Tightrope Walking (Proficiency)

==Player's Handbook==
The character can attempt to walk narrow ropes or beams with greater than normal chances of success. He can negotiate any narrow surface not angled up or down greater than 45 degrees. Each round the character can walk 60 feet. One proficiency check is made every 60 feet (or part thereof), with failure indicating a fall. The check is made with a -10 penalty to the ability score if the surface is one inch or less in width (a rope), a -5 penalty if two inches to six inches wide, and unmodified if seven inches to 12 inches wide. Wider than one foot requires no check for proficient characters under normal circumstances. Every additional proficiency spent on tightrope walking reduces these penalties by 1. Use of a balancing rod reduces the penalties by 2. Winds or vibrations in the line increases the penalties by 2 to 6.
The character can attempt to fight while on a tightrope, but he suffers a -5 penalty to his attack roll and must roll a successful proficiency check at the beginning of each round to avoid falling off. Since the character cannot maneuver, he gains no adjustments to his Armor Class for Dexterity. If he is struck while on the rope, he must roll an immediate proficiency check to retain his balance.
==Player's Option: Skills & Powers==
Tightrope Walking: The character with this proficiency can balance on ropes, wires, slender beams, and other narrow, perilous surfaces. A typical movement rate is 60 feet a round, though an upward angle will slow this. Ascents and descents of 45 degrees or more are not possible.
The character does not require a proficiency check if the surface is at least 4" wide. Narrower surfaces require checks, with failure indicating a fall. If walking on a flat surface more than an inch wide, the character receives a +3 modifier to the check. A balance pole adds another +2 modifier, though high winds or a moving surface can contribute significant negatives.
If the character makes an attack or suffers damage while balanced on a rope, a proficiency check is required. Failure signals a fall. Subtract the number of points of damage the character suffered from the proficiency rating when this check is made. Attacks made while on the rope suffer –5 penalties on attack rolls. Also, a character walking on a tightrope has limited maneuverability and therefore does not gain an AC bonus for Dexterity.
==The Complete Barbarian's Handbook==
A barbarian with this proficiency has an unusually developed sense of balance. In his homeland, a barbarian might use this skill to negotiate a narrow mountain ledge or scamper across a vine strung between two trees. The same bonuses and penalties apply as described in the Player's Handbook; however, a barbarian rarely uses a balancing rod.
Category:Player's Handbook Proficiencies