Ranged Trip Attack

[Gruns]

Are there any special rules for a Ranged Trip Attack? (re: Bolas, PHB pg 115)
As written, it appears that if it hits, you proceed as if it were a normal trip attempt. Opposed Str vs. Opposed Str Check... Naturally, this doesn't make much sense for the Bolas end of it. Is Dexterity used instead, since a)this is the modifier used for ranged attacks and b)since accuracy would be more of a factor than strength...?
Looks like another house rule for the sake of common sense.
Thanks for any info.
Gruns

 

[Demoquin]

You can either House rule it to use DEX, but it is still STR. You might be able to accurately find the vulnerable spot to trip him but you still need the force to bring him down.

 

[ARandomGod]

You can either House rule it to use DEX, but it is still STR. You might be able to accurately find the vulnerable spot to trip him but you still need the force to bring him down.

I...

err...

um...

Well, see, the thing is, the bola is a ranged weapon. It does have a certain tensile strength, yes, I assume that. However it does not use the throwers strength at all. Therefore in an arguement that states you would need the force (strength) to bring him down, the only viable source of that strength would be the item itself.

Perhaps you don't know what a bola actually is. Without going into details, it's a device that you throw at someone, sort of like a tanglefoot bag, that wraps around their feet and locks those feet together. The only strength involved would be someone trying to break the bonds... which could be interpreted as an opposed strength check, but then you'll have to assign a strength to the bola, not take the strength score of the thrower (as for common sense, that actually does make a good bit of sense, although it potentially makes the bola too powerful. I mean, why would you get a bola with less than a 30 + str?)

 

[ARandomGod]

You can either House rule it to use DEX, but it is still STR. You might be able to accurately find the vulnerable spot to trip him but you still need the force to bring him down.

Heheh.

Further looking at this reminds me of the 'fact' that the trip maneuver, as written, has nothing to do with tripping (which would be an opposed dex, logically) and everything to do with making a modified grapple and throwing the opponent down (which is obviously an opposed strength).

 

[JimAde]

I've never actually looked at the Bolas rules before. Goofy.

I'd probably have it force a Reflex save. DC could either be the attack roll after all modifiers, or a static DC based on the weapon (probably starting at 15 or 20 and going up for masterwork/magic weapons?) Given that it's a one-shot exotic weapon, and therefore makes you burn a feat, I'd probably start it at 20.