Manacle rules

[Yogibear41]

So the PHB doesn't really give alot of info on Manacles. What are the rules for trying to put manacles on someone in combat? What happens once the creature actually has the manacles put on it? Can it still use those hands? is it at a penalty? what is the penalty if there is one? etc. etc.


The Justiciar prestige class has a hog tie ability that lets you put manacles on someone who is already pinned, but that honestly seems like something you should be able to do anyway...... without being an 11th level character....

[The Viscount]

It requires some cross referencing and the entries aren't linked to each other, but the following makes sense to me at least.

From manacles, in goods and services

Manacles can bind a Medium creature. A manacled creature can use the Escape Artist skill to slip free (DC 30, or DC 35 for masterwork manacles). Breaking the manacles requires a Strength check (DC 26, or DC 28 for masterwork manacles). Manacles have hardness 10 and 10 hit points.

I think it clear that when you bind a character they become bound, but just to establish the link, from Use Rope

When you bind another character with a rope, any Escape Artist check that the bound character makes is opposed by your Use Rope check.

What does it mean to be bound? For that we turn to the helpless condition.

A helpless character is paralyzed, held, bound, sleeping, unconscious, or otherwise completely at an opponent’s mercy.

As for the action for binding a character, we turn to Use Rope again.

Binding a character takes 1 minute.


It does seem odd that you can't use it on a creature you're grappling, even if you've pinned them, but I suppose your hands are busy keeping your target pinned normally.

[RSGA]

Also, unless you're talking fancier (or just more modern) ones, manacles are things that you have to hold close and then bolt shut with an external locking bolt. So each one would take two free hands to close properly which may be in short supply in a grapple.

[Thurbane]

As noted, the Juticiar PrC has some special rules around "hog tying" an opponent on a pin, including with manacles.

I think the default assumption is that anyone else can only use them on an opponent who is already helpless (or willing to be manacled).

[Yogibear41]

Also, unless you're talking fancier (or just more modern) ones, manacles are things that you have to hold close and then bolt shut with an external locking bolt. So each one would take two free hands to close properly which may be in short supply in a grapple.

This actually makes things make more sense to me, on why they are the way they are thanks, I forgot about such things.