Default: DX-6
Acrobatics (DX/Hard) is a skill that provides the ability to perform gymnastic stunts, roll, take falls, etc.
This can be handy on an adventure, as tightrope walking, human pyramids, and trapeze swinging all have useful applications. Each trick requires a separate skill roll, at whatever penalties the GM sees fit. If you are performing stunts on a moving vehicle or mount, roll against the lower of Acrobatics and the appropriate Driving or Riding skill.
You may substitute an Acrobatics roll for a DX roll in any attempt to jump, roll, avoid falling down, etc. As well, you may attempt an Acrobatic Dodge in combat – a jump or roll that avoids an attack in a flashy way (p. 375).
Finally, a successful Acrobatics roll will reduce the effective distance of any fall by five yards[1] -- useful for long falls after climbing. For cinematic falls like Ezio Auditore or Kyle Crane, see Catfall.
Referenced in[]
- Dungeon Fantasy 2 (p. 7-8) on "Dungeon Parkour," (p. 12) on its use in combat, and (p. 19) on circumventing traps.
- Martial Arts (p. 54), on its use in various techniques, maneuvers, and so on.
- (p. 51) on Acrobatic Feints Skill Adaptation perk and Acrobatic Kicks Skill Adaptation perk
- (p. 65) on Acrobatic Stand technique
- (p. 98) on Acrobatic Stand as a Change Posture maneuver
- (p. 105-106) on Acrobatic Movement
- (p. 107 & 131) on Acrobatic Attack
- Space (p. 224) on an optional new specialty for zero-gravity use.
Special Versions[]
Two special versions of Acrobatics are also available:
- Aerobatics: The ability to execute tight turns, loops, power dives, etc. in flight. You must be able to fly to learn this skill – although how you fly (magic, wings, jet pack, etc.) is irrelevant. Natural fliers might find flight to be as effortless as humans find walking, but they must still learn Aerobatics in order to engage in complex acrobatics.
- Aquabatics: The ability to engage in underwater acrobatics.
- Prerequisites: Swimming, or the Amphibious advantage or the Aquatic disadvantage
Acrobatics, Aerobatics, and Aquabatics default to one another at -4.
Modifiers[]
- +1 to these three skills if you have Perfect Balance (p. 74)
- +2 to Aerobatics if you have 3D Spatial Sense (p. 34)
Related Techniques[]
| Technique | Difficulty | Prerequisite | Default | Maximum | Damage | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Stand | Average | Acrobatics | Acrobatics-6 | Acrobatics | NA | MA65 |
| Breakfall | Average | Acrobatics, Judo, or Wrestling | PS | PS+5 | NA | MA68 |
| Evade | Average | Acrobatics or Judo | PS | PS+5 | NA | MA71 |
| Human Missile | Hard | Acrobatics or Jumping and the Super Jump advantage; Aerobatics and the Flight advantage; or Aquabatics and one of Amphibious, Aquatic, Enhanced Move (Water), or Flight (if usable underwater) | Acrobatics-3, Aerobatics-3, Aquabatics-3, or Jumping-3 | PS | Per attack | GURPS Supers 38 |
| Quick Mount | Average | Acrobatics, Jumping, or Riding/vehicle | PS-3 | PS | N/A | MA78 |
| Roll with Blow* | Hard | Acrobatics or any UCS | PS-2 | PS | N/A | MA87 |
- GS: Grappling skill (Judo, Sumo Wrestling, or Wrestling).
- PS: Prerequisite skill
- SS: Striking skill (Boxing, Brawling, or Karate).
- UCS: Unarmed combat skill (any SS or GS).
Expanding the Acrobatics Skill with Maneuvers[]
Kromm Quotes[]
Sean Punch has commented on Acrobatics in the following posts to the forums.sjgames.com
Acrobatics per se[]
- On its lack of encumbrance penalties
- On whether Acrobatics implies flashiness
- On the realism of Acrobatic Dodge
- On the impossibility of using it while grappling
- An example of its use in combat
- On the potential for new Acrobatics techniques
- On piling on style perks
- On a Tic-Tac technique defaulting to Acrobatics
- On its importance to a character using parkour
- On its use by James Bond
- On its non-applicability to gymnastics
Aerobatics[]
- On using Aerobatics for Acrobatic Attack or Flying Attack
- On Aerobatics not being a substitute for Piloting
See also[]
References[]
- Basic Set, (p. 34, 74, 375, 431)
- Dungeon Fantasy 3, (p. 7-8, 12, 19)
- Martial Arts, (p. 51, 54, 65, 68, 71, 78, 87, 98, 105-106, 107, 131)
- Space, p. 224
- Supers, p. 38