How Do You Climb In Adventure Mode In Dwarf Fortress?

In Dwarf Fortress adventure mode, you climb by using the 'climb/hold terrain' command (h by default) to grab onto a climbable surface. With a firm hold, you can then navigate vertically up or down by moving the camera to the desired Z-level and selecting where to go. Climbing allows you to scale walls, ascend trees, and escape watery predicaments.

How to climb, step-by-step

1. Position yourself: Stand next to the vertical surface you wish to climb, such as a wall or a tree.
2. Grab on: Press h to initiate the "Climb/Hold terrain" action.
3. Confirm the hold: A message will confirm that you are now "Climbing". An icon may also appear next to your character to show they are gripping the surface.
4. Change Z-levels: Use your mouse wheel to adjust the camera and view the Z-level you want to climb to.
5. Target your movement: Right-click on the destination you want to reach on the new Z-level and select "Move to here".
6. Use keyboard shortcuts: For an alternative to the mouse, you can use the keyboard after grabbing on.
   • Climb up: Hold Shift and press > (or the corresponding key for moving up a Z-level).
   • Climb down: Hold Shift and press < (or the corresponding key for moving down a Z-level).
7. Release your hold: When you are done climbing, press h again to release your grip. If you do this high up, you will fall, so make sure you are on solid ground.

Important climbing mechanics

Necessary equipment

To climb, your adventurer requires at least one free hand (a body part with the [GRASP] tag). Attempting to climb with both hands full will prove difficult, if not impossible. Some creatures, like giant cave spiders, use their legs to climb instead of hands.

What can be climbed

While you can't climb from underneath a floor tile, you can climb the sides of most vertical surfaces.

• Easy surfaces: Trees, rough-hewn stone, soil, and constructions made of raw materials are the easiest to climb.
• Harder surfaces: Block walls, such as those found in generated buildings, are more difficult to scale.
• Impossible surfaces: Perfectly smooth surfaces, such as those that have been smoothed or carved, cannot be climbed.

Skill progression

Training your climbing skill is an important aspect of vertical traversal. Your character's experience with climbing is determined by several factors:

• Wall types: Climbing block walls awards more experience than climbing natural materials.
• Climbing while in-air: Grabbing a wall while airborne provides a higher experience bonus. A common training method is to jump along a block wall and repeatedly grab it.
• Training spot: The top of a tall, generated structure like a hamlet or town is an ideal place to train, as you can repeatedly climb and jump from it.
• Character creation: If you know you'll need to climb frequently, consider spending a few points on the climbing skill during character creation.

Common pitfalls and advanced techniques

Climbing out of water

If you find yourself in water with no sloped banks, you can use the h command to try and climb the adjacent terrain to get out. With some luck, you can pull yourself out and avoid drowning.

Avoiding falls

• Holding on: Be careful not to accidentally press the h key while climbing, as this will cause you to let go and fall.
• Getting stunned: If you become stunned while climbing, you may find yourself unable to continue. The simplest solution is to wait for the stun to pass.
• Unskilled climbing: Unskilled climbers who are "in air" (at least one Z-level above the ground) are more likely to lose their grip and fall when attempting to climb.

Navigating around mountains

In adventure mode, you cannot cross mountain biomes using fast travel, even if your character can fly. Climbing is the only way to get over them manually on the surface. Alternatively, you can search for underground passages, such as mountain halls, which often connect through caverns or ruined dwarven fortresses.