The rigged rope bridge trap at Thistletop was triggered by my players' party on their retreat from the island. Some of them managed to grab the remaining ropes, and so were left hanging on to the remnants of the bridge.
When trying to figure out what the bridge looked like, I ended up taking my cue from both the cover art of the Inner Sea Primer and the picture on page 39 of the original AP 1 (although I'm running the Anniversary Edition version). Therefore I described it as having wooden planks with rope "handles" on both sides, with connecting ropes between the handles and the plank "floor". So when the trap triggered, there would be a horizontal line of rope (the original handles on one side) anchored to both sides and attached to the dangling plank floor below it, and then a lower, attached but unanchored line of rope (the original handles on the other side).
What kind of checks should be required for those characters to move horizontally to one end of the bridge? Acrobatics? Climb? And what DCs?
I'm considering a Climb DC 15 check to get into position to move horizontally later ("pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands"). And then a Climb DC 10 check to move horizontally ("a ship's rigging"). Possibly with a +2 modifier to the two DCs ("slightly unsteady", taken from the Acrobatics modifiers) because the bridge's remnants are dangling in the wind.
Thoughts?
The climb check at the beginning sounds reasonable. For the horizontal movement I'd use Acrobatics (DC 20: "ou can use Acrobatics to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground without falling" + "Less than 2 inches wide"), have them make a Reflex save if they fail the Acrobatics check to keep holding onto the upper horizontal rope or so, failure meaning they not only couldn't cover any distance but also fall down into the water.
Further movement would need assistance by a PC already standing on firm ground and throwing them a rope.
Ruyan.
You know... In my game I removed the bridge trap. If the bridge break cuz too much adventurers are stepping on it, how the hell are the occupants of Thistletop going to go back on the other side and rebuild the bridge??! I can be done but throught a lot of hassle going by the exits on the floors below. Wasn't very logical! So instead I made it a wet slippery wind-cradled uneven rope bridge hazard (Accrobatic DC:13 running, DC: 8 walking, no check if really careful).
One of the player got frightened by one of the Yeth Hound's howl later, he ran upstairs, ran out of the compound, ran on that bridge, failed his check and slipped. He died crashing on the waves below for 4d6 damage (water, half damage). That made the bridge trap satisfactory for me.
The climb check at the beginning sounds reasonable. For the horizontal movement I'd use Acrobatics (DC 20: "ou can use Acrobatics to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground without falling" + "Less than 2 inches wide"), have them make a Reflex save if they fail the Acrobatics check to keep holding onto the upper horizontal rope or so, failure meaning they not only couldn't cover any distance but also fall down into the water.
Further movement would need assistance by a PC already standing on firm ground and throwing them a rope.Ruyan.
Thanks for the advice! :)
You know... In my game I removed the bridge trap. If the bridge break cuz too much adventurers are stepping on it, how the hell are the occupants of Thistletop going to go back on the other side and rebuild the bridge??! I can be done but throught a lot of hassle going by the exits on the floors below. Wasn't very logical! So instead I made it a wet slippery wind-cradled uneven rope bridge hazard (Accrobatic DC:13 running, DC: 8 walking, no check if really careful).
One of the player got frightened by one of the Yeth Hound's howl later, he ran upstairs, ran out of the compound, ran on that bridge, failed his check and slipped. He died crashing on the waves below for 4d6 damage (water, half damage). That made the bridge trap satisfactory for me.
Good to hear that even in that form, it was a deadly thing! :)
On a side note, in the text it's not one end of the bridge that falls down, it's one side. The result is that victims of the trap fall off side-ways (not forward/backward), and the bridge is easier to recreate. The goblins had originally set up the bridge so that all of it would fall down, but after the hassle of putting it back together after it was triggered the first time, they figured out that the sideways drop was a better idea.
On a side note, in the text it's not one end of the bridge that falls down, it's one side.
You wouldn't believe how long it took me to understand this--on hindsight--all so clear fact.
Ruyan.
My interpretation would be that making the Reflex save leaves the character clinging to the main support rope on the eastern side. At that point it would be a climb check to move either to the island or mainland and the DC would be 10 given it seems to me to be almost exactly like a ship's rigging (as Bellona pointed out.)
A penalty for swaying or wind or poor goblin craftsmanship is okay but I'd advise caution. The pc's have already had to make a Reflex to not fall and a DC 10 climb check is going to be no snap for anyone in armor. Keep in mind failing by 5 or more means they fall. Stepping it up to DC12 only makes it harder. Given they probably have to make two checks to get to solid ground (based on climb speed) you may put multiple pc's in the ocean. We're talking about making 3 d20 rolls to avoid damage. And 4d6 is no laughing matter for 3rd level characters (assumption for level at this point in the AP.) Heaven forbid they've taken any damage before getting to the bridge.
Thank you, everyone, for all your advice! It will be put into effect this afternoon - if the party dares to go over the dangling bridge.
(There was talk of scaling the cliffs from the sea next time. I don't think that they've thought it all the way through yet ...)
You know... In my game I removed the bridge trap. If the bridge break cuz too much adventurers are stepping on it, how the hell are the occupants of Thistletop going to go back on the other side and rebuild the bridge??! I can be done but throught a lot of hassle going by the exits on the floors below. Wasn't very logical!
Kinda makes you wonder how they got an unconscious warhorse across it, eh?
You know... In my game I removed the bridge trap. If the bridge break cuz too much adventurers are stepping on it, how the hell are the occupants of Thistletop going to go back on the other side and rebuild the bridge??! I can be done but throught a lot of hassle going by the exits on the floors below. Wasn't very logical!Kinda makes you wonder how they got an unconscious warhorse across it, eh?
A series of knotted ropes at the base of the northern posts allow one to tie off the trap so that it can support many
times the weight. (The goblins rigged the bridge this way recently when they hauled their unconscious horse hostage Shadowmist over the bridge.)
Ruyan.