Tripvine: how in the all nine hells does it work?

[Covert Operator]

I have absolutely no idea how this spell works, nor how it was intended to work
At first it seems to make a lot of sense, until you re-read it a few times. I know that "the rope attacks anything in [the area]," but I don't know how often it attacks, how many creatures it initially attacks, and whether it takes opportunity attacks.

My interpretation is that it threatens its area and makes one attack per round on the caster's turn, but I can't be sure. What do you guys think?

Tripvine wrote:

Range touch

Target 10-foot-long rope or vine
Duration 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance no

You animate a rope, vine, or similar object so that it attempts to trip any creature that comes near. The rope attacks anything in a 10-foot-square area you designate.

The rope does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Its CMB is equal to your caster level +2. A tripped target that was running, jumping, or charging takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. Creatures aware of the tripvine gain a +4 bonus to their CMD against it.

[DungeonmasterCal]

What publication does this spell come from? I'm not familiar with it at all.

I don't know how the writer of the spell intended it to work, but I'd let it go on the caster's turn, just to help with the bookkeeping during combat. Just my two cents.

[Covert Operator]

Looks like "Faction Guide pg 62" (the quote has a link above it)

[DungeonmasterCal]

Ah. I didn't notice the linkification. Still, I think I'd let it go on the caster's turn if combat was going on. But since combat never lasts 10 minutes (and rarely 10 rounds) I'd say it continues to trip anything that comes in range even after the caster has left the area.

[Covert Operator]

I still don't know if it attacks every creature or one, and how often it gets attacks

[Splendor]

Quote:

it attempts to trip any creature that comes near.

That means it attempts to trip any creature who enters the area. Not just one.

I would compare it to grease.
-Both spells are 1st level, both affect a 10' area.
-Grease affects everyone who comes in the 10' area, people who slow down and make a acrobatics checks don't have to make a save.
-Tripvine affects everyone who comes in the 10' areas, people who are paying attention increase their CMD by 4.
-Both can affect yourself and your allies.
-Tripvine is touch and Grease is close.

Comparing average "Saves & DCs" vs "CMBs & CMDs" the chance of affecting people should be about the same.
Tripvine is more effective against non-fighters, while Grease is more effective against non-rogues.
Since most enemies have better CMDs than they do reflex saves, I would think that Grease would be the better spell. Plus grease costs double movement to safely get through, while tripvine has no movement penalty.

[Diego Rossi]

To add to what Splendor said:
it attempts to trip any creature that comes near.
So I would rule that it try to trip only people moving and once foe each triggering event, so once for each move action or 5' step.

I agree that the text is a bit vague but I doubt it will ever be errated to a better form. That rarely happens for non hardbound.

[Dysfunction]

did you notice this spell offers a save?

does that mean that the opponent gets a reflex save first, and then if they fail it, there's a trip check?

[Saethori]

Except the target is the rope... does the rope make the save?

There's no obvious sign how this is supposed to work. My best guess is, as Diego says, that the rope tries to trip automatically for anybody who moves into or through its guarded area.

[Dysfunction]

Saethori wrote:

Except the target is the rope... does the rope make the save?

There's no obvious sign how this is supposed to work. My best guess is, as Diego says, that the rope tries to trip automatically for anybody who moves into or through its guarded area.

oh, good call!

since the target is the rope, it would get the save, and since its an un-attended object it fails