Patrick Ransom's page

I came here looking for an answer to the same question. It looks to me like it's a design oversight, too.

I guess I'll go with your musket master archetype suggestion, good idea. Not that my players are going to question why she gets so many shots, but I'll feel better about it.

Same here. I cannot download the single file version. Most of the time, the link does nothing. Sometimes it says personalizing, but the link still does nothing after that.

The escape artist skill description on page 62 says:

"Ropes: The DC of your Escape Artist check is equal to the binder’s combat maneuver bonus +10."

However, the grapple discussion on page 151 says:

"If you have your target pinned or otherwise restrained, or unconscious, you can use rope to tie them up. This works like a pin effect, but with a + 5 circumstance bonus to determine the DC to escape the bonds (making the DC equal to 20 + your CMB). The ropes do not need to make a check every round to maintain the pin. If you are grappling the target, you can attempt to tie him up in ropes, but doing so requires a combat maneuver check at a –10 penalty."

Which is correct? 10+CMB or 20+CMB?

Can you make a CMB grapple check to escape from ropes, in place of an escape artist check (the words "like a pin effect" on page 151 imply that you can)?

I very much like the suggestion of folding use rope into sleight of hand. The current rule that escape artist DC is 10+the rope tier's CMB seems unsatisfactory. Should a fighter really be better than a rogue at tying knots? Should just about anyone be able to escape from being tied up by a 1st level character? No matter how much time and effort the tier puts into securing the knots?

Having it be 15 + CMB does indeed favor the defender. I do not feel that performing a Combat Manuever against a foe should be a 50% chance as this would make it a frequently better option that just attacking. While this does not matter much for Bull Rush, Grapple can be a severe hindrance.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer

I'd like to continue this one.

If grapple is the real reason for making it 15 instead of 10, haven't you already "fixed" grapple (for the better, I might add) with the different levels of held/grabbed/grappled/pinned? Achieving the equivalent of a 3.5 grapple has been raised by +10.

Another argument in favor of 10, as opposed to 15, is that people who like opposed rolls retain the option of using them without changing the balance of the game.

Finally, I note that the Escape Artist DC for breaking a grapple remains 10+CMB.