D&D 5E Does Rope Trick Heal?

[UngeheuerLich]

Hey. Another way to look at it. While you are taking a short rest, so is every enemy outside. That migh generally be no problem, but it might be.
Actually this spell might do nothing.
Although treantmonk rates catnap poorly, combining catnap with rope trick might give you an edge over your enemy. Reducing the short rest to 10 minutes might bring it in line with 10 minute healing spells. And it might be a lot more cost efficient.

 

[Henry]

Also, if the entire party has used all their hit dice to heal previously, which is not uncommon for a first through fourth level party, rope trick definitely will have nothing to contribute to healing.

 

[Jester David]

Yes. TreantMonk has been on about this topic for years and I very much suspect Mike Mearls views the spell from this perspective too. The question is what purpose does this spell serve in the rules, rather than how do characters in the game view it.

I'm not sure that's a question they asked.
The "purpose" of the spell is the same as it had in 3e and 2e and 1e. None of which has short rests. It exists as a weird anomaly in the rules: a rare D&D spell that replicates a magic trick/ stage illusion. Likely because a player thought it was cool.
It's an iconic spell that would be weird to omit from the game.

It has the added effect that the duration of the spell is as long as a short rest, but arguably that's not the intended effect. As you'll only be able to complete a short rest minus 1 to 3 rounds in the rope trick before it expires and dumps you out (depending on how long it took you to get in).

 

[Mistwell]

The purpose of the spell is to provide a 'safe' short rest in an environment like a Dungeon.

Its the Short rest version of Leomunds Tiny Hut (the 'Long rest safely' spell).

Yes. I view Tiny Hut the same way - and [MENTION=55582]Treantmonklvl20[/MENTION]'s does as well.

 

[Mistwell]

I'm not sure that's a question they asked.
The "purpose" of the spell is the same as it had in 3e and 2e and 1e. None of which has short rests. It exists as a weird anomaly in the rules: a rare D&D spell that replicates a magic trick/ stage illusion. Likely because a player thought it was cool.
It's an iconic spell that would be weird to omit from the game.

It has the added effect that the duration of the spell is as long as a short rest, but arguably that's not the intended effect. As you'll only be able to complete a short rest minus 1 to 3 rounds in the rope trick before it expires and dumps you out (depending on how long it took you to get in).

Again, since the last guy to make this claim didn't take me up on the offer I guess I will offer it to you. I bet you the intent is a short rest for this spell. We can ask Crawford and Mearls. I don't think that's an "added effect" but the "primary intent" of the spell.

 

[WhosDaDungeonMaster]

Man, this isn't just a car wreck, it is like a pile up on the freeway! When will the madness stop!!

Why? Why? Why must I keep reading it... I have no power to leave it alone! ARG!

 

[Treantmonklvl20]

The "purpose" of the spell is the same as it had in 3e .

We agree on that, though I think we probably disagree what the purpose was.

Here was my rating for 3.5 Rope Trick from that guide:

Rope Trick: Would be a wand spell except caster level is important. Becomes the standard "camping" spell, though I've used it for quick escape too. CL 8 gets you and your party a full rest in a safe campsite, just pull up the rope.

It wasn't until 5e that Rope Trick was reduced in duration to one hour. I suspect that was because they didn't want a 2nd level spell providing safe long rests.

 

[Treantmonklvl20]

Someone also asked if Fireball was a healing spell earlier in this thread (sarcastically I assume).

I would say this: If a Fireball prevents 20 points of damage by ending an encounter earlier than it would have otherwise, and a healing spell restores 20 points of damage, you can call it whatever you want, but the fireball and the healing spell provided identical tactical effects.

So if you take a practical point of view, which one provides "healing" is just semantics, mechanically, they did the same job.

I have a similar reaction to the "Rope Trick doesn't heal, spending HD heals" argument. It's like saying that your job doesn't pay your rent, your money pays your rent. Yes, but the job is what provides access to the money.

 

[Jester David]

Again, since the last guy to make this claim didn't take me up on the offer I guess I will offer it to you. I bet you the intent is a short rest for this spell. We can ask Crawford and Mearls. I don't think that's an "added effect" but the "primary intent" of the spell.

Again, I don't think that was the "primary intent". The "primary intent" was making a spell that has existed for 35+ years function largely like it had in the past. To update an existing mechanic to the new ruleset.

I think that the spell allows you to take a short rest inside is largely a bonus, and the spell would have been written the same even if the short rest rule did not exist.
The duration of rope trick was an hour even in the versions of the D&D Next playtest when short rests were 10 minutes. If rope trick was meant to align with short rests, its duration would have also been 10 minutes then.
And there is no mention of adjusting the duration of rope trick in campaigns where a short rest is longer or shorter.

We agree on that, though I think we probably disagree what the purpose was.

Here was my rating for 3.5 Rope Trick from that guide:

Rope Trick: Would be a wand spell except caster level is important. Becomes the standard "camping" spell, though I've used it for quick escape too. CL 8 gets you and your party a full rest in a safe campsite, just pull up the rope.

It wasn't until 5e that Rope Trick was reduced in duration to one hour. I suspect that was because they didn't want a 2nd level spell providing safe long rests.

Kind.
Rope trick was only 20 minutes per level in 1e and 2e. You'd never be able to use it for an entire long rest prior to 3e, which increased the duration to a more standardised "hour" per level, with the side effect that it could keep you safe for an entire rest by level 8 or 9.

In general 5e has reduced duration to their minimum unless cast using a higher level slot. Going with the hour keeps the duration standardised while also bringing it back to the 1e/2e short duration escape rather than a cheap overnight extra-dimensional hidey hole.

That it lines up with the length of a short rest is almost a happy accident.

 

[Maxperson]

Someone also asked if Fireball was a healing spell earlier in this thread (sarcastically I assume).

I would say this: If a Fireball prevents 20 points of damage by ending an encounter earlier than it would have otherwise, and a healing spell restores 20 points of damage, you can call it whatever you want, but the fireball and the healing spell provided identical tactical effects.

So if you take a practical point of view, which one provides "healing" is just semantics, mechanically, they did the same job.

I have a similar reaction to the "Rope Trick doesn't heal, spending HD heals" argument. It's like saying that your job doesn't pay your rent, your money pays your rent. Yes, but the job is what provides access to the money.

That's why I specify that for me, in order to be a healing spell, it has to heal directly.