D&D 5E Player angry about enemies climbing rope with Rope Trick

[Oofta]

The game is written in a way that nothing is supposed to actually challenge the characters.

As a DM I have infinite dragons. Or dreadnought fire giants which almost led to a TPK in my last session, something that is not all that unusual.

 

[Umbran]

The game is written in a way that nothing is supposed to actually challenge the characters.

Goodness gracious, the hyperbole!

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Putting aside the larger issues others here have highlighted that the table clearly needs to discuss - accusations of DM cheating and in-game retribution for so-called player metagaming power moves - I’m not sure I see issue with how the scene played out.

The Ranger was setting up an escape valve for the party and the enemies reacted to what they saw as a fleeing enemy. Assuming the full 50’ of rope here, the question I have an is (which others have referenced): why did the Ranger not try something to slow or otherwise hamper the enemy pursuit? Getting to the top first, the Ranger perhaps could have tried leaning out the “window” to drop items on their heads and/or firing arrows down and/or shaking the rope. As DM, apply whatever disadvantage or Dex ability check or whatever feels appropriate for such stated actions. And if they’re still coming up, Ready an action to impede the first pursuer - maybe an attempt to Shove or slice at then as their head enters the space.

Would like to hear more details @ECMO3 of how the scene played out as each individual enemy reached the top of the rope and entered the space…

Then again, maybe the rope was only 10’ so there was no time for the Ranger to prepare for the pursuit. In which case (with apologies to Roy Scheider):

Gonna need a longer rope

 

[Fanaelialae]

the Orcs know magic happens and can see that their opponent has just climbed a rope - theres nothing to stop them climbing the same rope and assuming their target will be there at the top

Sure, but let's say that the spell cast was actually Misdirected Rope Trick Blender. This spell hides the caster and makes an illusory version of them climb a rope trick that leads into a magical blender of force (like a Blade Barrier), which activates one round after a creature enters the space.

I think it's quite relevant to ask whether ALL of those enemies would have climbed the "rope trick" had the rope trick actually been this other spell. If they would have, no foul (though the talk of a "woodshed" does concern me a bit). Otherwise, most definitely a foul on the DM's part, IMO, since they were clearly metagaming in order to punish the player.

 

[Vaalingrade]

If a grown person is going to take another grown person 'to the woodshed', there better be dinner and drinks first.

 

[Fifth Element]

the Orcs know magic happens and can see that their opponent has just climbed a rope - theres nothing to stop them climbing the same rope and assuming their target will be there at the top

There's nothing stopping them from assuming that, but there's also nothing stopping them from assuming it's a spell that protects the caster and harms their opponents. For all they know it teleports the caster away and leaves a gate to hell at the top of the rope. So again, if the DM uses their own knowledge of how the spell works to determine monster actions, without considering what the monsters would know about it, that's a problem.

 

[Fifth Element]

Sure, but your response assumed negative intent and was snarky. One could say that you should or could "do better."

No intent was assumed (except by you, in this post). People behave inappropriately all the time without intending to.

 

[Fifth Element]

I disagree. As a DM I don't know every spell in the PHB so if a player casts a spell that I'm not 100% sure of I'll quickly look it up if their description of how it works or how they think it works seems off, or contradictory how I think it works. In the end I think the player should know how a spell works, or if they are confused or its ambiguous, ask out of game for clarification before they cast it in game or suffer the consequences. You'd think as a player who is running a spellcaster they'd read their spell descriptions before getting to the table to familiarize themselves beforehand not cry foul after the fact.

Which is great, until you realize that people can think they understand how a spell works (and confidently so), but be wrong about it. Happens all the time.

 

[Mort]

Sure, but let's say that the spell cast was actually Misdirected Rope Trick Blender. This spell hides the caster and makes an illusory version of them climb a rope trick that leads into a magical blender of force (like a Blade Barrier), which activates one round after a creature enters the space.

I think it's quite relevant to ask whether ALL of those enemies would have climbed the "rope trick" had the rope trick actually been this other spell. If they would have, no foul (though the talk of a "woodshed" does concern me a bit). Otherwise, most definitely a foul on the DM's part, IMO, since they were clearly metagaming in order to punish the player.

I don't think it was metagaming to follow up the rope ladder after the ranger (though having ALL the orcs do it is a bit much, why would they do that)? Especially if they had reason to prevent him from fleeing.

I DO think taking a short rest was too much though. The orcs would be highly unlikely to know whether the spell lasts 30 seconds, 30 minutes, an hour etc - it's possible but just not likely.

 

[Fifth Element]

I don't see any difference just because it's a spell.

The difference is that it's magic, and you can't know the effect of a spell just from outward appearances. For all they know there's some kind of magical protection at the top of the rope that zaps evil creatures.

However, I would warn the player that this would happen, that there's nothing stopping the enemy from following.

This is exactly what I would have done as DM. Point it out to the player, because it's sure as naughty word something the ranger in-world would understand. If they still want to do it, that's up to them.