Nets and Ettercaps

[CatharticMoment]

A few points came up from a recent gaming session. Member's of our group seemed to have wildy different opinions. I'd be curious if any of you have thought about this subject, or could point me in the direction of any official rulings?

How do you handle pc's being caught in nets. The rules state that a net has only 5 hit points, but don't go into any more detail. In particular:

Can the person caught by a net strike at it or must it be someone who's free?

What sort of weapons can damage a net. Any weapons or slashing only?

Can the captured person only use small weapons to damage the net by the captured person (as in a grapple), or any weapon with reach one?

If a friend strikes at a net which covers a character, then is there any chance of hurting the imprisioned character?

Are all the above the same for an Ettercap's web (apart from the hit points). If not, why not?

If a person is caught in an Ettercap's web then they are anchored firmly in place and allowed no movement. Does this also prevent them from taking certain move equivalent actions e.g. standing up from prone, or drawing a weapon.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Sanackranib]

A few points came up from a recent gaming session. Member's of our group seemed to have wildy different opinions. I'd be curious if any of you have thought about this subject, or could point me in the direction of any official rulings?

How do you handle pc's being caught in nets. The rules state that a net has only 5 hit points, but don't go into any more detail. In particular:

1] Can the person caught by a net strike at it or must it be someone who's free?

2] What sort of weapons can damage a net. Any weapons or slashing only?

3] Can the captured person only use small weapons to damage the net by the captured person (as in a grapple), or any weapon with reach one?

4]If a friend strikes at a net which covers a character, then is there any chance of hurting the imprisioned character?

Are all the above the same for an Ettercap's web (apart from the hit points). If not, why not?

5] If a person is caught in an Ettercap's web then they are anchored firmly in place and allowed no movement. Does this also prevent them from taking certain move equivalent actions e.g. standing up from prone, or drawing a weapon.

Thanks,

Chris

1] yes they can attack the net
2] only small slashing weapons could be used if you were trapped or entangled in it and then at the same penalty for being prone
3] only small slashing weapons
4] you could do this one of two ways:
a] half damage to each
b] let the net take the first 5 and the character take the balance
if any
5] assuming the ettercap's webs are sticky then a failed STR/DEX check
would render the character helpless

 

[Magic Slim]

Some additions:

2) The net can also be escaped by making an Escape Artist check (DC 20) or a Strength check (DC 25). Both are full-round actions. Slashing weapons must be used to cut the net. I'm not sure about the fact that the character caught in the net must use small weapons (ie light?), but I could understand how it would be impossible to use one's greataxe...

3) See 2.

4) When striking the net, you don't need to take a swing at it, you apply yourself to cutting the strands. You don't need to make a melee attack. Just roll damage (I'm extrapolating this from Tanglefoot Bags). There is, IMO, no chance for characters who help an entangled target to hurt him by mistake.

As for ettercap's webs, just use the given values in the MM.

5) No movement, for me, simply means that the character is stuck in the square he was shot in. He's not helpless. He can cut/burst/evade the net to escape. The character probably needs to make concentration checks to cast spells with somatic component, but other than that, he should be ok.

Slim