A good platform is required and the character must strip so that no more than 3 lbs. of [[Clothing|clothing]] and equipment is carried.  For every 3 lbs. more, or part thereof, the character will suffer +1 point of [[Damage (hit points)|damage]].
-High dives can be attempted by characters without the ability, though it can be very dangerous.  The highest safe jump for an unskilled character is aboout 18 ft.  For those with sage-status, jumps of more than 100 feet or more can be attempted.
+High dives can be attempted by characters without the ability, though it can be very dangerous.  The highest safe dive for an unskilled character is about 18 ft.  For those with sage-status, dives of more than 100 feet, or more, can be attempted.
 == Unskilled Divers ==
 Diving describes leaping head first, arms outstretched and hands held together to break the water's surface before entering.
 {| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right: 15px; background-color:#d4f2f2;"
 |+Unskilled Damage
@@ Line 28: / Line 29: @@
 | 73+ || 15d6
 |}
-However, unskilled persons often make the mistake of going into with their arms apart, their head at the wrong angle and their legs bent.  The table shows the effect of this poor technique: even a dive of 5 feet can result in a light injury.  As the height increases, this lack of technique becomes crippling or deadly.  Characters should be cautious before deciding to dive for other reasons as well ... damage may be sustained from hitting a ledge beneath the surface, or the bottom may be much closer than imagined.  Therefore, characters without skill will find it safer to jump into water.  Still, a healthy player character can expect to survive in a jump up to 18 feet, even if the dice are bad.
+This takes practice and training; the benefit is that the diver is able to use his or her momentum after striking the water so as to surface a significant distance from where the water was entered, some 2 hexes per 10 ft. drop.  This is safer, when being pursued, than [[Falling#Jumping|jumping]], which grants no such momentum.
 == Talented Divers ==
-Even one point of knowledge enables the character to show a "talent" for diving.  This dictates the character has grasped the correct form and technique, even if they may not perform it well.  For each point, the character can dive from a height of 3 ft. withou fear of damage.  This seems incidental, but the height increases quickly, since with 4 points the character can dive safely from a height of 12 feet, enough to make plenty of people nervous.  With 9 points, just one shy of reaching amateur, or "skilled" status, the character can dive safely from a height of 27 feet.
+Even one point of knowledge enables the character to show a "talent" for diving.  This dictates the character has grasped the correct form and technique, even if they can't perform it well.  For each additional point, the character can dive from a height of 2 ft. without fear of damage.  This seems incidental, but the height increases quickly, since with 6 points the character can dive safely from a height of 12 feet, enough to make plenty of people nervous.  With 9 points, just one shy of reaching amateur, or "skilled" status, the character can dive safely from a height of 18 feet.
 == Skilled Divers ==
-As the character reaches 10 pts. of knowledge and becomes an amateur, greater acuity is gained.  However, the height gain per point of knowledge is reduced to 1½ ft. per point.  Thus, a diver with 15 points of knowledge would be able to jump safely from a height of 37½ ft. — 30 ft. for the first 10 points of knowledge and 7½ ft. for the additional 5 points.  For most calculations, the fraction is ignored.
+As the character reaches 10 pts. of knowledge and becomes an amateur, greater acuity is gained.  However, above 10 pts., the safe height is reduced to 1½ ft. per point of knowledge.  Thus, a diver with 15 points of knowledge would be able to dive safely from a height of 27½ ft. — 20 ft. for the first 10 points of knowledge and 7½ ft. for the additional 5 points.  For most calculations, the fraction is ignored.
-Attempts above this height cause damage according to the number of additional feet on the '''unskilled diver table'''.  For example, an amateur diver with 15 points of knowledge makes a dive of 47 feet.  This is 10 ft. beyond the diver's ordinary skill, so 1d4 damage is suffered.
+: '''For example''', an amateur diver with 15 points of knowledge makes a dive of 47 feet.  This is 10 ft. beyond the diver's ordinary skill, so 1d4 damage is suffered.
 ==== Depth of Water ====
-Amateurs are also able to accurately guess the water's depth with a successful [[Ability Checks|wisdom check]].  The minimum depth for a dive from a '''height''' of 15 ft. is a base 12 ft. of water.  One foot of '''depth''' should be added for every 5 additional feet of height above the water.
+Amateurs are also able to accurately guess the water's depth with a successful [[Ability Checks|wisdom check]].  The minimum depth for a dive from a '''height''' of 15 ft. is a base 12 ft. of water.  One foot of '''depth''' is needed for every 5 additional feet of height above the water.
-: '''For example''', a jump from 35 ft. requires a '''base 12 ft.''', +4 ft. for the additional 20 ft. height.  The total depth of water is therefore 16 ft.
+: '''For example''', a dive from 35 ft. requires 12 ft., +4 ft. for the additional 20 ft. dive.  The total depth of water needed is therefore 16 ft.
-For every foot of depth lacking, count the damage as equal to a fall into water of 5 feet.  Therefore, a jump of 25 ft. into 11 ft. of water would cause damage equal to a fall of 25 feet.
+For every foot of depth lacking, count the damage as equal to a fall into water of 5 feet.  Therefore, a dive of 25 ft. into 11 ft. of water would cause damage equal to a fall of 25 feet.
 Divers of authority-status, with 30 knowledge or more, don't need a wisdom check to determine whether or not the depth of water dived into is safe.