Hero's Epic Fall Damage (5e Variant Rule)
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Hero's Epic Fall Damage
There are several factors to consider related to falling, each of which alter the effect of impact.
- Elevation gives space for acceleration; thereby, increasing the speed at impact.
- Mass gives equal acceleration to all falling objects; however, being heavier generates greater impact shock and higher terminal velocity.
- Body position affects the speed, location, and angle of an impact; it can also lengthen the deceleration window and shield your vital organs.
- Location means slope and surface strength that reduce or increase the forces felt at impact.
Finding a Fall Difficulty Class (Fall DC)
Addressing these equally important factors begins with a simple formula.
- Fall DC = (Fall Height × Weight)^1/3
If you are afraid of calculating anything during a game, you could record the cube root along with the weight on character/monster sheets.
For example: 50(4), 200(6), or 800(9)
Then multiply this by the height^1/3:
5 feet (×1)
15 feet (×2)
30 feet (×3)
60 feet (×4)
120 feet (×5)
220 feet (×6)
350 feet (×7)
500 feet (×8)
750 feet (×9)
1000 feet (×10)
1350 feet (×11)
1700 feet (×12)
2200 feet (×13)
2750 feet (×14)
and so on
For example an 800 pound horse, 200 pound human, and a 50 pound kobold fall 80 feet, 200 feet, and 850 feet; they each have a Fall DC of 36
Rolling a Fall Save/Check
- Strength/Athletics or Acrobatics
Reduce the Fall DC by an amount equal to your roll.
- Intelligence/Investigation or Survival
Reduce the Terrain die once every 10 points of your roll.
Rule 1 Preparation is rewarded with advantage.
Rule 2 Encountering interference during a fall triggers a new roll, with disadvantage.
Rule 3 One skill may replace another during a multi-round fall but they do not stack. Your chosen skill represents your focus, but not the totality of your effort.
Choosing a Terrain Die
Selected for a range of likely hazards specific to each area, rolled instead of a d6.
Terrain Materials:
(d1)Waterfall: wax, snow, rubber, perlite
(d2)Moorland: sand, gravel, gypsum, balsa
(d3)Tundra: clay, dolomite, ice, cedar
(d4)Forest: travertine, cypress, hickory, elm
(d6)Urbana: sandstone, ironwood, soil-cement
(d8)Cavern: rhyolite, shale, limestone
(d12)Labyrinth: granite, slate, marble, basalt
(d20)Treasury: sapphire, gold, porcelain, coral
Generating Fall Damage
Roll the Terrain Die a number of times equal to the remaining Fall DC.
Terminal Velocity
- Maximal Fall Height = sqrt(weight) × 120
Fall DC will not increase beyond this Fall Height, due to terminal velocity. This number should be kept alongside the weight of your character/monster.
For example 800(3400), 200(1700), 50(850)
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