Athletics

Athletics

Athletics is a skill tied to your Strength ability, used for physically demanding tasks.

You make a Strength (Athletics) check when a task involving climbing, jumping, or swimming becomes risky or unusually difficult - for example:

• Climbing a slick or unstable surface, or when something tries to knock you off as you climb.
• Jumping an unusually long distance or pulling off a stunt mid-leap.
• Swimming through hazardous water, such as rough currents, surf, or a creature's grasp.

Your check total is 1d20 + your Strength modifier, plus your proficiency bonus if you're proficient in Athletics (and Expertise doubles that bonus).

The skill can also apply whenever brute strength is the deciding factor in a contest, such as a tug-of-war or holding a door shut. In the 2024 rules, the Grapple and Shove actions resolve as unarmed strikes (the target makes a saving throw), so they no longer call for an Athletics check from the attacker.