Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Falling Damage

[Laptopdude]

So I was looking through the falling damage rules, and they seem to contradict themselves.

#1 - In the Player's Handbook on page 443 under section "Falling":
"Creatures that fall take 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet fallen, to a maximum of 20d6."

#2 - Same page, under "Falling Objects":
"Just as characters take damage when they fall more than 10 feet, so too do they take damage when they are hit by falling objects."

#3 - On page 420, under "Pit Trap":
"20-ft.-deep pit (2d6 falling damage)"

#4 - Same page, under "Spiked Pit Trap":
"10-ft.-deep pit (1d6 falling damage)"

So that seems to leave 3 possibilities on how to handle falling damage. Numbers in parentheses are the above rules (support/oppose).
A - You take 1d6 per 10 feet (1 3 4 / 2)
B - You take 1d6 per 10 feet, but ignore the first 10 feet (2 / 1 3 4)
C - You take no damage if you fall a total of 10 feet, but take 1d6 per 10 feet (including the first 10 feet) if you fall more than 10 feet (2 3 / 1 4)

So what does everyone think? I think all 3 of them have their own merits.

Also, can you only make an Acrobatics check to negate the first 10 feet of falling damage if you purposely jump? (i.e. can you do so if you fall into a pit trap)

 

[SteelDraco]

You don't take any damage at all if the fall is less than 10', as near as I can tell. #2 is mostly right - the only problem with it is that it should say "when they fall 10 feet or more".

You take 1d6 points of damage per 10' fallen. If you jump down intentionally, 1d6 points of damage are converted to nonlethal. A successful DC 15 Acrobatics check reduces the total damage by 1d6, AND converts 1d6 of what's left to nonlethal damage.

Check out the PRD section on falling: Environmental Rules - Pathfinder_OGC

As to the Acrobatics question, you have to be jumping intentionally - can't get an Acrobatics roll if you don't know you're going to fall.

Acrobatics (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) - Pathfinder_OGC

Personally I don't agree with this ruling and have always allowed people with Acrobatics to make the roll anyway. It's a little benefit for the skill and 1d6 damage just doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things once you're past, like, 2nd or 3rd level. Then again, I can't remember the last time I used a pit trap just to deal damage in a game. It's always the stuff at the bottom of the pit that causes the real problem.

 

[Tovec]

What's the contradiction?

As I understand your #1-4:

1 - You take 1d6 per 10 feet you fall.
2 - If you are hit by something falling you take 1d6 per 10 it fell.
3 - You fall in a pit, 2d6 because it is 20 feet.
4 - You fall in a pit, 1d6 because it is 10 feet.

I don't understand the "contradiction" in those sayings. The pit isn't falling to hit you so 2 doesn't matter. If it was something where you fell 20 then something fell on you 20 then you would take 2d6 for falling and another 2d6 from the falling object. But that isn't the case here, you are falling into the pit.

Also, as far as the pit trap descriptions - you fall 10 feet and take 1d6 Then (as far as the spikes go) they "roll" to hit you. If they do they deal extra damage. If you are falling however you take the d6s either way by landing.

 

[frankthedm]

You don't take any damage at all if the fall is less than 10'

The wording could be written better, but any fall causes the 1d6 damage. The mount rules back this up.

If Your Mount Falls in Battle: If your mount falls, you have to succeed on a DC 15 Ride check to make a soft fall and take no damage. If the check fails, you take 1d6 points of damage.

 

[SteelDraco]

Huh. So you're thinking that any fall of ten feet or less deals 1d6 points? I've always had less than 10' as no damage, from 10' to 20' 1d6, 20' to 30' to 2d6, and so on. Are you suggesting that progression should be one step upwards?

 

[milo]

Falling off of a horse is different, that is what paralyzed Superman.

 

[Squire James]

The 1d6 damage from falling off a horse is a combination of the fall and the horse accidentally stepping on you!

 

[Vegepygmy]

The wording could be written better, but any fall causes the 1d6 damage. The mount rules back this up.

No, they don't. The riding rules are a special exception.

If any fall caused at least 1d6 damage, there would be a rather absurd possibility for a ring of feather falling, which is "activated immediately if the wearer falls more than 5 feet." You could quite literally fall 10,000 feet and suffer no harm, but die as a result of slipping off the bottom stair.

 

[Lawrence Bryan]

I always thought the damage fro falling was way too low. At level 14 a mage can get reverse gravity raising someone 140 feet into the air. Would take a half a round to fall from that height and be going about 66MPH.