Tumble (skill)

Tumble (Dex;Armor Check Penalty)
Tumble enables you to make agile movements during combat. Tumble can only be used when your total score in the skill is greater then zero. In order to tumble you need to hold your block key (Default: left shift) to enter the blocking stance. With the movement keys you can now tumble in the desired direction (if you have no Tumble skill, or your Armor Check Penalty exceeds your Tumble, you will just make little hops in the appropriate direction).

Tumbling enables fast movements in combat and can be a very powerful skill since a skilled player can evade most attacks while tumbling. While tumbling you gain an bonus to Armor Class of about +1 per 5 total ranks (*exact value to be confirmed*).

The feat Mobility gives an additional +4 bonus to Armor Class while tumbling. This bonus applies even if the character does not roll (he only takes the hop.)

Another feature of this skill is that you take less damage from falling. The higher your skill the higher is the distance you can fall without taking damage.

As your tumble skill becomes higher, different animations will happen when you hold shift and push a movement key. At tumble of 0 or less, you make small hops in a direction. With a 1 tumble, you roll a somersault in that direction. No further improvement comes until tumble 31, which enables a backflip and sideways dives, which goes further than a somersault in the same time. A 36 a forward handspring.

(Note that to achieve such high values of tumble, one generally must use the Tumble spell and Skill Boost enhancements. Only a very focused build could reach a 31 tumble by level 10)