Athletics

The Athletics skill measures you ability to engage in feats of physical prowess that engage the entire body, such as climbing, swimming, or weight lifting, but also dance and various sports.

Examples

Strength (Athletics). Strength is used when the act requires raw physical force, such as breaking open a door or swimming against a powerful current.
Dexterity (Athletics). Dexterity is used when engaging in athletic feats that require more refined bodily control and finesse, such as balancing on the edge of a cliff or performing a dance.
Constitution (Athletics). Constitution is used in feats of physical endurance that require athleticism to be maintained, like climbing along a long rope or engaging in particularly exhaustion choreography.
Intelligence (Athletics). Intelligence is used to recall information about physical feats, such as how to lift weights safely or the steps of a specific routine.
Wisdom (Athletics). Wisdom is used to assess the skill behind feats of athleticism and also to tell how capable an individual may be in performing them.
Charisma (Athletics). Charisma is used when attempting to educate or guide others in the process of imitating a particular feat of athleticism.

Athletics Actions

Strength

Brace | Strength [Untrained]

You attempt to brace up a structure or hold something closed, preventing an object from falling or someone from passing through. As an Action, you can make a Strength (Athletics) check. If you are attempting to actively brace something shut using your own strength, this check then becomes the DC for someone to pry it open. If you are attempting to brace up a structure or object, consult the DCs below.

Critical Success.

Success.

Failure.

Critical Failure. Knocked prone from the force of whatever you were bracing opening?

Base DC	Examples
10
15
20
25
30	A falling castle wall or other large structure

Break Bindings | Strength [Untrained]

As an Action, you attempt to break free of your shackles, be they rope or manacles. The escape DC for this ability varies depending on the bindings. Some bindings may be too strong for even the mightiest to escape from.

Critical Success. You slip free of your bindings and take the Attack action, replacing one of your attacks with the successful check.

Success. You break free of your bindings.

Failure. You do not break free of your bindings.

Critical Failure. You do not break free of your bindings, and your attempt is discovered or some other complication is introduced to the scene.

Base DC	Examples
10	Loose vines or cloth
15	Rope
20	Manacles
25	Dimensional Shackles
30	Full-body imprisonment, like a straitjacket

Climb | Strength [Untrained]

You move up, down, or across a surface. Unless the surface is a particularly easy, you may need to make an Athletics check. The DC is determined by the nature of the surface or other environmental circumstances. Your speed is always halved unless you have a climb speed. Frequently having a climb speed entirely negates the need for a Climb check for all but the riskiest of attempts; such creatures have Advantage on Climb checks when they have to make them.

Critical Success. You move across the surface, reducing your movement speed by a quarter instead of half.

Success. You move up to half your speed.

Failure. You must remain stationary and use your Action to keep hold of the surface you are climbing or you fall. If you fall, your turn ends.

Critical Failure. You fall and your turn ends. If you have your Reaction you may be permitted to attempt a Dexterity saving throw to grab on to whatever you fell from.

Base DC	Examples
10	Ladder, steep slope, low-branched tree
15	Rigging, rope, typical tree
20	Wall with small handholds and footholds
25	Ceiling with handholds and footholds, rock wall
30	Smooth surface

Overrun | Strength [Untrained]

When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature's space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature. As an Action or a Bonus Action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check against a DC that equals the hostile creature's passive Strength (Athletics). The creature attempting the overrun has Advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or Disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover succeeds, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn.

Critical Success. You move through the hostile creature's space without treating the occupied space as difficult terrain.

Success. You move through the hostile creature's space, treating the occupied spaces as difficult terrain. If you don't have enough remaining movement speed to pass all the way through the space, you get the same effect as a failure.

Failure. You cannot pass through the hostile creature's space and the Action or Bonus Action is used.

Critical Failure. You cannot pass through the hostile creature's space and the Action or Bonus Action is used, and you fall prone or provoke an opportunity attack from the creature (your choice).

Pry Open | Strength [Untrained]

By using your body, lever, or some other tool, you may use an Action to attempt to force open a door, gate, window, or some other container.

Critical Success. You open the door, gate, window, or other container and can avoid damaging it in the process.

Success. You manage to open the door, gate, window, or other container, but break it in the process. If it's especially sturdy the DM may have it take damage but not be entirely broken.

Failure. The attempt fails and the object remains firmly shut.

Critical Failure. The attempt jams the door, window, container, or gate, imposing Disadvantage on future attempts to pry it open.

Base DC	Examples
10	Fabric, flimsy glass
15	Ice, sturdy glass
20	Wooden door, wooden portcullis
25	Sturdy wooden door, iron portcullis, metal bar
30	Stone or iron door

Swim | Strength [Untrained]

You propel yourself through the water. In calm water, a check is usually not needed, but otherwise the DC is determined by the turbulence and difficulty of the water in question. Your speed is always halved unless you have a swim speed. Frequently having a swim speed entirely negates the need for a Swim check for all but the riskiest of attempts; such creatures have Advantage on Swim checks when they have to make them.

Critical Success. You move through the water, reducing your movement speed by a quarter instead of half.

Success. You move up to half your speed.

