Fun Uses of Use Rope [3.5]

[Zaq]

So, I've been kicking around a new character in my head, and this character happens to have Use Rope as a class skill. I've never actually used Use Rope before (and it's not like I don't have better things to spend my skill points on . . . 8 + INT is never even close to enough, is it?)—hell, there's a sidebar in the Rules Compendium that all but says "what are you, nuts? Don't take Use Rope." I have, however, been known to be intrigued by underloved options, and I'm toying with the idea of taking Use Rope simply because I never have before. The question is, of course, what do I do with it?

Can you think of any fun uses for Use Rope that would actually justify taking it (instead of, say, Climb, or another Knowledge for the purposes of Devotion, or whatever)? I'm aware of the Rod of Ropes in Complete Scoundrel (and oh, how I would love to have it), but let's really not assume that I'll have access to it. What else is there to do with Use Rope that's actually worth my time? If specifics help, this character will be a level 6 Scout in an E6 campaign.

(Also, speaking of niche skills, are there any fun things you can do with Knowledge: Geography? It's not a monster ID skill, so it doesn't get a lot of attention, but I wonder if there's anything interesting that can be done with it, aside from tracking down Carmen Sandiego.)

[Sith_Happens]

Can you think of any fun uses for Use Rope?

This. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IPH0vIt8g8#t=34s)

On a more serious note, since a DC 15 check lets you tie any kind of knot, see if any of these (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_knots) would be useful.

And of course, there's always "recreational" purposes.:smallwink:

Gah, normally I could come up with a whole list of fun things to do with rope, but it's too late at night for that kind of cognitive effort.:smallannoyed: Hopefully some other people will chip in now that this isn't on the fourth page.

[jpreem]

Well you've got Dungeons youv'e got some rope. When you got some company then there could be a lot's of fun games to play ;)

[PetterTomBos]

Leather armor (perhaps stud-ed ;) ) use rope, whip as a favored weapon? xD

[Ernir]

You could try arguing with your DM that your massive Use Rope score should get you proficient with the Lasso (BoED).

CAdv has rules for tying more quickly.

And yes, you may be able to find something relevant in the BoEF (Although surprisingly enough, it does not have an expanded use for the Use Rope skill :smallconfused:).

EDIT: BoEF/BoED mixup...

[Techsmart]

My DM hated me with use rope. Every time we were in a dungeon where the doors were levers (instead of knobs), my rogue would check for traps, check if it was locked, then use the rope to open the door from a distance. After a while, he made a phantasmal thief trap that stole my rope. For 6 months, I couldn't find a store with rope in it, and all dungeons had their handles permanently replaced with knobs.

[Chilingsworth]

And yes, you may be able to find something relevant in the BoED (Although surprisingly enough, it does not have an expanded use for the Use Rope skill :smallconfused:).

DO you mean the BoEF? Because, honestly, it's not that surprising the BOED lacks such a section. :smallyuk:

[Saintheart]

DO you mean the BoEF? Because, honestly, it's not that surprising the BOED lacks such a section. :smallyuk:

On the other hand, it is surprising that the Book of VD also lacks a similar such section. :smallcool:

[Ernir]

DO you mean the BoEF? Because, honestly, it's not that surprising the BOED lacks such a section. :smallyuk:

Durf. Yes.


On the other hand, it is surprising that the Book of VD also lacks a similar such section. :smallcool:

BDSM is evil?

[nedz]

A level of Bard, or a feat, for Whip proficiency opens the Whip Climber Skill Trick. Now you can be Indiana Jones.:smallcool:

Rope is a tool with many and varied uses: that said its probably of most use in Mountains and on board Ships, though Dungeons also allow opportunities.

[Ravens_cry]

A level of Bard, or a feat, for Whip proficiency opens the Whip Climber Skill Trick. Now you can be Indiana Jones.:smallcool:

Or the Bionic Commando, without the Bionic part.:smallbiggrin:
Though with grafts I am sure there is away to do that too.

[Escheton]

BDSM is evil?

well, I can't imagine any paladins into it. However, the lawful evil drow seem to have build a culture around it...

[Ravens_cry]

Look, lets just stop here. I doubt we can have a forum appropriate discussion ion the pros and cons of BDSM considering its inherent sexuality.

[FMArthur]

Tying people up (which I think has fixed Strength check DCs by material unfortunately, but people trying to escape with Escape Artist or Use Rope are opposing your own check)
Operating the sails on a ship (subsumed by Profession (Sailor) in a fair world though)

... well, I can't think of anything else that actually is made better by Use Rope. You can think of nigh-infinite uses of rope itself in dungeon problem-solving scenarios, but when is a high Use Rope check actually beneficial to those?

[Saintheart]

Durf. Yes.

BDSM is evil?

No, but VD doesn't just stand for Vile Deeds. :smallwink:

[Vknight]

Correct it stands for the darkest most twisted things in the world, vague and powerful evils beyond comprehension.

[FMArthur]

No, but VD doesn't just stand for Vile Deeds. :smallwink:

In fact, it never stands for that at all! :smalltongue:
I make that mistake all the time.

[Warsmurf]

Was watching inception the other day and one of the characters had a long rope with two monkey fist knots at the ends. He then had a group of mounted (okay on snowmobiles and skis, but it would still work on horses) enemies chasing him through the forest.
He proceeded to throw one end of the rope into trees, dive to the side, and pull the rope tight, flipping every enemy off their mount.

