Magic Ropes
The 3E and Pathfinder SRDs have a few enchanted roped and rope-related items germane to this thread.
Generic D&D Magic Items
Net of Snaring (3/3.5)[not Pathfinder]: This net provides a +3 bonus on attack rolls but can only be used underwater, thus making it a somewhat useful item rather than what most would really call a cursed item. Underwater, it can be commanded to shoot forth up to 30 feet to trap a creature.
Moderate evocation; CL 8th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
freedom of movement; Price 10,000 gp.
Note: The Pathfinder version of the net of snaring is different from the 3/3.5 D%D version and is described below under Pathfinder Magic Items.
Rope of Climbing (3/3.5/Pathfinder): A 60-foot-long
rope of climbing is no thicker than a wand, but it is strong enough to support 3,000 pounds. Upon command, the rope snakes forward, upward, downward, or in any other direction at 10 feet per round, attaching itself securely wherever its owner desires. It can unfasten itself and return in the same manner.
A
rope of climbing can be commanded to knot or unknot itself. This causes large knots to appear at 1-foot intervals along the rope. Knotting shortens the rope to a 50-foot length until the knots are untied but lowers the DC of Climb checks while using it by 10. A creature must hold one end of the rope when its magic is invoked.
Faint transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item,
animate rope; Price 3,000 gp; Weight 3 lb.
Rope of Entanglement (3/3.5/Pathfinder): A
rope of entanglement looks just like any other hempen rope about 30 feet long. Upon command, the rope lashes forward 20 feet or upward 10 feet to entangle a victim. An entangled creature can break free with a DC 20 Strength check or a DC 20 Escape Artist check.
The rope has AC 22, 12 hit points, and hardness 10, and it has damage reduction 5/slashing as well. The rope repairs damage to itself at a rate of 1 point per 5 minutes, but if a rope of entanglement is severed (all 12 hit points lost to damage), it is destroyed.
Moderate transmutation; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item,
animate objects,
animate rope,
entangle; Price 21,000 gp; Weight 5 lb.
Pathfinder Magic Items
The Pathfinder version of the
net of snaring is quite different to the underwater-only D&D one so its SRD stats will be repeated here (see below). The pathfinder SRD includes the
rope of climbing and
rope of entanglement but those Wondrous Items are basically the same as the 3E D&D versions so I won't bother repeating their stats.
Pathfinder has several entirely new rope-related magic items. The
razored rope,
rope of knots,
robe of infinite twine and
vindictive harpoon have at least one feature I consider worth discussing. I'll exclude third-party entries to the SRD such as Bastion Press's
Reaver’s Net. There may be more magic ropes in the SRD that I've missed since I haven't checked through the entire database, but I think that'll do.
The
vindictive harpoon is pretty much a standard magic weapon mechanically, since it's only special feature is being freely usable underwater. I guess I should have a discussion post about magic weapons and masterwork ropes.
Net of Snaring (Pathfinder)
Price 28,940 gp;
Slot none;
CL 11th;
Weight 6 lbs.;
Aura moderate conjuration and transmutation
DESCRIPTION
This
+1 distance net seems lighter than expected and is slightly sticky to the touch.
Three times per day, the wielder may speak the command word and throw the net of snaring at a target. This is a ranged touch attack with a range of 40 feet. The net immediately grows by two size categories. If the attack hits, the target must succeed at a DC 25 Reflex save or become entangled. So long as the wielder retains control of the trailing rope, he may attempt or otherwise act on a grapple as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Speaking the command word again shrinks the item to normal size so long as no creature is confined within it.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Feats Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
levitate,
permanency,
shrink item,
web;
Cost 14,470 gp;
Source Pathfinder Player Companion: Dragonslayer’s Handbook (2013)
Robe of Infinite Twine (Pathfinder)
Aura moderate conjuration;
CL 7th;
Slot body;
Price 1,000 gp;
Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
This coarse hempen robe seems made from a single strand of twine.
The wearer can draw up to 30 feet of twine or up to 10 feet of hemp rope per round from the robe without harming it. As an immediate action, the wearer can draw up to 150 feet of twine or 50 feet of rope from the robe, but this gives the robe the broken condition and suppresses its powers until it is repaired. Twine or rope drawn from the robe remains connected until cut or torn, but is treated as common material rather than part of a magic item. Pieces removed become normal twine or rope.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Feats Craft Wondrous Item,
minor creation;
Cost 500 gp;
Source Ultimate Equipment (2012)
Rope of Knots (Pathfinder)
Aura moderate conjuration;
CL 9th;
Weight —;
Slot none;
Price 6,000 gp
DESCRIPTION
This rope is 100 feet long and can perform all the functions of a
rope of climbing. Furthermore, upon command the
rope of knots snakes out and knots itself into a rope structure. The rope can tie itself into any structure which can be created out of 100 feet of rope. Possible structures include (but are not limited to) a sturdy rope bridge up to 25 feet long, a 10-foot-square net or hammock, or a 40-foot-tall rope ladder. The rope takes up to 10 rounds to create a complex structure or half that time to return itself to a simple coil. The rope has hardness 1 and 20 hit points. It repairs damage to itself at a rate of 2 hit points every 10 minutes.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Feats Craft Wondrous Item,
animate rope;
Cost 3,000 gp;
Source Ultimate Equipment (2012)
Rope, Razored (Pathfinder)
Aura medium transmutation;
CL 3rd;
Slot none;
Price 8,301 gp;
Weight 3 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
A razored rope is a +
1 lasso made out of tightly braided lengths of fine chain, used to help restrain cowards attempting to flee a battle. It can be used to entangle an opponent as normal, but deals 1d4 points of damage to a creature that attempts to slip free and fails. The
razored rope is also more difficult to escape from, requiring a DC 18 Escape Artist check to slip free from and a DC 28 Strength check to break.
If your patron is a god of battle, as a standard action you can cause the lasso to constrict around a creature already entangled by the rope, dealing 1d4 points of damage.
If your patron is not a god of battle and you attempt to make the lasso constrict, it lashes up and strikes you for 1d4 points of damage.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Feats Craft Wondrous Item,
animate rope;
Cost 4,150 gp;
Source Pathfinder Player Companion: Faiths of Balance (2011)
Vindictive Harpoon (Pathfinder)
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th;
Slot none;
Price 10,305 gp;
Weight 16 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
This
+1 returning harpoon is made from the jagged, scrimshaw-carved tusk of a narwhal attached to a 50-foot length of woven sinew. Unlike most thrown weapons, a vindictive harpoon functions as well underwater as on land, and its wielder takes no penalties on attack rolls underwater.
CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Feats Craft Magic Arms and Armor;
Spells freedom of movement,
telekinesis;
Cost 5,305 gp