Climbing Rates

Climbing is different from walking or any other type of movement a character
can do. The rate at which a character moves varies greatly with the different
types of walls and surfaces that must be climbed. Refer to Table 67. Cross-reference the type of surface to be climbed with the surface
condition. Multiply the appropriate number from the table by the character’s current
movement rate. The result is the rate of climb for the character, in feet per
round, in any direction (up, down, or sideways).

All the movement rates given on Table 67 are for nonthief characters. Thief
characters are able to climb at double the movement rate for normal characters.

For example, Ragnar the thief and his companion Rupert (a half-elf) are
climbing a cliff with rough ledges. A recent rain has left the surface slightly
slippery. Ragnar has a movement rate of 12 and Rupert’s is 8. Ragnar can cover 12
feet per round (12 x 1 since he is a thief), but Rupert struggles along at the
pace of 4 feet per round (8 x ½). If Ragnar had gone up first and lowered a rope
to Rupert, the half-elf could have climbed at the rate of 8 feet per round
using rope and wall (8 x 1).

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