Alright, hear me out.  I am well aware that strength is a factor when it comes to climbing things.  I will not be making the argument that a Strength skill check is unsuitable.  Instead I will be arguing that other attributes are equally (if not better) suited for a climbing skill check, like Dexterity.  And Constitution.  Also Intelligence and Wisdom.  No, I’m not joking.

Before we continue, I should say that Charisma has nothing to do with this.  No one is making that argument.  The bard will not be seducing their way up a cliff.  Maybe bluffing their way up a bluff… I’m sorry.  I won’t do that again.

Why I feel Qualified on this Subject

I rock climb.  I’ve been doing it for a few years now.  On a scale of rock climbers I’m not great, but when weighed against the average citizen I’m basically a low powered Spider Man.  I’ve spent enough hours on the wall, and run into enough tricky moves to know that there are some things you simply can’t just power through.  Sometimes you need to stretch and twist.  Sometimes you need to pull through on endurance alone.  Sometimes you need to think your way up the cliff face.

What follows should probably be applied only to characters who are trained in climbing (or the related skill, depending on your system of play), since some of what follows can only be won through experience.  As always, use your own better judgement.

So, on to the meat and potatoes!

The Case for Strength

BORING!  We all know this one.  Thog the Bard-barian (he’s cross classed) is Stronk™.  Thog grabs rocks and pulls!  Ta-da!  Thog is now at the top of the cliff, laughing at the rest of the party.  Thog is strong.  Thog can do pull-ups.  Stack enough successful pull ups and congratulations: you’re a climber!

The thing is, anyone with a bit of climbing experience knows that “swimming” up a wall is a great way to blow out your arms and flare out.  Relying on brute strength will work for all of 5 minutes, which is why a better option than strength is…

Dexterity, a Much Better Option

A flexible climber can take advantage of a host of factors that brute strength can’t even touch.  When climbing, your arms shouldn’t be lifting you, that’s your legs’ job.  Are you flexible enough to wedge yourself in between those two outcroppings?  Can you twist sideways to get your hands on that perfect jug hold that the roided-out strongman can’t reach?  Can you flex your hips so that you can jam your toes into that perfect foothold?

Being light, flexible, and quick are all important to climbing. More-so, I would say, than the ability to do a bunch of pull ups.  Yes, being buff helps, but it isn’t the primary consideration.  If you don’t believe me, watch professional rock climbers in action.  They aren’t built like heavy weight lifters.  They’re flexible, and wirey, as well as masters of stamina.  This brings me to my next point, which is…

Constitution, Another Superior Choice

A superior climber must be able to hold on to whatever they’re climbing, for a while.  If a climber who lacks endurance comes up against a tricky move, their options are limited.  First, go for it without giving it the proper thought, and hope for the best.  Second, give up. A seasoned climber, however, will know how long they can contemplate their next maneuver.  They can trust in their ability to cling to the cliff face without fear, and take their time in their moves and maneuvers.

Another argument in favor of constitution for climb checks is that slow, deliberate moves which rely on endurance are almost universally more successful than desperate moves that rely on strength alone.  If you’re flinging yourself at your target, and praying you get a good hold before falling, you’re less likely to succeed than if you slowly push and pull yourself into position, and calmly put your hand or foot where it needs to go.

Constitution gives you time to examine the road ahead of you, which leads into our next candidate…

Intelligence. Yes, Intelligence. No, Don’t Look At Me Like That.

The intelligent climber knows that their arms are weaker than their legs.  This is a universal truth for just about everyone.  Given this fact, the big brain climbing wizard will only use her arms to hold herself close to the cliff face, leaving her legs to do all of the heavy lifting.  You know, those things you walk on all day every day?  Yeah, they’re mad strong.  This smarty pants character will also know that wedging her hand into a crevice and making a fist is a great way to cling to the wall with minimal effort.

We’re not even close to done yet.  The intelligent climber will think through how to shift their weight to make the most of shaky holds.  They will be able to analyze the route ahead at a glance, looking several moves into the future.  They will see parts of the cliff face that can be easily exploited for a moment of rest, or an easy run for the goal.

Next up…

Charisma!

No. Not happening. Don’t even bother. I’m not letting you Undertale your way out of this one.  You can’t talk the cliff into being nice to you.  It’s an unfeeling wall of rock.

Next up, something actually useful when climbing a castle wall…

Wisdom. Last but Decidedly Not Least

Take everything we said about Intelligence and internalize it.  It’s there without thinking.  The moves happen, and you instinctively put your hands and feet in the right place.  You look at the way ahead of you and know the route you need to take.  You shift your weight, and maintain your balance like it’s second nature.  You’ve done all of this before, and you’re good at it.

Any climber who’s taken some time off of climbing will get this one.  The lessons you drilled into your head through hours of practice don’t disappear.  They’re still there.  Sure, your body isn’t in the shape it was when you were at your peak, but it doesn’t need to be.  You know what your struggling limbs can handle.  You know the warning signs when your grip is about to fail.  I guarantee you an experienced, yet out of shape climber will outclimb an athlete who’s never climbed before. Every. Single. Time.

So What’s the Point?

Narrowly, I’m making a very specific case about a very specific type of skill check.  I’m arguing that we should allow our players to (if they’re trained) use any attribute they like as the base for their climb checks, with the exception of Charisma.  Hopefully you’ve found my arguments on that point at least somewhat compelling.

More broadly, however, I’m making a case that we tap into the resources that our players carry with them every day.  Specifically, their lived experiences.  Because of my background in climbing, it didn’t sit well with me that the barbarian should, by necessity of their strength, be a better climber than the rogue.  This rogue, mind you, is trained in climbing, and has an excellent dexterity modifier.

The point is this: your players will bring a wealth of knowledge with them to your table.  Be willing to listen, and bend the rules in the face of their hard earned understanding. It will make for a more complex and realistic game, and your players will love you for it.

Also, don’t let the Charisma casters use charisma to climb the castle walls.  If they are anything like the Charisma casters I’ve played with, they will try.