Fear of Heights

©2015. Impulse Limited

Here's a short entry for today. While designing a flying city, I ran across an issue concerning fear of heights for characters standing at the edge of a cliff, following a narrow mountain path, walking a tightrope or a plank, or climbing a ship's mast or a wall,  and potential effects on these characters. Here's an approach. What are your opinions on the matter, as referees or players?
Most RPG heroes aren’t initially designed to account for fear of heights. Rogues, career skyship crew, residents of places like flying cities, flying creatures, cathedral builders, gods, most animals, and monsters in general are immune to it. Other beings, however, may be susceptible. Roll an initial Wisdom Check for each player character; the level of failure indicates whether a character is predisposed to fear of heights, and the severity of the condition. 

Predisposition to Fear of Heights (Wis Check)
Critical Success	Immune
Below Score	Check when more than 360’ high
Exact Score	Check when more than 180’ high
Above Score	Check when more than 90’ high
Critical Failure	Terrified of heights more than 30’

If a character is susceptible to fear of heights and faces a situation that could trigger its effects, such as approaching a cliff’s edge, looking over a skyship’s railing, climbing a mast, crossing a rope bridge or a gangplank (etc.), a Wisdom Check should be required. Characters terrified of heights receive a –2 penalty to these checks. Results remain in effect for the remainder of the encounter.

Fear of Heights Effects (Wis Check)
Above Score	None
Exact Score	–1 penalty to Strength and Charisma
Below Score	–2 penalty to Strength, Dexterity, Charisma, attack rolls, and Saving Throws
Critical Failure	Paralysis for 1d4 combat actions, otherwise as above plus –50% MV penalty

      Thieves and mystics (monks), if not immune, ought to have a bonus on both the initial roll and the following checks (if any), probably equal to their Dexterity bonuses. Fear of height is a condition that can be healed temporarily with a cure disease spell, or permanently with a cureall (D&D BECMI) or a heal spell (AD&D).