Jumping through a glass window

I don't think there are any rules on it, but it happens all the time in the movies.

Normal home glass windows shouldn't be a problem. If it were reinforced or something made to withstand breaking then it may be more difficult. (some type of trample or other move/damage mechanism would need to be used).

I think it's all up to the DM...

I think the jumper could take some damage (maybe 1d4 or 1d6) but not too much unless the glass had some other properties.

Okay, if the jumper is fully committed and has even a two or three step approach, sure. A bigger window would actually be easier than a smaller one. Also, if the jumper had a hard object in one hand (like a weapon) that would make things a lot easier. Yeah, you could break the pane with your forearms/elbows/ shoulder and head (as you shield your eyes) as you sail through but I would think there would be the possibility of significant damage. Hey, if your wearing just normal clothes and the pane doesn't break just right, a sharp shard could easily slice open an artery or major vein. Assuming normal shoes, I would think most people could kick out a glass door or picture window (but risk falling glass slicing thier leg).

If it were me, I'd bash the window out first, making a hole big enough that I could do a shoulder roll through (I'm pretty sure I could hit a 4' x 4' hole most of the time and maybe even 3' x 3') and I'd even land on my feet. I'd be pretty scared to try to dive through even with my shoulder and back to the pane and even more scared to dive through full speed fists and head first.

As far as 4.0, your average picture window, yeah, I'd let a PC dive through it as part of movement, but count the square as difficult terrain and inflict 1d8 damage. Just my opinion.

1d8 is equivalent to a longsword hit. I was thinking the damage would be a bit less.

...but the damage from crashing through the window is "actual" (unavoidable) damage. The "damage" from the longsword could represent a "near miss" e.g. the PC used up a bit of thier "luck".

Hmm, I was probably thinking about damage in 3.5...

When it comes to damage I usually think if it would kill a 1st level commoner. Since PCs and NPCs in 4.0 have more hit points it probably would do more damage.

Twittered this and got some good suggestions for Jumping Through Windows in the future. Also added my own ideas:

Counts as an extra square of movement.
Jump/Strength Check to for jumping through window.
Acrobatic check to minimize damage as free action.
(my idea) Give AC and HP's to window (see below). Allow an attack against window to break it. If it doesn't break the character goes prone and takes 1/2 damage. (this could be awesomely hilarious)
If the character does break the window and jumps through make it like a trap that attacks the PC's AC, inflicting a random amount of damage. Make the damage scale like a normal trap of the characters level.


Objects Properties
Object Size AC or Reflex Fortitude HP Example
Tiny 10 5 5 Bottle, book
Small 8 8 10 Treasure chest, manacles
Medium 5 10 20 Door, statue
Large 4 12 40 Wagon, vault door
Huge 3 15 100 Big statue
Gargantuan 2 20 200 Even bigger statue

Material or Composition Hit Point Multiplier
Very fragile × 0.25
Fragile/intricate × 0.5
Reinforced × 1.5
Paper or cloth × 0.1
Glass or ice × 0.25
Leather or hide × 0.5
Wood x 1
Stone × 2
Iron or steel × 3
Adamantine × 5

I agree that the window should have AC/Hitpoints, but...

I don't think the length/width of the window should add hitpoints, only the thinkness.

Yes, if a PC jumps into a window and doesn't break it, they should fall prone. I'm not sure what you ment by 1/2 damage. Are you saying the window should take damage or the PC?

I was thinking the window, but I guess the PC should take some damage as well.

...agree with Ken regarding that bigger windows shouldn't be harder to jump through and that thickness rather than length/ width be the deciding factor. You're not trying to destroy the entire 20' wide x 8' high x 0.25" thick store front display window, just make a hole large enough so that you can pass through it. Although I can break through 5 inches of wood that's 12" x 9" with my bare hand, I know I couldn't do it if it was still 5 inches thick and only 4" x 4" say.

Agree that it should cost an extra square of movement (I had suggested difficult). Agree on the STR check to break and Acrobatics to minimize damage. Don't know if going to all this "detail" is within the spirit of how 4.0 has really simplified things...

I think the higher HP's for larger pieces of glass makes sense. If your just trying to crack it then yes, probably the same amount of HP's.

If you attack a 1'x 1' glass with a rock it breaks.
You attack a 10'x 10' glass with the same rock it might shatter all of it, but it also might just go right through and make a small hole, or it might only break part of the window, and leave sharp edges for you to cut yourself on if you rub across them.