Rope trick spell fix

[Ashtagon]

Design notes:

I calculate the load limits for rope based on needing a DC 23 (for hemp rope) Strength check to break it. That requires a +13 modifier when taking 10, which equates to 36 Strength, and then taking the maximum heavy load for that strength value. This seems to match real-world figures well enough for gaming use.

The intent of this fix is to prevent the spell from being used to be a "5-minute working day" breakout spell. As re-written, it fulfils the goal of being a quick hiding spell from patrols, and to allow for creating places to ambush an enemy from.

I changed the valid target of the spell to a rope up to 50 feet long, because that is the standard size sold in the equipment lists.

I left the material component unchanged, although in my games, "cheap" material components are universally replaced with an "arcane focus" (typically a mastercraft wand).

• d20 SRD
• Pathfinder SRD

Opinions?

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• transmutation
• Level: sorcerer/wizard 2
• Casting Time: One standard action
• Components: V, S, M (powdered corn and a twisted loop of parchment)
• Range: touch
• Target: one touched piece of rope from 5 ft to 30 50 ft long
• Duration: 1 hour/level (D) 10 minutes per level (D)
• Saving Throw: none
• Spell Resistance: no

When this spell is cast upon a piece of rope from 5 to 30 50 feet long, one end of the rope rises into the air until the whole rope hangs perpendicular to the ground, as if affixed at the upper end. The upper end is, in fact, fastened to an extradimensional space that is outside the usual multiverse of extradimensional spaces. Creatures in the extradimensional space are hidden, beyond the reach of spells (including divinations), unless those spells work across planes. The space holds as many as eight creatures (of any size). The rope cannot be removed or hidden. The rope can support up to 16,000 pounds. A weight greater than that can pull the rope free. The space holds as many people as can comfortably fly around the rope or hold on to it (assume a Medium humanoid occupies 5 feet of rope height). The last person can choose to gather up the lower end of the rope and draw it up into the space. The rope can support as much weight as it could before the spell was cast (about 3600 lb for hemp rope, or 4000 lb for silk rope).

The extradimensional space consists of a cylinder 5 feet in diameter, centred on the rope, and extending as high as the rope is long. There are no solid boundaries to this space; any attempt to move outside this space (eg. by flying up or sideways) will result in a one-way trip to one of the Astral Plane, the Far Realms, the Positive Energy Plane, or the Negative Energy Plane (equal chance for each). The bottom of the extradimensional space opens to the space where the spell was cast.

Spells cannot be cast across the extradimensional interface, nor can area effects cross it. Those in the extradimensional space can see out of it as if a 3-foot-by-5-foot window were centered on the rope. The window is invisible, and even creatures that can see the window can't see through it. Anything inside the extradimensional space drops out when the spell ends. The rope can be climbed by only one person at a time. The rope trick spell enables climbers to reach a normal place if they do not climb all the way to the extradimensional space.

Note: It is hazardous to create an extradimensional space within an existing extradimensional space or to take an extradimensional space into an existing one.

Material Component: Powdered corn extract and a twisted loop of parchment.

[ddude987]

I don't see what is wrong with rope trick. Its extradimensionsal so just rule the parties bags of holding can't go in and then steal them while the party sleeps and wha-la they won't rope trick ever again. Thumbs up on the fix though.

[Hamste]

Or you could just say rope trick does not count towards the 8 hours rest period (of course clerics are based off the time of day not the hours rest so maybe that is not a solve all)
Also can you specify what happens if you set off the dangerous condition?

[Ashtagon]

@ddude987:
Sure, I can just whap them every time they try to use it to sleep. But that feels rather contrived and metagamey. Not to mention there will eventually be situations in which the enemy won't have the brains or the means to check up on a rope trick hidey-hole. Doing this in such a situation will feel super-contrived, and not doing so means five-minute workdays.

@Hamste
As you noted, that still wouldn't solve the cleric problem.

The "dangerous situation" is seen in editions from 2e through to 3.5e. Older editions would have all contents ejected into the Astral Plane, optionally with a big explosion unlikely to be survived by anyone low-mid level. I'd rather have any attempt to insert one extra-dimensional space into another result in the rope trick being dispelled, with the contents falling out to where the spell was cast, taking whatever falling damage would be appropriate for their height above ground.

[nonsi]

I'd make it a variation of Floating Disk enveloped in an invisibility cylinder.
Then I'd worry about duration and sleep.
It's a 2nd level spell after all.

[jedipotter]

Your fix is fine. Close to my own fix. Except I reworded the extradimensional space to say more ''most spells and effects can not cross the extradimensional interface but some can.''

Mostly to block the rules lawyers who try and say ''Seez it says spells can cross. All spells''. But I think that if a wizard made a spell ''extradimensional arrow'' that it could/would work, not to mention the transdeminisional spell feat, a couple of spells and effects.

[erikun]

This sounds a lot like an immobile Invisibility Sphere, except for 10 min/level and that can't be detected by Listen/Spot/Invisibility Purge and similar options. I suppose it's an interesting spell, although I never really considered Rope Trick to be a "setup an ambush" spell - especially true as only one creature can enter/leave it at once.