Cliff Diving (sage ability)

Cliff diving is an amateur-status ability which calls for leaping from an extraordinary height into deep water; it is only safely done from a good platform and with no more than 3 lbs. of clothing and equipment. Every 3 lbs. or part thereof above this will increase damage incurred by 1 hit point.

This sort of diving can be attempted by an unskilled character, though it's very dangerous; the highest safe jump for an unskilled diver is about 18 feet. Those with a great deal of knowledge can jump from heights up to 98 feet.

Unskilled Drops

Damage from Drop

Distance (ft.)	Falls	Jumping	Jumping (enc.)	Diving	Diving (enc.)
11-20	1d6	1d3	1d4	1d4	1d6+1
21-30	2d6	1d6	2d4	2d4+1	3d4+2
31-40	4d6	2d6	3d6	4d6+1	6d6+3
41-50	7d6	4d6	6d6	8d6	11d6+4
51-60	11d6	7d6	10d6	13d6	16d6+5
61+	15d6	10d6	14d6	18d6	21d6+6

The table shown indicates the amount of damage an unskilled character receives from hitting a water surface from a given height (for other surfaces, see Falling). Falls are unintentional plummets, in which the character is unprepared for the drop. Jumping describes leaping feet-first; enc., or encumbered, indicates that the character is carrying enough equipment to lower their action points by 1 point or more. Diving describes leaping head first, arms outstretched and hands held to break the water surface before entering. No water-surface damage occurs for falls, jumps or dives of less than 10 ft.

As can be seen, attempts to dive become extremely dangerous when doing so without training and while encumbered. It is always safer for unskilled characters to jump rather than dive. Furthermore, the damage shown does not consider the water's depth; damage may be sustained from hitting a ledge beneath the surface or as landing on sharp rocks. In such cases, the DM may choose to add extra dice to the damage or simply treat as an ordinary fall onto a hard surface. The minimum safe depth of water for a jump should be 12 ft.; for a dive, at least 16 ft.

The amount of knowledge a character has provides the specific skills described below.

Amateur

• Enables the character to guess the depth of water with a wisdom check. A successful roll allows the character to know if it is safe or not; a failure only indicates that the character remains uncertain.
• Ensures the diver is confident and focused in making the dive. This will eliminate any possible damage for a jump or a dive from any height up to 30 ft., provided the character is unencumbered. For all other jumps, the character halves the damage received. For other dives up to 40 feet, reduce damage to 1/3rd normal. Dives above 40 feet are not affected.

Authority

• The character no longer needs to make an ability check to determine if the depth of water is safe.
• Eliminates any possible damage for an unencumbered jump or a dive from any height up to 40 ft. For all other jumps, the character reduces damage to 1/3rd normal. For other dives up to 60 feet, reduce damage to 1/4 normal.

Expert

• Increases safe heights for unencumbered dives up to 60 ft.

Sage

• Increases safe heights for unencumbered dives up to 100 ft.

See Athletics