How do you rule on escaping bindings?

[Grim Portent]

So ropes can be broken with a DC17 strength check, manacles with a DC20.

Generally speaking, do you allow this test to be repeated if failed, whether by PC or NPC, or is it a one and done type of deal where if you can't break them the first time you can't try again until something changes to improve your chances?


I'm personally looking at them from the perspective of a PC bounty hunter type character, y'know the type who'd rather bring bandits in alive and watch them swing from from the gallows rather than shank them in the forest, but it honestly feels like you'd need to carry an exorbitant amout of ropes and manacles to consistently bring people back alive, let alone the more physically powerful enemies, even with the test to break out being a once off.

Manacles and hemp rope aren't expensive by any means, but the idea that a random shmuck can flex their way out of what are presumably heavy iron manacles 1/20 times is a bit... annoying really.

[Kurt Kurageous]

So ropes can be broken with a DC17 strength check, manacles with a DC20.

Generally speaking, do you allow this test to be repeated if failed, whether by PC or NPC, or is it a one and done type of deal where if you can't break them the first time you can't try again until something changes to improve your chances?


I'm personally looking at them from the perspective of a PC bounty hunter type character, y'know the type who'd rather bring bandits in alive and watch them swing from from the gallows rather than shank them in the forest, but it honestly feels like you'd need to carry an exorbitant amount of ropes and manacles to consistently bring people back alive, let alone the more physically powerful enemies, even with the test to break out being a once off.

Manacles and hemp rope aren't expensive by any means, but the idea that a random shmuck can flex their way out of what are presumably heavy iron manacles 1/20 times is a bit... annoying really.

As the DM, you decide when there a roll, what kind of roll, and how it will be interpreted. As a player, talk to your DM about how they'd rule it.

Me, I'd set the stakes clear and high. Prisoner tries to break out and roll a 20 at disadvantage (1/400), great. The guards then pounce and pummel the prisoner hard. The prisoner managed to break the rope in one place, not all the wraps of the rope at once. A prisoner tries and fails? They get beat unconscious (hp=0) and cant do anything for 1d4 hours while the guards retie them harder (increasing the DC by five).

Manacles? On hand AND feet. You want their feet free? Rope connecting prisoners by neck and man-catchers for control.

[Damon_Tor]

So ropes can be broken with a DC17 strength check, manacles with a DC20.

Generally speaking, do you allow this test to be repeated if failed, whether by PC or NPC, or is it a one and done type of deal where if you can't break them the first time you can't try again until something changes to improve your chances?


I'm personally looking at them from the perspective of a PC bounty hunter type character, y'know the type who'd rather bring bandits in alive and watch them swing from from the gallows rather than shank them in the forest, but it honestly feels like you'd need to carry an exorbitant amout of ropes and manacles to consistently bring people back alive, let alone the more physically powerful enemies, even with the test to break out being a once off.

Manacles and hemp rope aren't expensive by any means, but the idea that a random shmuck can flex their way out of what are presumably heavy iron manacles 1/20 times is a bit... annoying really.

A few points:

1. Tools required: the DM is within his rights to require the creature to have an appropriate tool to perform a given task. With a crowbar a DC 20 strength test to break open a set of manacles is entirely appropriate.

2. Hands bound behind the back makes them exceptionally weak due to muscle group placement. If the hands are bound this way (they should be anyway) disadvantage in strength and dexterity checks is justified.

3. Consequences for failing by 5 or more: a creature that fails a check by 5 or more may face additional consequences. In this case, they are attempting to force open metal manacles with their bare wrists (or force their hands out of said manacles) which means the guy could easily injure himself in the attempt. Broken bones, pain, bloody wrists etc. Over multiple days these can compound into infection then fatigue levels.

[Reach Weapon]

Generally speaking, do you allow this test to be repeated if failed, whether by PC or NPC, or is it a one and done type of deal where if you can't break them the first time you can't try again until something changes to improve your chances?

In both the cases where the PC bounty hunter type character will notice and intervene against attempt, or won't or can't for long enough that the restrained creature would eventually escape, there isn't even a roll. (Assuming the PC bounty hunter type character isn't exceedingly incompetent, resource constrained, or purposefully restraining some creature such that can burst out in a turn or less.)


Only Roll When There is Chance of Success, A Chance of Failure, and A Risk or Cost of Failure (https://theangrygm.com/five-simple-rules-for-dating-my-teenaged-skill-system/)

[rel]

I wouldn't even allow a check unless circumstances were favorable (i.e. left unattended, uncommonly strong, dexterous or skilled, have help from another captive, etc) and would only allow a single check for a group.

I'd further only allow one check unless circumstances had substantially changed (you fashioned a blade from a broken bottle, circumstances have made you desperate, etc).

[da newt]

There are plenty of other ways to incapacitate someone, manacles are just one simple/cheap option. Between spells, potions, etc you can make escape as hard or easy as you'd like for the narrative.

As for things like using massive strength or a crowbar to pop handcuffs - I'd think there would be significant collateral damage maybe that one thumb is useless until magically healed ...

[greenstone]

Generally speaking, do you allow this test to be repeated if failed
This depends on whether or not there is a ticking clock.

If the characters are manacled underwater then yes, I'd allow multiple rolls, but each failed roll is a round spent trying to escape and failing, which is a round closer to drowning.

No ticking clock? "OK, you escape. What do you do now?"

[Witty Username]

I tend to use rolls without a time constraint as how long it takes, rather than success/fail with maybe under 11 a fail outright. For Manacles or ropes, I would have straight roll with retry in combat conditions, probably DC 11 for success/fail with no retry out of combat (or maybe a retry after a short rest) subtract from roll from 17 or 20 to see how many minutes it took to get it done with making the straight roll as immediate breakout.