D&D 5E Escaping from (rope) bonds... What is your ruling?

[Li Shenron]

I'd probably allow only the Sleight of Hand bonus.

 

[GrimCo]

Depending on the context and what player tells me his character is doing. Athletics, acrobatics, sleight of hand. Even intelligence + tool proficiency ( sailor tried to identify which knot was it, since sailor knots have tricks for quick release).

 

[Tonguez]

sleight of hand works, or an appropriate background
but not acrobatics (no somersaulting out of being bound)

 

[Sulicius]

Sure, both can help. I’m very open to characters using skills they are proficient in if they give me an ok reason why it applies.

 

[Horwath]

Acrobatics 99% of the time.

maybe Sleight of hands. if only wrists are bound.

Sleight of hands is so unused skill that I decided that thief tools are no longer separate tool proficiency and merged with Sleight of hands to "4E like" Thievery skill. Rogues instead of thief tools get an extra skill proficiency.

 

[Quartz]

Properly tied ropes are inescapable without help, so no roll allowed (you only roll if the result is in doubt). If the PC has access to something like a knife or a rough surface the question becomes whether or not they can cut the rope and free their hands without dropping the knife or a guard noticing. Either skill could be applicable depending upon the situation - SoH, for example, to keep the knife or the half-cut-through rope hidden from the guard.

 

[Tonguez]

Properly tied ropes are inescapable without help, so no roll allowed (you only roll if the result is in doubt). If the PC has access to something like a knife or a rough surface the question becomes whether or not they can cut the rope and free their hands without dropping the knife or a guard noticing. Either skill could be applicable depending upon the situation - SoH, for example, to keep the knife or the half-cut-through rope hidden from the guard.

so how do you determine if ropes are properly tied in the first place? is it DM fiat?

 

[Minigiant]

Depends on emphasis.

Body= Acrobatics
Hands or feet= Sleigh of Hand

 

[tetrasodium]

Being tied up tends to result in a rather "helpless" state unless the bonds are ones deliberately placed for show rather than function. This IMO firmly shifts the question into that stupid combo of a clear rule by RAW that is thwarted by even the most cursory of logical consideration.

Since that unquestionably dumps it into "any time the rules are in doubt GM has the final say" territory I'd say:

• It must be possible. If Alice & Bob are tied to saint andrews crosses several feet apart they obviously can't help each other but might be able to help the hungry Arxur☆ with questionable standards for acceptable varieties of cattle tied right next to them & create a new scenario.
• The player(s) must have plenty of time (lets choose 2 minutes or 10-20 times as long as it would take someone to untie the bound PC).
• The player(s) must be faced with no threats or distractions. An intelligent guard who could notice & react to the activity would be an obvious example of a threat or distraction,
• There can't be any penalties for failing over & over again... Being covered in bells might be an example of a penalty that would obviously alert even a sleeping guard

The TL;DR of it is that in short I would handle it by using a rule once present to pave a path that shifts a boring pass/fail check for one player into an interesting series of solvable problems for the whole party to collaboratively clear as a group.

☆ I'm tired of lizardmen having this tongue-in-cheek inhuman mindset that gets kinda sorta hinted at but never ever demonstrated. lets use the horrifying result of choosing to cross the prime directive & deliberately choosing wrong in all the worst possible ways for political convenience.

 

[Horwath]

so how do you determine if ropes are properly tied in the first place? is it DM fiat?

yes.

or you say that the DC is 40 so good on them if they can MacGyver +20 on the roll.