Acrobatics...

[UnCommonBackrub]

Just started a campaign and createad a Farghul character, who receive a bonus to acrobatics. Only problem is that my sourcebook Alien Encounters doesn't explain what attributeacrobatics falls under. I've look over the internet and seen it under both strength and dexterity. Is there a specific WEG source detailing its location? Secondly, although this probably falls under the GM forum, what specific uses would acrobatics serve in a campaign. I don't expect my character (Old Republic era beginning Jedi) to be performing any circus acts, but I would expect someone with said skill to be more apt at dodge, climbing/jumping and other skills. Should they be linked, i.e. a bonus in a higher acrobatics skill earns a die bonus? Or could it be used in place of another skill? I realize that this is mostly up to the GM, just wanted to get some feedback to feed my curiosity.

[Skaff Toxian]

I dont know of any Sources who say what acrobatics are listed under. But i'll guess Dexterity.

[Crell Damar]

It's a strength skill, and it's in Han Solo and the Corperate Sector Sourcebook.
_________________
"For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times... before the Empire. "

Obi-Wan Kenobi

[Krapou]

Acrobatics

Strength skill
Time to use : one round
This is the skill of tumbling, jumping and other complex movements. This skill is often used in sports and athletic competitions, or as part of dance. Characters making acrobatics roll can also reduce falling damage. The difficulty is based on the distance fallen.

[Tahlorn]

I agree with the above posted rules, that it can be used to reduce falling damage. Another good use for it would be to use obstacles to your advantage (swinging from vine to vine, vaulting up pipes, etc.) as well as a way to keep ones balance when normally would be knocked down.

But under strength? Someone who is more agile is better for learning acrobatics than someone who is very strong. The little girls in the Olympics are pencil thin, and a moderatly strong person could beat the crap out of them easily, but they can do amazing things with thier bodies (no, I didn't intend that to sound dirty). Sure, they need muscles for it, but they rely on thier dexterity, and use thier strength to help.

Remember, if it is a skill, anyone can try it at a penalty if they don't have the skill. Grog the walking tank might be able to punch through a wall, but tell him to do a standing backflip, and he will break his neck. Take Felicia the Mashi Harasi (sp?) with a 5d dex, and have her do a backflip, and she has a MUCH better chance, due to the abitlity to move and control her body with precision and speed.

[Endwyn]

I assure you it is very much a Strength skill. If you look at a gymnist, they are extremely well developed muscularly. Why? Because they have to be strong enough to support their body's weight using muscle groups not normally required to support that kind of weight. They need to be able to not only support that weight, but be strong enough to support their weight and be able to push their body into the next part of the move.

I get what you're saying about dex, but the core of acrobatics is being able to be strong enough to do the manuever.
_________________
Luke, I am your father.
That's impossible!
And Leia is your sister!
That's improbable?
And the Empire will be destroyed by..EWOKS!
That's...highly unlikely.
The Force? Bacteria called midichlorians.
If you don’t take this seriously I'm out.

[Hellcat]

Well, I guess I can see that since both climping/jumping and swimming are strength skills
_________________
FLUFFY for President!!!!

Wanted Poster

[Tahlorn]

GM discresion for str or dex, simple as that.

All defines on definition of the str attribute, be it a measure of shear physical prowess, or also how well in tune you are with your own body. One of the characters in my group has Acrobatics, under Dex, and works out fine for us that way.

[Endwyn]

I would never argue with a GM's discretion to do as they wanted in their games. I am only pointing out the amount of strength it takes to do true acrobatics because of your remarks that seem to truely down play strength as any considerable factor. A gymnist is one big mass of muscles, no matter how lean they may be. Girls don't develop massive muscle mass under normal conditions, even when they are as strong as a female gymnist. (I'm talking bulk mass, not a measure of strength.) If you ever have a chance you should try sometime to do some of the simple acrobatic moves, for example try supporing your weight on your arms while you lift your legs and swing them under you. To pull the move off, you'd have to lift each arm as your legs were swinging under you and only support your body with one arm for a brief period of time. To do that move, you have to have a strong, developed upper body, extremely strong core muscle group (which most people over simplify as "abs"), and enough leg strength to lift the legs and move them around. While the leg part could be considered mostly dex, and the cordination of movement could also be considered dex; the basics required to even start, consider, or pull of this type of move is a strong muscular system. The same is true of most other acrobatic moves.

I think it's great that it works for your group to use dex, I don't have issues with any part of that at all. I just wanted to point out that those "pencil thin" girls are actualy extremly strong, and that while some moves do require a great deal of cordination the core fundamentals required are based on sheer muscular strength.
_________________
Luke, I am your father.
That's impossible!
And Leia is your sister!
That's improbable?
And the Empire will be destroyed by..EWOKS!
That's...highly unlikely.
The Force? Bacteria called midichlorians.
If you don’t take this seriously I'm out.

[Tahlorn]

Which I understand, as I have done a bit of gymnastics myself. I think this is one of those skills that call on multiple things, both strength and dex. I know that it takes a lot of strength, but also a lot of control / balance / speed (dex). In my eyes it takes both to do, and I find it a shame there is no way of doing a skill that may span multiple attributes.

We also bring into consideration the players strength, sometimes maknig them roll it in addiotino to the dex: acrobatics to see if they are physically strong enough to do it. Contorting is one thing. Jumping high into the air and doing a flip is another.

[Jamfke]

Crell Damar pointed it out above, it is a Strength skill. It is listed under theTrianii species description, Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook, Chapter Thirteen: Aliens, pages 138-139. It even has a table for falling damage reduction. Here's the stats:


_________________
Check out some of my games at DriveThruRPG!
Role Players Direct

[Krapou]

Lol Jamfke, I posted the description of the skill yesterday

and we all agree it is listed as a Strength skill, but IMO, it may be listed under Dexterity also... (just like brawling)

Another reason it should be listed under Dexterity is that the penalty of armors should decrease the skill

[Jamfke]

Sorry! I scrolled over your post.

I can definitely see where this could also be used as a Dex skill, but since this is the Official Rules thread, I thought UCB wanted to know the offical WEG rules.

As any rule goes, it is just a guideline. As a GM, you are entitled to change things as you see fit, as long as you are consistent afterwards.
_________________
Check out some of my games at DriveThruRPG!
Role Players Direct

[Argamoth]

I'd also use acrobatics when a PC has to make complex movements, like avoiding crossfire while crossing a hallway, or avoiding some kinds of traps (like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The blade-y trap)

Trying to get through difficult terrain quicky could work, too.

[Boomer]

White muscle fiber is for your dex.
Red muscle fiber is for your strength.

Gymnasts have plenty of dense white muscle fiber. Not bulky gatherings of red muscle.

The problem is, how many people sitting around a table reading think of themselves as dextrous due to quick fingers, having no muscle development, think that musculature=strength.

Stamina is a strength skill, being able to lift up your own body weight is certainly off of strength. Climbing, jumping, strength.

...oh there are a million points to make for each and every argument. I dun wanna.

The point is, true dexterity, and muscle based strength, can always look interhcangeable if you want to argue about it.

I would say Acrobatics is a dex skill, personally, because most of the other acrobatic things you do are already defined in both Strength and Dex skills, and... oh there really is no point. It's just both and I like it under dex...
_________________
My backpack has jets!
I'm Boba the Fett!
And I bounty hunt for Jabba Hutt,
to finance my 'vette!