Tumbling - Can someone explain what it does for a monk

[Tigsen]

Okay, my main and only character to date has been a cleric, which does not have any ranks of the tumble skill. I know basically zero with regards to tumbling. Given that, if someone is inclined to answer my noob tumbling questions and how they might apply to a monk, I'd be greatly appreciative...

1) I know if you have the tumble skill you can hold down the shift key (block) and when you move, instead of "hopping" the way I do with my non-tumbling cleric, you roll around. What, exactly, is the benefit of rolling around in this manner?

2) Can you attack while tumbling? Or do you basically tumble, then attack, then tumble some more?

3) I know the mobility feat says you get +4 to your AC while tumbling. Does this +4 to AC last for any amount of time after you finish tumbling, or is it litterally only there while you're tumbling?

4) What other benefits are there to tumbling?

Thanks for any help, I'll probably have more questions once someone answers some of the above, but I'll have to see first what the answer are. :)

Tigsen

[MrCow]

1) I know if you have the tumble skill you can hold down the shift key (block) and when you move, instead of "hopping" the way I do with my non-tumbling cleric, you roll around. What, exactly, is the benefit of rolling around in this manner?

You go a further distance when you roll with a tumble, meaning twitch players who use tumble have a much easier time dodging things like ray attacks and arrows.

2) Can you attack while tumbling? Or do you basically tumble, then attack, then tumble some more?

You can not attack while tumbling. However, you do retain your attack chain during a tumble. A normal level 5 monk using their unarmed attacks do a fist-fist-kick routine. With tumble, you could do a fist-fist-tumble-kick, retaining that kick and its +5 to-hit bonus. I know tumble was very useful for some people to start off a battle with the +10 to-hit attack on something like an improved trip.

3) I know the mobility feat says you get +4 to your AC while tumbling. Does this +4 to AC last for any amount of time after you finish tumbling, or is it litterally only there while you're tumbling?

I've never really tested it, but its assumed that it is only for the duration you are tumbling.

4) What other benefits are there to tumbling?

Less damage/no damage from falling from high places without featherfall. I think long ago I tested a 37 tumble and fell the entire length of The Pit and only took about 42 damage. Also, the high-skill tumbles (the flips) are slightly faster than base speed running. A person with no striding item/haste/etc. would move faster doing the front flips than just outright running.

Messages in red.

[Sani_Medicor]

Something to keep in mind is that unless you want to do flips, you only need 1 point of tumbling. I've taken 1 point at creation on quite a few characters. If it's a dex build, they're good to go. If not, you may need mithral to tumble or a tumble skill item. I really can't stand not being able to tumble. I've even taken a point on high level clerics and used something like a striding of tumbling ring on them. :)

[Tigsen]

Thanks for the responses :)

Tigsen

[Rameses]

I have a level 14 Monk along with a guildie.

I did not put any points into tumble and he has.
We ran the Reaver a couple days ago and found out two interesting things.

1.) With slow fall on we floated to the ceiling whenever the Reaver did a reverse gravity attack.
2.) With slow fall on and a tumble skill my guildie was take little to no damage from the fall of the the reverse gratvity attack.

Another fun fact: with slow fall on and a decent tumble skill as my guildie has. The first jump in Coal. Chamber can be made without a feather fall item on and you'd only need a single CSW pot to to heal the damage taken from the fall. Keep in mind when I say this my guildie didn't try sliding off walls; he went straight down the middle of the tunnel.

I am, Rameses!

[MrCow]

Another fun fact: with slow fall on and a decent tumble skill as my guildie has. The first jump in Coal. Chamber can be made without a feather fall item on and you'd only need a single CSW pot to to heal the damage taken from the fall. Keep in mind when I say this my guildie didn't try sliding off walls; he went straight down the middle of the tunnel.

Much like real life, DDO has a "terminal velocity" on when you have reached the maximum amount of falling damage you can take. From my experiments in The Pit many moons ago the terminal velocity is about 400 feet or roughly 70 Warforged high.

[Qzipoun]

I know tumble was very useful for some people to start off a battle with the +10 to-hit attack on something like an improved trip.

Just to clarify, tumble is not needed for this anymore. Special attacks automatically use your highest attack bonus since Mod 7.

[Uproar]

So it sounds like a question of how much Tumble is "needed". Sounds like 1 minimum, any suggestions for "just enough" to be useful?

As a monk, these points could be applied to a lot of other useful places if say 20 or even 15 tumble is overkill. I could put them in raising Spot, Balance, etc.

[MrCow]

Unless you rely on tumble for negating attacks through twitch-based play (or plan on playing with a Docent of Defiance :p) then 1 rank of tumble tends to be all that most people need. Anything more for the non-twitch player is overkill.

[Inspire]

I have a level 14 Monk along with a guildie.

Another fun fact: with slow fall on and a decent tumble skill as my guildie has. The first jump in Coal. Chamber can be made without a feather fall item on and you'd only need a single CSW pot to to heal the damage taken from the fall. Keep in mind when I say this my guildie didn't try sliding off walls; he went straight down the middle of the tunnel.

My 14th Monk Made That Fall In Coalesance, And The Fall Off The "Veiw Point" In The Vale Without Ever Taking Damage At All, However 17 Ranks Into Tumble,

Also Same Thing With GoP Fall, Jumped Down After Completion(Without Sliding Any Of The Mentioned Times) And I Have Never Taken Damage From Falling Any Height Since About 11th Lvl.

[llevenbaxx]

Welp, this is just a situation I was in two days ago. Was running TR with 5 other monks(levels 3-4), we get to the part where you must kill the two Ogres at the end. We try to fight them, as its more fun than kiting through traps imo, but two monks go down fast trying to straight up the one(leaving only me fighting him). While others clean up the other mobs I take the Ogre out into the open middle area, take a couple swings get clocked twice(down to 1/3 hps). I started tumbling away, and around him in a circle. Wait for him to swing(while im at a safe distance) and then drink a potion(and get hit with a cure). Hit my +3 AC boost(HVII) and go in for some more, repeated that process once more and he was dead. If you have good twitch skills, tumble(/mobility) can be used to avoid attacks/damage to at least some degree... at least it does for me.

Think i only had a 12-13 tumble at the time

[Corvid7]

I'm not quite sure what is meant by twitch, but here is my thoughts on tumble.
I'm maxing it on my monk, as I did on my rogue. My rogue can fall forever and take very little damage. I still do carry a FF item and swap it when I think I might need it. I want my monk to do the same.
And tumbling in fights has saved me a few times. Mostly doing the tumble-tumble-potion-hit method when the rest of the party is dead or dying. It has worked quite a lot. I also took the die-hard feat. Some people probably think it is wasted, but it has also saved many parties.

[valczir]

Twitch is basically real life reflexes. FPS games are twitch-based games. DDO has a combat system that allows gamers who are decent at twitch-style gameplay to use a bit of that skill in the game.

To translate: if you have decent gamer reflexes, a high tumble can benefit you quite a bit, getting you out of battle when you would otherwise drop dead (most likely due to the axe that would be imbedded in your skull because you didn't tumble out of its way).

It really helps when going up against casters and archers, where you can watch for when they're about to cast or fire and then tumble out of the way. Against other monsters, it will get you out of their range quite rapidly, allowing you to take a quick potion or something before they catch up with you.