Weight to burst rope...

[NavyBlue]

Kinda self explanatory. Silk rope is quoted as requiring a DC 24 Strength check to burst - So what would that equate to as far as a weight hanging from the rope? At what point is it too much, and the rope bursts?

[VGLordR2]

I would compare the break DC to the chart on page 162 of the PHB. There are no real rules that cover the actual maximum weight, so this is probably your best bet.

There is a PDF called Adventurer Essentials: Rope by Iain Fyffe. It says that the maximum load for silk rope is 1,500 pounds. However, I don't know if the PDF is official content or third party. I also don't know if it's OGL, so I can't post a link here.

I hope this helped.

[ShadowPsyker]

If you're looking for an official answer, there isn't one. This is left to the DM to determine and you could use maximum lift capacity versus expected DC's to justify it yourself.
If that answer is not good enough; when making my own RPG I did some research on this and this is what I found.

Hemp rope: 1/2 inch thick (2000 lbs), 1 inch thick (5000 lbs).
Silk rope: 1/4 inch thick (3000 lbs), 1/2 inch thick (6000 lbs).
Note: Silk rope is Much easier to cut and will be more likely to allow swashbuckler style slices against open air to sever it.

[Wonton]

Hm. Well, a DC 24 strength check is something that could be done by a Str 18 character exerting themselves to max capacity. Looking at the carrying capacity rules, a Str 18 character can push or drag 1500 lbs. So that fits with the PDF mentioned above.

[Psyren]

I agree that comparing the Strength check DC to carrying capacity limits is a good way to estimate this.

[NavyBlue]

Then I will do just that. Thank you for the help :smallsmile:

[graeylin]

Keep in mind that the strength you mention is dead weight strength. Drop weight strength is much less, and depends on the weight being dropped, and the distance before the rope "stops" the fall.

the classic standard, a 200 pound weight falling 6 foot will generate roughly 4500 to 5000 pounds of force at the end of that drop, and will snap/burst most rope, even nylon rope, up to 1 inch thick.

So, while the rope can be used to gently lower a man down a cliff, should he fall and be caught, the difference is critical.