How difficult is it to climb a rope?

[johnsemlak]

did you evern have to climb ropes in gym class? I HATED that. I could barely get 5' off the ground. Granted, yes D&D characters are better than real-life...but still...that mage with the 8 Str and zero ranks in climb is going to have a difficult time.

Going down would surely be easier than going up though. Yeah, I climbed ropes in Gym. That's in part what I'm basing this one, I think most boys in my class were capable of climbing down a 15 ft bit.

 

[mtgrogan]

Yes, it is...

Spent several years in the Marines, and was in one of those units that had to climb ropes often. Yes, climbing rope--up or down--is hard for people that have not been trained in it and sometimes, for people that have. Add any kind of load, as most adventurers have, and I would say 15 is completely accurate. You wouldn't believe the number of people that will fall off a rope if climbing down. This is why training generally required you to climb up the rope before expecting you to climb down (cause if you could get up it, you could generally get down, though not always). The military training and then the police training really opened my eyes to what most people can't do--crazy. (I was an athletic, some would say hyper, kid.)

 

[mmadsen]

One-Arm Rope Climb

If you think descending a rope with both arms and both legs is difficult, take a look at this One-Arm Rope Climb.

 

[The_Fan]

Descending is easier than climbing. Provided you don't mind rope burns. (ouch)

 

[Hand of Evil]

I can imagine it would be diffiicult. And there is considerable hardship. But DC 15? (falling on a 10 or less). I'd say a DC of 5 (falling on a 1) is more reasonable (perhaps a tad higher). My feeling is there should be a low, but tangible chance of failure.

BTW, your points also suggest the check shoudl be CON based, not STR. I might consider houserules that allow a synegy bonus for ranks in Concentration.

Falling from a rope is not the concern, it is the sliding down a rope, the rope sliding through the hands and the entanglement of legs/body. The stop can cause damage but the interation with the rope can too and I have known a number of people who perfer to take the fall than get wrapped up in rope, rope burns can be nasty. I really do not know how to approch it, DC 15 sounds right to me for unskilled, I may add plusses for related skills/character levels.

 

[IronWolf]

I think the DC15 is right on track. Climbing up or down a rope that is free hanging can be difficult (especially if you have gear such as a pack on). There is a very real chance of an inexperienced person falling. Now if there is a wall to brace against that can help.

This thought comes from several years of technical rock climbing experience. That included some free hanging rappels where we really hoped we reached the ground and wouldn't have to climb back up the rope to the overhanging ledge we just left.

 

[Andor]

Well, you can probably talk your DM into giving you a +2 circumstance bonus for descending. You could also.... knot the rope.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Spent several years in the Marines, and was in one of those units that had to climb ropes often. Yes, climbing rope--up or down--is hard for people that have not been trained in it and sometimes, for people that have. Add any kind of load, as most adventurers have, and I would say 15 is completely accurate. You wouldn't believe the number of people that will fall off a rope if climbing down. This is why training generally required you to climb up the rope before expecting you to climb down (cause if you could get up it, you could generally get down, though not always). The military training and then the police training really opened my eyes to what most people can't do--crazy. (I was an athletic, some would say hyper, kid.)

Good point. This isn't a kid in gym class wearing shorts and a t-shirt. This is usually someone in adveturing garb carrying at least 20-30 pounds of equipment. If they take 10 on the attempt - in other words are really careful - an untrained person only fails on a 4 or less. For a free standing rope, I think this is reasonable.

 

[Warehouse23]

Heck, I was doing some rock scrambling (not even free climbing, just a steep slope) with a buddy of mine last summer. He was having the toughest time of it (think, DC 5 climb check), and made the crack, "Man, imagine doing this in full plate, looking for the goblins' lair. Whew!"

 

[DragonLancer]

I think DC 15 is about right. I'm pretty sure that I couldn't haul myself up or down a rope very easily. You need strength and need to know the right way of doing it.