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

[Fenris-77]

It's really not. But more importantly, have you found a way to play the game in a manner which challenges the characters?

It gets played that way a lot, but no, I'd agree that it isn't written to be like that.

 

[overgeeked]

It's really not.

Been playing it [5E] since the playtest. Until I used a mound of house rules everything in the default game was an utter cakewalk.

But more importantly, have you found a way to play the game in a manner which challenges the characters?

House rules. Lots and lots of ’em.

 

[overgeeked]

Close, it was an encounter with incorporeal creatures. The problem isn't a caster hiding in his bubble for a combat though. The problem was the other characters are free to exit and return to it whenever they like for the duration. So anytime someone took a little damage, back into the bubble, get healed, come back out.

I don't usually mind creative tactics but that was a bridge too far for me.

Now as to the Rope Trick, absolutely, anyone can climb the rope. I'm not sure, however, how many people would be willing to climb a rope in a pitched battle (leaving them vulnerable to attack, I mean, how well can you defend yourself while climbing?) especially if you have no idea where it goes. I'd probably stop and stare upwards going "...a rope to nowhere....what the heck?"

I could certainly see attempting to cut the rope so no one else can follow the Ranger though. But that's just me, out of context, I don't know if the Orc's actions made sense at the time.

How’d the encounter last long enough for them to cast a 1 minute casting time spell?

 

[Scribe]

If I was the player, I'd salute the DM for outwitting me. Simple as that.

 

[James Gasik]

You do have to tailor the game depending on the group. I mean, if the group comes to you saying we just want to have a fun romp, sure, fine, you have spells that just end fights, no problem.

But when I say "so there's this old school dungeon and it's hard" and the players say "bring it, we're going to build characters that can handle anything!" and then it's just cheap stunt after cheap stunt...absolutely, the time has come that the bad guys can use tricks too. : )

 

[Fenris-77]

Been playing it since the playtest. Until I used a mound of house rules everything in the default game was an utter cakewalk.

House rules. Lots and lots of ’em.

Personal experience is a dodgy benchmark. I've run lots of 5E and very quickly got past it being a cakewalk. A YMMV moment, to be sure.

 

[James Gasik]

How’d the encounter last long enough for them to cast a 1 minute casting time spell?

Ring of Spell Storing. Yes, I know. But at the time, I was being told that it would only take an action to activate the magic item, as the spell was already cast. I made a thread about that on the forums at the time because the item's wording was really puzzling to me, but as near as I can tell, it was eaten.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

The ranger didn't make the call, the player did. The ranger, being part of the world and familiar with the workings of the spell, would understand the possibility even if the player didn't think of it, since the spell is just words on a page to the player. So I can understand the player being upset.

Yeah, this.

The character would know that this wouldn't work--that the enemies could follow him. Forcing an illogical behavior on the character because the player doesn't think it works that way is unnecessarily harsh. You don't like that the player is doing this--fine. Have an adult conversation, rather than "tak[ing him] to the woodshed." You are not wrong to be frustrated with the player using tactics that bother you or don't suit your game; I myself have had to have The Talk with a player who was pushing for something I wasn't comfortable running in my game. But I do think it is wrong to use any kind of "gotcha" on a player in order to tell them that you're upset with what they're doing.

You're the one with the big power here. It's on you to use it judiciously.

 

[Horwath]

this is a case where player does not know how the spell works exactly and a case where DM punishes that(maybe too harsh) instead of clearing up how the spell works.

what the player should have done: have a shorter rope(15ft), Action: cast spell, move 15ft climb with sucking on AoO, Object interaction; pull up the rope.

 

[Flamestrike]

The Ranger cried foul and claims I cheated, but I think that was RAW.

This indicates a problematic player.

The player tried a metagaming power move and was taken to the woodshed.

This indicates an equally bad DM.