A scout would be perfect for traps like this because of the increased movement speed, and with enough jump skill you can leap over a tree limb or building beam with the rope around your legs, spring your trap AND get a shot off upside down with skirmish damage.

Edit: Accidentally had the grammar of a five year old.

[Dalek-K]

Well...

If you had an artifact that cursed people on the touch you could lasso it and then use the rope like Jacki Chan and touch people with the artifact?

[SurlySeraph]

The Epic Skills section says it's DC 60 to tie a knot that no one but you knows how to untie. That could be really useful, especially for taking arrogant liches who think they know everything down to size. Or as a challenge, if you can make it out of an uncuttable material so no one goes all Alexander the Great on you.

It's DC 80 to replicate Animate Rope. Which you can use to... trip or entangle people. Or force spellcasters to make a DC 15 Concentration check. Woo.
But the spell says "You can animate a nonliving ropelike object." That's a broad category. A Shocking Whip is an obvious use, but I think I have a better one.


Fire Lash (Ps)

A pyrokineticist gains the ability to fashion a 15-foot-long whip of fire from unstable ectoplasm as a move-equivalent action. She takes no damage from a fire lash she creates, and if she releases her hold, it immediately dissipates. The lash deals 1d8 points of fire damage to a target within 15 feet on a successful ranged touch attack. A pyro can take Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization (if she otherwise meets the prerequisites) in conjunction with the fire lash, as well as any feats that apply to the use of a standard whip. The whip remains in existence as long as the pyrokineticist holds it.

So as long as you have lots of hands, you can entangle a lot of people in fire. That's probably worth doing.

Also, Exemplar. Skill Artistry. Get a high enough Use Rope check and you can brainwash people with how awesome you are at using rope.

Also, Combat Trapsmith. Put trip lines eeeeeeverywhere.

[VirOath]

Well, a good amount of use rope is useful. Why?

Because I've got a group of DMs and if you ever want to tie a knot that's better than the very basic knot in any way, including being able to hold any weight, will take a use rope check.

And, it's used for any kind of Rope or String. Yes, it can be used to tie your shoes, but it can also be used to tie the shoes of others. Takes a step into comedy, and if you can't think of the times that your DM has described the Big Bad wearing badass boots, well...

[nedz]

What's the DC for replicating Rope Trick ?:smallamused:

[SurlySeraph]

None listed. But we can reverse-engineer a bit. Rope Trick is a 2nd-level spell.
Implanting a Suggestion, a 2nd-3rd level spell, adds 50 to a Bluff DC.
DC 70 to fake your alignment; Undetectable Alignment is a 1st-2nd level spell.
DC 50 + (5*spell level) to use Decipher Script to decipher a spell without Read Magic (0-1st level spell)
DC 80 to detect an alignment (1st-level spell)
DC 100 to read surface thoughts (2nd-level spell, but that takes 3 rounds and this is instant)
DC 50+CL to replicate Identify (1st-level spell)
DC 40 to replicate See Invisibility (2nd-3rd level)
DC 100 to replicate Spider Climb (2nd-level)

In conclusion, the epic skill check DCs seem completely random. I'd say call it DC 90, laugh as every party ever attempts to get one member with a DC 90 Use Rope check, and call it a day.

[Vknight]

There are more ways to abuse this then I could have ever thought this is truly beautiful.

[VirOath]

It should also be of note that tying a knot is not a hostile action :smallbiggrin:

[nedz]

OK, for the sake of arguement, lets say the DC for replicating Rope Trick is 90.

This would be a non-magical way of creating a tempory non-magical extradimensional place which is outside the multiverse. :smallcool:

Now: what would be the DC for Persisting it ?

In other words: can we create a demi plane with Epic Use Rope ?

Ed:
Actually the duration of Rope Trick is linked to CL, what is the CL ?

[Vknight]

We could have 'Rope Elementals'! Rope cannons rope swords everything is possible with the all mighty rope!

[nedz]

Actually:
Since there are an infinite number of Prime Materials, there exist an infinite number of Rope-Spaces already (even without these shenanigans). Since these Rope-Spaces exist out side of the Multiverse (RAW- PH p 273).

All hail The RopeyVerse !:smallcool:

Ed:sp

[Vknight]

All hail The RopeyVerse !:smallcool:

Ed:sp

Yes all power to the RopeyVerse let its strength and capabilities bask feel its power within you.

[Thurbane]

In 2E, the rope use nonweapon proficiency used to get you a bonus to hit with lassos (and nets maybe?). Perhaps you could houserule 5 ranks in Rope Use gets you a +1 circumstance bonus to hit with these weapons?

[Vknight]

How about 7ranks +2bonus and +1bonuse to damage. Circumstance or stackable untyped.

[ffone]

Actually:
Since there are an infinite number of Prime Materials, there exist an infinite number of Rope-Spaces already (even without these shenanigans). Since these Rope-Spaces exist out side of the Multiverse (RAW- PH p 273).

All hail The RopeyVerse !:smallcool:

Ed:sp

We have String Theory to explain the universe.

It seems DnD has Rope Theory to create them.

[archon_huskie]

Check out the Boys Scout Merit Badge: Pioneering.

The Merit Badge that teaches you how to build a Catapult!

http://www.pioneeringprojects.org/projects/index.htm

[Nigel the Hobo]

Rope! it's like string, but manlier!