Is Rope Trick broken!?

[Zog]

For a really nasty example of Evil DM tricks....

take a look at Piratecat's story hour. I recall one session or two in which the party, having been unexpectedly mauled, hide in something not dissimiliar to a Rope trick. Five hours later, they were awoken to find themselves falling 30 feet into a ragin bonfire, surrounded by enemies. If memory serves, they survived because one PC was immune to normal fire. Otherwise, it would have been on dead party.

The point is, if the party 'disappears' from a dungeon, someone is going to come investigate - in force. When they don't find them, or clear signs of retreat, they will call for the wizard/cleric/shaman. Even at CR 2-4, monsters can be assumed to figure this out. It may take a while, but not more than oh, 5-7 hours. If you want to make things really interesting, have the party be 'found' after almost exactly 8 hours. Then, as the spellcasters begin trying to re-memorize, they get to watch the bad guys assemble, and build the fire below them....

How much do you memorize, versus running like heck before the entire complex is waiting to ambush you?

Its questions like these that really make 'em squirm.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

How would See Invisibility or Spot help you? The spell doesn't use invisibility and there's nothing for you to Spot if the rope is pulled up (unless you mentioned spot for those that are trying to find your trail but don't have the track feat).

If the party can see out, I would say the interface qualifies as an "invisible sensing organ" like any other in terms of locating it.

That would be my take on it. The spell is not exactly clear about the nature of the interface.

 

[kreynolds]

If the party can see out, I would say the interface qualifies as an "invisible sensing organ" like any other in terms of locating it.

I wouldn't. It's not a scry spell.

From the spell description...

disappear into this place of safety where no creature can find the character

...I think that says it all. Then again, thinking of Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion and how the front door works, maybe it doesn't.

 

[Zerovoid]

I always thought the hole for the rope trick was always open, but was invisible. So, even if the rope was pulled up, there would be a shimmering portal that could be seen with detect invisibility, and you could still enter the rope trick, with levitation for instance. I think the "where no one can find you" is just flavor text. Actually, upon reading the description of the spell in more detail, I find it... lacking. I like my interpretation, it makes more sense. Otherwise, does that mean the hole closes when the rope is pulled up? If the rope got on fire, you would be trapped forever.

 

[Xarlen]

First of all, 'Abusing' a ropetrick by hiding in it when your party needs rest and recooperation is like 'Abusing' a fireball by blowing the crap out've anything within a 20' radius.

Second, I have to say that here's an invisible 'hole'. Last session, my group crawled into a ropetrick to discuss something private, because they thought the place they were in was bugged. The wizard's familiar, a bat, flew through the hole to tell them someone had come.

And, yes, for that Very Reason, my group has not used rope trick: They needed to rest, and memorize spells, but that would give the enemy time to find them, and prepare for them. This was done, I believe, when they were besieging an abandoned Thieves guild, to take on the infernal forces that had set up shop there.

And, Dispel magic will ruin a rope trick right on time. A pair of Evard's tentacles positioned below a rope trick would not be friendly.

As to the extradimensional spaces in extra-dimensional spaces, I rule that they can't Open their haversack/bag of holding in one.

 

[kreynolds]

First of all, 'Abusing' a ropetrick by hiding in it when your party needs rest and recooperation is like 'Abusing' a fireball by blowing the crap out've anything within a 20' radius.

LOL

As to the extradimensional spaces in extra-dimensional spaces, I rule that they can't Open their haversack/bag of holding in one.

Then it's safe to say that you don't allow haversacks or bags of holding to be opened while inside Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion either, even thought the rules allow it? (I just wanna make sure I'm on the same wavelength as you)

 

[Xarlen]

Then it's safe to say that you don't allow haversacks or bags of holding to be opened while inside Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion either, even thought the rules allow it? (I just wanna make sure I'm on the same wavelength as you)

Nah, I mean like opening them in Rope tricks, or sticking Bags of Holding into Portable holes. They're fine, as long as you don't open them.

 

[kreynolds]

Nah, I mean like opening them in Rope tricks, or sticking Bags of Holding into Portable holes. They're fine, as long as you don't open them.

OK. I just wanna make sure that you realize that by the rules, you can safely use a Bag of Holding inside a Rope Trick and inside Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.

If you don't allow the use of a Bag of Holding while inside a Rope Trick, you shouldn't allow the use of it while inside a Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion either, just for consistency. Just some friendly advice.

 

[Xarlen]

OK. I just wanna make sure that you realize that by the rules, you can safely use a Bag of Holding inside a Rope Trick and inside Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion.

If you don't allow the use of a Bag of Holding while inside a Rope Trick, you shouldn't allow the use of it while inside a Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion either, just for consistency. Just some friendly advice.

Gotcha. Well, technically, wouldn't a Dimensional Door also count as Extra-dimensional, since you're splitting them apart? Or is that more translocational?

Ah well.

 

[kreynolds]

Gotcha. Well, technically, wouldn't a Dimensional Door also count as Extra-dimensional, since you're splitting them apart? Or is that more translocational?

Ah well.

Translocational.