Use Rope
Key Ability: Str | Trained Only: No | Armor Check Penalty: Yes
You have the ability to work with ropes, from tying knots to using a grapnel, to moving on ropes, and more.
Check: Many tasks with a rope are relatively simple. The DCs for various tasks utilizing this skill are summarized on the table below.
| Use Rope DC | Task |
|---|---|
| Varies | Tie up |
| Varies | Pretend to be tied up |
| 10 | Tie a firm knot |
| 101 | Secure a grappling hook |
| 15 | Tie a special knot, such as one that slips, slides slowly, or loosens with a tug |
| 15 | Tie a rope around yourself one-handed |
| 15 | Splice two ropes together |
| 5 | Use a zip line |
| 15 | Set up a zip line or tightrope |
| 20 | Abseiling |
| 30 | Fast-roping |
| 1 Add 2 to the DC for every 10 feet the hook is thrown; see below. | |
Tie up a Character: You can Use Rope to tie up a character who is pinned, helpless, or willing to be tied up ("willing" can include people who are magically compelled to surrender, as well as those who really don't want to be tied up, but who prefer it to the alternative!). You can gag, bind hands, bind feet, both, or bind the target completely:
- Gag: The target cannot speak, cast spells with verbal components, or use any bite attack.
- Bind Hands: The target cannot cast spells or hold more than one object. The target suffers a -5 penalty on all attacks using hands, claws, or held weapons, as well as a -10 on all skill checks requiring hands. Double these penalties if the hands are bound behind the target's back.
- Bind Feet: The target's movement rate is cut in half, it cannot climb or run, and it suffers a -10 on all swim checks.
- Bind Completely: The target cannot speak, stand or move. Only mental actions may be taken.
Pretend to be Tied Up: You can use slip knots to appear to be tied up. Your Use Rope check is opposed by a Use Rope check made by anyone inspecting your bonds; the opposed check is at +10 if they actually touch and tug on the bonds to check them. Releasing your false bonds is a swift action.
Secure a Grappling Hook: Securing a grappling hook requires a Use Rope check (DC 10, +2 for every 10 feet of distance the grappling hook is thrown, to a maximum DC of 20 at 50 feet). Failure by 4 or less indicates that the hook fails to catch and falls, allowing you to try again. Failure by 5 or more indicates that the grappling hook initially holds, but comes loose after 1d4 rounds of supporting weight. This check is made secretly, so that you don't know whether the rope will hold your weight.
Use a Zip Line: You can make a Use Rope check to descend an angled rope at a faster speed than you could do so climbing; use your regular move to progress down a zip line, compared to the quarter speed that is normal when climbing. If the zip line comes with a harness, then failure indicates that you are off balance and tangled, so that your speed slows to one half. If you are not wearing a harness, you need to hold on with both hands, and failure indicates that you fall.
Set up a Zip Line: You can create a rope pulley (and harness if desired) for others to use when travelling your zip line. Establishing the zip line itself requires the use of a grappling hook or other in-game means to set up a rope, such as the Animate Rope spell or a confederate on the other side of the space to be traversed. Failure by 4 or less indicates that the pulley fails, allowing you to try again. Failure by 5 or more indicates that the zip line works initially, but fails and drops the creature (or cargo) after 1d4 trips. This check is made secretly, so that you don't know at first whether the pulley will fail.
Abseiling: The method used to quickly descend a rope next to a wall is also known as rappelling. The rope cannot be knotted. Successful use of this skill allows you to descend at your regular base speed. Failure indicates that you have descended at half speed and suffer 1d6 nonlethal damage as you are bashed against the wall or cliff. For long descents, roll once per round of abseiling.
Fast-roping: This method of descent is used in midair with no vertical surface nearby, for example, from a flying carpet or a rope trick spell or a magically levitating or hovering creature. It consists of a controlled fall, using the rope to slow that fall. You descend at your run speed. The rope cannot be knotted. Failure by 4 or less indicates that you take 2d6 lethal damage as you descend. Failure by 5 or more indicates that you fall.
Action: Varies.
- Throwing a grappling hook is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
- Gagging a character is a move action. Binding hands or feat is a standard action, but you can reduce that to a move action if you accept a -5 on the check. Binding completely requires one minute, but you can reduce that to two rounds if you accept a -5 on the check. Tying up a person provokes attacks of opportunity.
- Tying a knot, tying a special knot, or tying a rope around yourself one-handed is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
- Using a zip line, abseiling, and fast-roping are part of movement. Setting up a zip line pulley, making a harness, or splicing two ropes together takes 5 minutes.
Untrained: An untrained Use Rope check is simply a Dexterity check. Without actual training, you can't succeed on any Use Rope check with a DC higher than 10, although you can tie a creature up.
Special: A silk rope gives you a +2 circumstance bonus on Use Rope checks. If you cast an animate rope spell on a rope, you get a +2 enhancement bonus on any Use Rope checks you make when using that rope. These bonuses stack.
Halflings gain a +3 racial bonus on Use Rope checks.