Failure. You fail to propel yourself forward in a meaningful fashion, using all of your speed. If there is a current, you are carried away by it.

Critical Failure. You fall Prone, begin to Drown, and your turn ends. While drowning in this manner, you have Disadvantage on subsequent Swim checks.

Base DC	Examples
10	Lake or other still water
15	Flowing water like a river
20	Swiftly flowing river
25	Stormy sea
30	Maelstrom, waterfall

Dexterity

Balance | Dexterity [Untrained]

You move across a narrow surface or uneven ground, such as a ledge, tree roots, or similar terrain.

Critical Success. You successfully move up to your speed.

Success. You move up to your speed, treating it as difficult terrain.

Failure. You must remain stationary and use your Action to keep your balance or you fall. If you fall, your turn ends.

Critical Failure. You fall and your turn ends. If you have your Reaction you may be permitted to attempt a Dexterity saving throw to grab on to whatever you fell from.

Base DC	Examples
10	Tangled roots, uneven cobblestones
15	Wooden beam
20	Deep, loose gravel
25	Tightrope, smooth sheet of ice
30	Razor's edge, chunks of floor falling in midair

Controlled Fall | Dexterity [Trained]

When you fall, you can use your Reaction to lean into your momentum, reducing the damage you take. Reduce the distance of your fall by your passive High Jump, then make a Dexterity (Athletics) check. The DC is equal to the damage you would take from the fall.

Critical Success. You take half the damage from the fall and do not fall Prone.

Success. You take half the damage from the fall and fall Prone.

Failure. You take the full damage from the fall and fall Prone.

Critical Failure. Reroll the damage dice from the throw without the distance reduction and suffer the greater amount between the two results.

Escape Bindings | Dexterity [Trained]

As an Action, you attempt to slip free of your shackles, be they rope or manacles. The escape DC for this ability varies depending on the bindings, but is usually the same as Break Bindings. Some bindings may be too tight for even the most skilled to slip free from.

Critical Success. You slip free of your bindings and may immediately make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to conceal your freedom or take the Disengage action.

Success. You slip free of your bindings.

Failure. You do not slip free of your bindings.

Critical Failure. You do not slip free of your bindings, and your attempt is discovered or some other complication is introduced to the scene.

Base DC	Examples
10	Loose vines or cloth
15	Rope
20	Manacles
25	Dimensional Shackles
30	Full-body imprisonment, like a straitjacket

Squeeze | Dexterity [Trained]

You contort your body in ways beyond normal limitations in order to use an Action to squeeze through a space so small you can barely fit. This use is for exceptionally small spaces that cannot normally accommodate the individual passing through; most narrow passages can be treated as Difficult Terrain, though its attack rolls and Dexterity saving throws are at Disadvantage and attack rolls against the creature have Advantage.

Critical Success. You squeeze through the tight space in 1 minute per 10 feet of squeezing.

Success. You squeeze through the tight space in 1 minute per 5 feet of squeezing.

Failure. You are unable to squeeze into the tight space, but do not become stuck.

Critical Failure. You become stuck in the tight space. While you're stuck, you are considered to be Restrained and you can spend 1 minute attempting another Acrobatics check at the same DC. Any result on that check other than a critical failure causes you to become unstuck and able to progress according to the result.

Base DC	Examples
10	Crevasse just small enough to require a check
15	Narrow passage between stones
20	Area tight for creatures a size category smaller than you
25	Tight corridor with no room for movement
30	Space less than half your size

Tumble | Dexterity [Untrained]

A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature’s space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an Action or a Bonus Action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against a DC that equals the hostile creature's passive Dexterity (Acrobatics). If the tumbler succeeds, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn.

Critical Success. You move through the hostile creature's space without treating the occupied space as difficult terrain.

Failure. You cannot pass through the hostile creature's space and the Action or Bonus Action is used.

Critical Failure. You cannot pass through the hostile creature's space and the Action or Bonus Action is used, and you fall prone or provoke an opportunity attack from the creature (your choice).

Constitution

Dig | Constitution [Untrained]

You begin to dig a hole into the ground, or attempt to burrow your way out of collapsed debris. Unless the work is a particularly easy or leisurely, you may need to make an Athletics check. The DC is determined by the nature of the surface or other environmental circumstances. Armed with a shovel or similar tools, you can dig through 1 foot of terrain in a 5-foot square over the course of an hour. Without the proper tools or a natural burrow speed, these checks may be impossible, if not made with Disadvantage. Frequently having a burrow speed entirely negates the need for a Dig check for all but the riskiest of attempts; such creatures have Advantage on Dig checks when they have to make them.

Critical Success. You successfully dig through the terrain in half the time.

Success. You successfully dig through the terrain.

Failure. You fail to dig through the terrain, or doing so takes twice as long (DM's choice).

Critical Failure. You fail to dig through the terrain, or doing so takes twice as long (DM's choice). Additionally, you gain 1 level of fatigue.

Base DC	Examples
10	Loose soil or sand.
15	Packed dirt or snow
20	Rocky or root-filled ground
25	Solid stone, ice, or permafrost
30	Metal surfaces