Cliff Diving (sage ability)

Cliff diving is an amateur-status sage ability in the study of 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 and equipment. Exceeding this limit results in +1 point of damage per additional 3 lbs. or fraction thereof.

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.

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.

Unskilled Damage

Distance (ft.)	Damage
5-8	1
8-13	1d4
14-18	1d6+1
19-27	3d4
28-34	4d6+1
35-45	6d6+1
46-55	8d6
56-72	11d6
73+	15d6

Unskilled Divers

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 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.

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 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

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.

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.

Required Depth of Water

Amateurs are also able to accurately estimate water depth with a successful wisdom check. This allows them to assess whether a dive is safe before leaping. The minimum depth required for a 15-foot dive is 12 feet of water. For every additional 5 feet of height above the water, 1 more foot of depth is required.

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.

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 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 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