How would you adjudicate rappelling down a string from a flying kite?

[domino]

An idea I had. A ninja or assassain or rogue, or any other sneaky stabby type wants to off one specific guy in the middle of his army.

Now, sneaking and skulking still has bad enough odds against an entire army, someone's going to roll their 20, or just run into a character with a high enough skill to see him.

So, the concept is a massive kite, anchored to fly above the encampment, while the character slides down another rope, to place himself more or less on target.

But what rolls would you ask for, and what random rolls would you make for things like the wind moving the rope and/or kite? And how difficult would you make it?

 

[irdeggman]

I don't think ti would phsyically possible to support a character using such a device in D&D fantasy. Basically the kite would have to be so emmense to support the weight it would be extremely visable. Then there is the sufficient wind necessary to keep it aloft, etc. . .

 

[domino]

Well, it would have been at night. I forgot to mention that part. Ideally, on a cloudy moonless night.

 

[Nim]

Going down the rope hand-over-hand would clearly be Climb. DC 15 to descend at 1/4 speed per move action. DC 20 to descend at 1/2 speed per move action. +2 synergy bonus if they have 5 ranks in Use Rope. Increase the DCs by +5 if they're doing it in harsh conditions (high wind, the kite is moving at speed, whatever). Decrease all the DCs by 5 if it's a knotted rope.

Also Climb to hang ON to the rope while the kite is moving. This is exactly the same check as the one above, but you can fail by up to 5 and still hang on. Fail by more than that, and you're falling off. A wise character would prep before hand, though, and make some Use Rope checks to add foot-loops and such for the ride. Call that another -5 to the DC (just for staying on during the ride, not for climbing down), similar to carving handholds in a cliff.

Now, if they want to SLIDE down the rope...you could let them attempt a higher DC (25 probably, only on an unknotted rope) and allow 3/4 speed per move action, or even full move, for sliding down a rope.

 

[Jack Simth]

Two craft skills for the kite - Craft (Woodworking) and Craft (Clothmaking/Taloring), or similar ... a two craft(Kite) rolls, if anyone has it (or two craft(shipmaking) at -5) with DC, oh, 25 or so - pick something that is difficult, but not impossible, with failure by more than 5 making them think it should work....

There would be no steering a kite big enough to lift someone off the ground in conditions where you could do so - no significant steering, anyway. Just Wind direction, rope length, and anchor point.

However, if they manage to pull it off, I'd grant them a free skill point in Craft(Kite) and Profession(Fly Kite) each. Or just tell them to go fly a kite.

 

[Nim]

I don't think ti would phsyically possible to support a character using such a device in D&D fantasy. Basically the kite would have to be so emmense to support the weight it would be extremely visable. Then there is the sufficient wind necessary to keep it aloft, etc. . .

People flying on kites is a common element in stories of medieval China and Japan. Marco Polo reported having seen such things in use. True or not, it's a common enough story element to suit the D&D genre.

Certainly no less plausible than any of the non-magical alchemical items.

 

[Mistwell]

If you are going hand over hand down, then yes climb should be the check. However, if you are actually sliding down the rope (I assume with a piece of cloth or cord or something around the kite rope) then I think it should be a balance check.

Climb represents finding the right hand holds. Sliding down a rope doesn't really involved finding handholds, but instead invovles maintaining proper balance as you do down so you don't wobble. It also involves your grip, so perhaps a strength check (fairly low) is also involved in not letting go.

 

[Len]

Well, it would have been at night. I forgot to mention that part. Ideally, on a cloudy moonless night.

The defenders still get spot checks to see him. If it's not feasible for him to sneak in using his Hide skill, how the heck is he going to make it unseen when he's up in the air where no Hide checks are possible? He'll have a bunch of arrows sticking out of him by the time he reaches the ground.

 

[domino]

Night+dark clothes+most people don't actually look up+ distance.

 

[Nim]

If you are going hand over hand down, then yes climb should be the check. However, if you are actually sliding down the rope (I assume with a piece of cloth or cord or something around the kite rope) then I think it should be a balance check.

Climb represents finding the right hand holds. Sliding down a rope doesn't really involved finding handholds, but instead invovles maintaining proper balance as you do down so you don't wobble. It also involves your grip, so perhaps a strength check (fairly low) is also involved in not letting go.

It's an odd little space between Climb, Balance, and Tumble. And maybe Jump.

Sort of like: you're standing on the edge of a roof. You have a rope tied to the eaves across the street. You want to swing across the road and into a window of the building across from you. What skill are you checking?