Survival Abilities

From HGWiki

There are many areas on Higher Ground that possess special properties requiring characters to have certain survival abilities in order to safely navigate the areas (in many cases without dieing). The four types of areas currently in play are those requiring Levitation, Waterbreathing, Firewalking, or Passwall. There are other survival abilities present on some subraces not currently in play for which areas may be added in future these include Vacuum & Treewalking.

Contents 1 Levitation 1.1 Areas Required 1.2 Combat benefits 1.2.1 Attacks encountered from 1.3 Obtaining the ability 1.3.1 Innate bonus 1.3.2 Equipment 1.3.3 Spells 1.3.4 Consumables 2 Waterbreathing 2.1 Areas Required 2.2 Combat benefits 2.2.1 Attacks encountered from 2.3 Obtaining the ability 2.3.1 Innate bonus 2.3.2 Equipment 2.3.3 Spells 2.3.4 Consumables 3 Firewalking 3.1 Areas Required 3.2 Combat benefits 3.2.1 Attacks encountered from 3.3 Obtaining the ability 3.3.1 Innate bonus 3.3.2 Equipment 3.3.3 Consumables 4 Passwall 4.1 Areas Required 4.2 Combat benefits 4.2.1 Attacks encountered from 4.3 Obtaining the ability 4.3.1 Innate bonus 4.3.2 Equipment 4.3.3 Consumables 5 Treewalk 5.1 Areas Required 5.2 Combat benefits 5.2.1 Attacks encountered from 5.3 Obtaining the ability 5.3.1 Innate bonus 5.3.2 Equipment 5.3.3 Consumables 6 Vacuum 6.1 Areas Required 6.2 Combat benefits 6.2.1 Attacks encountered from 6.3 Obtaining the ability 6.3.1 Innate bonus 6.3.2 Equipment 6.3.3 Consumables

Levitation

Levitation allows characters to maintain their footing when they otherwise could not, due to slippery or shifting terrain, in addition to making them light as a feather in various situations, including combat.

Areas Required

• Rona
• Uroboros Peak
• Desert of Vashyk
• Elemental Plane of Air

Combat benefits

There are certain enemies that will attempt to throw your character. If possessing a levitation ability innately or by means of equipment, these attacks will fail to harm you as you safely drift back to the ground.

Attacks encountered from

• Malebranches
• Illithid Graviters
• Nabassus

Obtaining the ability

There are several ways to obtain levitation, either innately, through equipment, through spells, using consumables, shifter form focus or the Paragon Environment feat.

Innate bonus

• There are multiple subraces that have an innate levitation ability as follows Averial, Half-Storm Archon, Pharlan, Thunderborn, Fallen, Solarborn, Phoelarch / Phoenixblooded, PT - Air Genasi, Pixie, Thri-Kreen, Stinger, Half-Cloud Giant, Air Ruvoka, Half-Djinni, Half-Janni, Vaati, Fallen Angel, Erinyes, Planewalker, Half-Celestial, Genie, Half-Fiend, Drider, Atomie.
• A Monk can choose levitation as one of their innate survival abilities every 20 levels.
• The following Shifter forms can levitate: Beholder, Kenku, Spectre, Baelnorn, Harpy, Fairy, Drider, Black Wyrmling, Blue Wyrmling, Green Wyrmling, White Wyrmling, Red Wyrmling

Equipment

• Ring of Levitation
• Ring of the Planewalker
• Ring of Windworking
• Amulet of Adaptation
• Gravity Slain
• Talisman of Pazunia
• Ice Climbing Boots
• Sine Qua Non
• Falcons Ache
• Worm-Borne Boots
• Amulet of Levitation
• Wings of the Deva

Spells

• For legendary Rangers who do not belong to a quasiclass, the spell Polymorph Self Pixie will grant levitation for the duration of the spell.

Consumables

• Fey Potion of Levitation

Waterbreathing

Waterbreathing is truth in advertising. This ability permits you to breathe water where normally your lungs would fill with the liquid of life and you would find yourself without life. Note: the ability to breathe water does NOT protect from the spell Drown although there are some items such as the Ring of Water Breathing that provide both benefits.

Areas Required

• Lair of the Spawn Note: Requires water breathing ability to make the transit although this is not required once you get to the Lair
• Locathah Depths all areas.
• Ssithrak Dimension all areas except the final map.
• Elemental Plane of Water all areas.
• Aboleths all areas except Lost in Space and Time.
• Several zones in Zionyn
• Several zones in The Gaping Maw

Combat benefits

Attacks encountered from

Obtaining the ability

There are several ways to obtain waterbreathing, either innately, through equipment, through spells, by using consumables, shifter form focus or the Paragon Environment feat.

