If a character deliberately jumps instead of merely slipping or falling, the
damage is the same but the first 1d6 is
nonlethal damage. A DC 15
Jump check or DC 15
Tumble check allows the character to avoid any damage from the first 10 feet fallen and converts any damage from the second 10 feet to
nonlethal damage. Thus, a character who slips from a ledge 30 feet up takes 3d6 damage. If the same character deliberately jumped, he takes 1d6 points of
nonlethal damage and 2d6 points of lethal damage. And if the character leaps down with a successful
Jump or
Tumble check, he takes only 1d6 points of
nonlethal damage and 1d6 points of lethal damage from the plunge.
Falls onto yielding surfaces (soft ground, mud) also convert the first 1d6 of
damage to
nonlethal damage. This reduction is cumulative with reduced damage due to deliberate jumps and the
Jump skill.
Falling into Water: Falls into water are handled somewhat differently. If the water is at least 10 feet deep, the first 20 feet of falling do no
damage. The next 20 feet do
nonlethal damage (1d3 per 10-foot increment). Beyond that,
falling damage is lethal damage (1d6 per additional 10-foot increment).
Characters who deliberately dive into water take no
damage on a successful DC 15
Swim check or DC 15
Tumble check, so long as the water is at least 10 feet deep for every 30 feet fallen. However, the DC of the check increases by 5 for every 50 feet of the dive.