Attack from within a Rope Trick area?

[Damon Griffin]

Let's say I cast a Rope Trick spell, and with six companions I scurry up the rope into a pocket dimension where "no creature can find [me]". I pull the rope up after us, and we have a nifty 3'x5' window onto the area below us. Spells can't pass the interface, but no mention is made of material objects. Therefore:

1) Can my companions and I fire missile weapons through the window at targets directly below the window?

If so, we must presume those targets can fire back, since there is no mention of the interface being one-way (except visually, because the spell description says we can't be found but we can clearly see out.) But since we can't be found:

2) Is it reasonable to assume Total Concealment (50% miss chance and attacker must guess at target's location) applies to those of us within the area at the top of the rope?

3) Given that we're probably kneeling around a 3'x5' window to shoot out, what fraction of Cover should apply?

 

[LokiDR]

Rope trick:
When this spell is cast upon a piece of rope from 5 to 30 feet long, one end of the rope rises into the air until the whole rope hangs perpendicular to the ground, as if affixed at the upper end. The upper end is, in fact, fastened to an extradimensional space that is outside the multiverse of extradimensional spaces (“planes”). Creatures in the extradimensional space are hidden, beyond the reach of spells (including divinations), unless those spells work across planes. The space holds as many as eight creatures (of any size). Creatures in the space can pull the rope up into the space, making the rope “disappear.” In that case, the rope counts as one of the eight creatures that can fit in the space. The rope can support up to 16,000 pounds. A weight greater than that can pull the rope free.
Spells cannot be cast across the extradimensional interface, nor can area effects cross it. Those in the extradimensional space can see out of it as if a 3-foot-by- 5-foot window were centered on the rope. The window is present on the Material Plane, but it’s invisible, and even creatures that can see the window can’t see through it. Anything inside the extradimensional space drops out when the spell ends. The rope can be climbed by only one person at a time. The rope trick spell enables climbers to reach a normal place if they do not climb all the way to the extradimensional space.

Cover:To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target’s square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).
When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from your square to the target’s square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn’t adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks.

1) yes
2) yes
3) there is only cover and full cover

 

[Amazing Mumford]

I house-ruled missle-weapons/ranged attacks coming from the rope trick area as a "no", let's just say that has the potential of getting very abused... the spell is more of a "phantom-zone closet" of you will, the way we use it...but that is just MHO, your players may not be quite as abusive... and as far as the issue of cover bonus if you do enable the spell to pass missle weapons, LokiDR is pretty right-on...

That spell turned out to be the party's most useful ability in CoTSQ... saved their new party's butts in Sons of Gruumsh also...

 

[nittanytbone]

In a 1E game vs hordes of undead my F/MU made great use of exactly this strategy to survive a zombie rush.

But I did not use it over and over again for fear of DM retribution

In either edition I would definitely allow it to be used as a missile platform (although there'd be a moderate penalty, say, -2 or -4 for leaning out of an upside down window to take a shot or some chance to fall out or something)

In a somewhat related strategy, Rope Trick spaces make a great place to stick lower level followers and cohorts during tougher battles, especially because the duration is so long. You can set up a "triage center" and have wounded party members scamper back to the safe zone where the 1st level commoner hireling asks if they want their refreshing Potion of Cure Serious Wounds shaken or stirred, on the rocks or straight.

 

[LokiDR]

I must now get to work on a cleric bartender. Who is the patron god of drinking, anyway?

This does seem a bit abusive, but I see no reason by the RAW it doesn't work.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I must now get to work on a cleric bartender. Who is the patron god of drinking, anyway?

It's Thor!

-Hyp.

 

[Damon Griffin]

1) yes
2) yes
3) there is only cover and full cover

In 3.0, which is what we are playing (sorry, I should have said) cover comes in five flavors, ranging from one-quarter to total; ditto concealment.

In either edition I would definitely allow it to be used as a missile platform (although there'd be a moderate penalty, say, -2 or -4 for leaning out of an upside down window to take a shot or some chance to fall out or something)

No one needs to lean out. It'd be like kneeling next to a trap door in the floor and shooting down to the basement/next level down, so I'm not sure I see the need for a penalty. If anything I'd think a bonus would apply: an invisible attacker gets a +2 attack bonus and his target loses any DEX bonus to AC.

 

[LokiDR]

Ah, 3.0, I just assumed you were on 3.5 and mixing up the rules. I would call it half cover. You have to lean a significant portion of your body out to fire the bow, this isn't an arrow slit.

 

[diaglo]

when you start talking about extra dimensional spaces and planes...

well to me i always pictured this as a 2-D screen.... like a monitor or television in the floor.

 

[werk]

when you start talking about extra dimensional spaces and planes...

well to me i always pictured this as a 2-D screen.... like a monitor or television in the floor.

I do too, and I have a little house-flavor that when you touch it, you pop to the other side the moment it's touched, so no reaching through, or peeking your head out, or anything like that. Kinda like Stargate, but faster...instantaneous.