Flexibility

[MatthewVilter]

I don't understand the Flexibility advantage. Why does it give a bonus to Climbing? Why is it 5 points? For anyone with 1 point in Climbing (DX-1) Flexibility is like putting 7 points in climbing. (8 point total, DX+2) On top of that it gives you ...other... bonuses. What is going on here? I don't get why Flexibility even helps with climbing. And if I compare it with Talents -and even if you look at breaking free as equivalent to a skill- it should cost ~15 points!

[swampthing]

I've certainly seen climbing involve some poses that I could not strike in real life. Given that, the bonus for Flexibility is not surprising for me.

It is pretty cheap compared to Talents, though it is also a bit more focused that most of them.

[Ulzgoroth]

Now that I look at it does seem sufficiently obviously underpriced that I wonder if it's intentional. It costs less than a +3 racial bonus to Climbing would!

[tanniynim]

I had a similar issue with Perfect Balance. I'd either increase the cost of Flexibility to 8 points, or decrease the bonuses to 2. The biggest issue is that it's a package deal.

With a racial bonus, you can't just "choose" to have the +3 for 6 points. It's usually part of a different package.

The same goes for this "package." That certainly should result in some decreased cost, but I agree that 5 is a little low.

[Edges]

For what it's worth, here's my Flexibility house rule:


Flexibility
5pt/lv. Up to 4 levels
You get a +1 per level to Acrobatics, Climbing, Dancing, Erotic Art, Escape, rolls escape a grapple, and to cancel penalties for working in cramped quarters.

[PK]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

I don't understand the Flexibility advantage. Why does it give a bonus to Climbing? Why is it 5 points? For anyone with 1 point in Climbing (DX-1) Flexibility is like putting 7 points in climbing. (8 point total, DX+2) On top of that it gives you ...other... bonuses. What is going on here? I don't get why Flexibility even helps with climbing. And if I compare it with Talents -and even if you look at breaking free as equivalent to a skill- it should cost ~15 points!

This has come up before. IMO, the best fix is to simply rule that instead of a flat +3 to Climbing, it lets you offset up to -3 in penalties when Climbing. That's far more fair.

(Note: This is a suggested fix, not an erratum. Unfortunately, this cannot be changed at this point without impacting many characters, templates, etc., so it's going to stand as-is.)

[TNorthover]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

I don't understand the Flexibility advantage. Why does it give a bonus to Climbing?

The ability to stand up from a foot somewhere around shoulder level, most obviously.

[Stone Dog]

Originally Posted by MatthewVilter

I don't understand the Flexibility advantage. Why does it give a bonus to Climbing?

Good flexibility isn't just being able to twist yourself into odd positions and strange angles. It is also the ability to use your strength more effectively in those positions. It isn't enough to simply reach that handhold if you can't use it to leverage yourself up to get to the next one.

[Gollum]

I can't say about the point cost but, for climbing, flexibility really helps!

I've never learned climbing but, despite of that, I can climb trees very easily. Because I'm flexible. Not double-jointed; just flexible.

This night, for example, a few minutes ago (it's night in France) my cat climbed a tree. I followed it without any problem. Just for fun! The first branch was still very high. And I'm incapable of doing more than one or two pull-ups. But it was still very easy. And I climb trees only one or two times a year... At most!

When I have to climb between branches, or to take a very strange position, flexibility really helps me to go higher.

[Flyndaran]

I can give the opposite view. My inflexibility hindered my ability to climb a tree for a cat's benefit. I have the strength, but I simply could not put myself in the position needed and have enough strength left over to actually pull myself up.