63 lines
No EOL
6.8 KiB
Markdown
63 lines
No EOL
6.8 KiB
Markdown
### **Description**
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The world’s greatest climbers are undeterred by sheer cliffs, slick walls, or impossible heights. They are explorers of vertical worlds, able to move where others falter, and even turn precarious terrain into a deadly advantage.
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The _Heights Unbound_ tree represents mastery over climbing, rappelling, and vertical ambush. At its pinnacle, a climber becomes untouchable in any terrain, capable of feats that border on the supernatural.
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### **Overview of Tiers and Progression**
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- **Tier 1 (Climbing 1+)**: Build core climbing tools—steady grip, speed, and aiding allies.
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- **Tier 2 (Climbing 2+)**: Begin defying gravity with clean wall runs and safe descents.
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- **Tier 3 (Climbing 3+)**: Become a true predator of the vertical world, ambushing foes and overcoming extreme surfaces.
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- **Tier 4 (Climbing 4+)**: Achieve legendary control over any climb, no matter how impossible.
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**Cost:** Each tier costs **Tier × 3 Marks**, spent from **Climbing or Might**.
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**Advancement:** Must unlock **Tier 1** before accessing later tiers.
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### **Tier 1 Abilities** _(Climbing 1+)_
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| **Name** | **Type** | **Action/Duration** | **Roll (if active)** | **Description** |
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| ---------------- | ----------- | ----------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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| **Sure Grip** | **Effect** | Attaches to any Climbing roll | — | Mark a die as **Persistent** when climbing. If it succeeds, you may reuse it as an automatic success until you reach safety. |
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| **Rapid Ascent** | **Effect** | Attaches to any Climbing roll | — | Mark a die as **Charging**. On success, halve the time required to scale the surface. |
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| **Anchor Line** | **Passive** | Always on | — | Once you’ve completed a climb, allies attempting the same route gain **+1 die** by using ropes, holds, or paths you establish. |
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### **Tier 2 Abilities** _(Climbing 2+)_
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| **Name** | **Type** | **Action/Duration** | **Roll (if active)** | **Description** |
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| ---------------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| **Wall Runner** | **Passive** | Always on | — | You may climb walls or obstacles up to **2 meters** high without making a roll. |
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| **Controlled Descent** | **Effect** | Attaches to a rappelling or descent roll | — | Mark a die as **Lucky**. On success, you negate all Injury from falls, even from dangerous heights as long as you are rappelling or descending a climb. |
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| **Handhold Maker** | **Active** | 10 minutes downtime or 1 Action (scene) | **Might + Climbing** | Once per scene, create secure anchors or holds, granting allies **+2 dice** on the same climb. |
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### **Tier 3 Abilities** _(Climbing 3+)_
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| **Name** | **Type** | **Action/Duration** | **Roll (if active)** | **Description** |
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| ----------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| **Vertical Hunter** | **Passive** | Always on | — | You ignore **all Stealth penalties** while climbing and may initiate ambushes from vertical positions. |
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| **Cling Like a Spider** | **Effect** | Attaches to any extreme Climbing roll | — | Mark a die as **Effect**. If it succeeds, you may cling indefinitely to even extreme surfaces (icy walls, ceilings, etc.) without requiring additional rolls to maintain the grip. |
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| **Haul Ally** | **Passive** | Always on | — | When using ropes while climbing, you may bring **one ally along** without any Speed or dice penalties. |
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### **Tier 4 Abilities** _(Climbing 4+)_
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| **Name** | **Type** | **Action/Duration** | **Roll (if active)** | **Description** |
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| --------------------- | ----------- | ------------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| **Impossible Ascent** | **Passive** | Always on | — | You can scale any surface without tools, even flat or magically smoothed walls, as long as minimal contact points exist. |
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| **Master Climber** | **Passive** | Always on | — | You automatically succeed on all basic Climbing rolls and treat complex climbs as **1 success easier** than their difficulty. |
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| **Predator’s Leap** | **Active** | 1 Action | **Might + Climbing** | Mark a die as **Exploding**. On success, leap onto a foe and deal **double Injury** if you strike them successfully with the next action. |
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> [!hint] **Design Notes**
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>
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> - Tier 1–2 focus on **speed, grip, and utility for the group**, giving tangible exploration payoffs.
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>
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> - Tier 3 introduces **predator-like ambush power** and extreme clinging for high-stakes climbs.
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>
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> - Tier 4 allows the climber to transcend normal restrictions, enabling **legendary escapes and assaults**.
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>
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> - Effect dice drive risk–reward dynamics: Persistent for safety, Exploding for power, Charging for speed.
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>
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---
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🔥 Next up: **Stealth** (fan-favorite), **Survival**, or another traversal skill like **Swimming** or **Tracking**? Or should I **write all Tier 1 abilities for all remaining Exploration skills side by side** so we can baseline them? |