D&D 5E Player angry about enemies climbing rope with Rope Trick

[TaranTheWanderer]

I think we missed this in the whole argument over the fairness of the whole thing, but... did that party just sit there for a whole hour (5e standard 'short' rest) waiting for the punishment squad to come out of the Rope Trick?

I imagine if they had the ability to dispel the rope-trick they would have done so in order to rescue their party member? So, lacking that...what else would they do?

 

[James Gasik]

I think we missed this in the whole argument over the fairness of the whole thing, but... did that party just sit there for a whole hour (5e standard 'short' rest) waiting for the punishment squad to come out of the Rope Trick?

What else do you do in that case? You can't just let Orcs go they're e̶v̶i̶l̶ probably not nice people! Plus they'll tell other Orcs how to defeat the Rope Trick! And let's not forget the Ranger has loot...

 

[iserith]

I'm just trying to figure out what the player's thought process would have been. What did he expect fictional Orcs would do? Obviously, following him up the rope wasn't imagined.

Really, failing the DM offering an explanation at the time, it's on the player to imagine one that makes sense to them. While I agree there's likely a mismatch of expectations going on here, the player could easily solve the issue themselves. "Ah, well, I guess they did that because X."

 

[Vaalingrade]

I imagine if they had the ability to dispel the rope-trick they would have done so in order to rescue their party member? So, lacking that...what else would they do?

Did they really expect to rescue him when he's been sealed in an extra dimensional space with and unfairness of monsters for an hour?

 

[James Gasik]

No, they just wanted to get the xp for killing the Orcs and take the Ranger's stuff. He owed the Cleric 5 gp!

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Did they really expect to rescue him when he's been sealed in an extra dimensional space with and unfairness of monsters for an hour?

Well they had been fighting the creatures for a reason. I can think of several reasons to stay:

• hope: maybe they left him alive to to torture him
• return his body to his family
• recover the ranger’s and the orc’s loot
• not let magic items get into enemy hands
• making sure to finish off so you don’t leave an enemy at your back
• vengeance.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I'm really just pointing out that they really had to sit there in wait an hour for a PSA not to use Rope Trick.

 

[Weiley31]

If the monsters saw the spell casted and saw the Ranger climb up the rope, then yes, it makes sense that the monsters would follow in kind. If they didn't see the spell casted before the encounter then it should have stumped them and the monsters, depending on their intelligence/leadership, shouldn't have been able to figure it out. Even then it would be a roll with Disadvantage for the monsters to attempt to "resolve' the issue at that point.

And then it's entirely possible that the entire act of "seeing the rope" and just standing there, tugging at it, while the party all sneak around the back behind them to safety, also makes logical sense.

 

[R_J_K75]

Which is great, until you realize that people can think they understand how a spell works (and confidently so), but be wrong about it. Happens all the time.

True. In that case I'd point out that they are wrong and possibly give them 15-30 seconds to convince me of their case, at which point I may agree with them or just move along and make sure they know for next time.

 

[Oofta]

I imagine if they had the ability to dispel the rope-trick they would have done so in order to rescue their party member? So, lacking that...what else would they do?

Can you dispel a rope trick? You can't see it to target it once the rope is no longer there and there is no "dispel magic in an area". I guess I'd allow it, but there's no guarantee anyone had the spell available.