Innate bonus

• There are multiple subraces that have an innate waterbreathing ability as follows Aquatic Elf, Nereidkin, Juggernaut, Lizardfolk, PT - Water Genasi, Siren, Planewalker.
• A Monk can choose waterbreathing as one of their innate survival abilities every 20 levels.
• The following Shifter forms can breathe water: Sahuagin, Iron Golem, Stone Golem, Crystal Golem, Marut, Risen Lord, Banshee
• A Pale Master who has completed the Lich transformation gains class based waterbreathing ability.

Equipment

• Ring of Water Breathing
• Ring of the Planewalker
• Greater Ring of Water Breathing
• Amulet of Adaptation
• Surfacer Diplomat's Ring
• Wavecaller's Necklet
• Necklet of the Soulless Sounding
• Flow Breathing Helmet
• Ward of the Ixitxachitl
• Gnomish Schnorkel
• Sine Qua Non
• Amulet of the Darkest Depths
• Drinker of the Chasm
• Fluidic Scales
• Amulet of Water Breathing

Spells

• For legendary Rangers who do not belong to a quasiclass, the spell Polymorph Self Zombie will grant water breathing for the duration of the spell.
• Druids can cast the spell Deep Breath on others to allow breathing in any environment.

Consumables

• Fey Potion of Water Breathing
• Potion of Airy Water

Firewalking

Firewalking is about as straightforward as waterbreathing. If you see fire, you are at much less risk to walk through it. In some cases this only reduces damage taken, but in others it is required in order to even traverse the area.

Areas Required

• Elemental Plane of Fire
• Pazunia Lakes of Molten Iron, prevents the fire damage taken when you go through the lava areas

Combat benefits

Attacks encountered from

Obtaining the ability

There are several ways to obtain firewalking, either innately, through equipment, by using consumables, shifter form focus or the Paragon Environment feat.

Innate bonus

• There are multiple subraces that have an innate firewalking ability as follows Plane-Touched - Fire Genasi, Salamander, Azer, Half-Excruciarch, Fire Gnome, Phoelarch / Phoenixblooded, Half-Efreeti, Half-Janni, Planewalker.
• A Monk can choose firewalking as one of their innate survival abilities every 20 levels.
• The following Shifter forms can survive in fire-permeated areas Demonflesh Golem, Azer

Equipment

• Ring of Firewalking
• Sulfurous Mantle
• Cape of the Blood War General
• Talisman of Pazunia
• Amulet of Firewalking
• Planewalkers

Consumables

• Fey Potion of Flamequenching

Passwall

Passwall is an interesting ability that permits you to navigate through areas choked with dirt. A survival ability of limited application at this time.

Areas Required

• Elemental Plane of Earth
• Desert of Vashyk Whilst you can also use Levitation to survive the desert using a Passwall item also renders you immune to the instakill effects of the Living Sands

Combat benefits

Attacks encountered from

Living Sand

Obtaining the ability

There are several ways to obtain passwall, either innately, through equipment, by using consumables, shifter form focus or the Paragon Environment feat.

Innate bonus

• There are several subraces that have an innate passwall ability as follows Stoneblooded, Urdunnir, Pech Lord, PT - Earth Genasi & Planewalker.
• A Monk can choose passwall as one of their innate survival abilities every 20 levels.
• The following Shifter forms can pass through rock without danger: Xorn
• 'Undocumented' A Pale Master who has completed the Lich transformation gains immunity to the Living Sand intstakill effect and is able to survive in the Desert of Vashyk although not in the Elemental Plane of Earth.

Equipment

• Ring of Passwall NOTE: This must be equipped during resting for the ability to function
• Necklet of the Soulless Sounding
• Writhing Wreath
• Moldy Delvers
• Burrowing Bracers
• Amulet of Passwall
• Planewalkers

Consumables

• Fey Potion of Passwall

Treewalk

Treewalk is an interesting ability that permits you to navigate through areas where death would be prevalent if you fell from the Trees you are in. A survival ability of limited application at this time.

Areas Required

• Rona You can also use Levitation to survive in this area.

Combat benefits

• Unknown

Attacks encountered from

• Unknown

Obtaining the ability

• Innate only

Innate bonus

• The only subrace that currently possesses this ability is Verdant Prince.

Equipment

Consumables

Vacuum

Vacuum is an interesting ability that permits you to navigate through areas in a vacuum environment. There are currently no areas where this is required.

Areas Required

• None

Combat benefits

• Unknown

Attacks encountered from

• Unknown

Obtaining the ability

• Innate only

Innate bonus

• The only subrace that currently possesses this ability is Gith Precursor.

Equipment

Consumables