Spider Hook

[Kevin Carter]

Spider Hook

This eight-pronged grappling hook has an hourglass-shaped rune along its haft. Touching the rune causes the hook to shudder and transform into a shadowy spider that obeys the commands of whoever touched the rune. While animated, the spider hook can spider climb with a speed of 30 and it can leap up to 20 feet as a standard action. It cannot attack or otherwise influence its environment, but it will scamper soundlessly anywhere its master points.

The spider hook reverts to a normal grappling hook when its master makes the gesture of a closed fist, or after three rounds have passed, whichever comes first. As the spider hook reverts to a normal grappling hook, a length of silk rope (max 500 feet long) materializes between the hook and the hook’s master. This thread is secured to the spider hook and persists until the hourglass rune is touched again, at which point the silk unravels into nothingness. Pressing the rune a third time reanimates the spider hook. Thus, the spider hook cannot be reanimated until its previous silk rope has been dismissed.

Faint conjuration and transmutation; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, spider climb, web; Price 5,000 gp.

[Wolfgang Baur]

This is not bad. It's optimized equipment, but it works in a way that's evocative (possibly too detailed), and helps PCs with climbing challenges at low levels.

I sort of like this, but I'm not convinced it's going to make Top 32.

[Clark Peterson]

Oh, so close.

I dont like the materializing rope. I'd like it better if the spider pooped (ok, spun) out some silk rope while it climed around until turned back into a grappling hook. For some reason, that killed this for me.

It is a cool item otherwise because it deals with a good issue adventurers face--getting over things. And it provides a fun, fantasy item to deal with it instead of just making a "magic grappling hook". The spider gimmic is really creative and fun and is great fantasy. Drow clearly would make items like this.

But I cant get past the materializing rope.

Ugh, now that push comes to shove I dont want to reject this. I like its concept too much. If only that rope didnt materialize.

Anmd the name is so good and simple--spider hook. Great.

Keep, but with some gnashinig of teeth.

[Clark Peterson]

Kept.

I came around on this one and got past my above criticisms. While I think spinning the rope would have been better, I cant ding it for how it is. I think this thing is fun and cool.

[Sean K Reynolds]

I'm not terribly excited by this ... there's not much this can do that a padded or silenced grappling hook can't do. And I agree with Clark that it would have been cooler if the spider spun the rope as a webline. :) But I'm glad you can't use it to create unlimited amounts of silk rope.

[Jason Nelson]

Congratulations on making it to RPG Superstar 2009!

I actually like this item better than our Superjudges do. I think it is a really fun item with good flavor, and the materializing rope thing is no big deal to me. I think it would have been BETTER if it trailed the rope along behind it rather than just materializing it along its Family Circus-style crawling/hopping path, but I think it's ultimately fine as it is.

I have dinged a lot of people on cost, but I think this is actually just about right. It is more versatile, faster, and much longer (10 times!) than a rope of climbing (which is 3000) and has the advantage of being able to climb around corners and through narrow spaces where it would be hard to throw a grapple, but at the end of the day it's still a rope/climbing device, it can't knot itself for easy climbing, and you still have to actually climb the rope. In a game where flying, levitation, and the like are not that hard to obtain, there is a definite upper limit on how expensive a climbing item can realistically be without people skipping it entirely and just buying potions of fly.

My only real knock is that it is unclear if the "shadowy spider" is a solid thing (which would need AC and hit points as a tiny construct) or just a sort of magical flavor-effect. If the latter, what happens if a dispel magic is cast on the spider (does it revert to hook form)? On any part of the rope (does it part the rope at that point or dispel the whole thing)? Is the silk rope it creates normal silk rope (for AC, hit points, break DC) or is it magically enhanced? Also, can you give the spider instructions (find a passageway like such and so, and trail the rope behind us) or do you have to have line of sight to it to point the way?

BTW, an interesting side use of the item, should you encounter a maze, would be to use it to retrace your steps. You don't actually have to leave a physical rope behind, because as written the spider "remembers" the path you took; just activate the spider and have it walk along with you, and as soon as you activate the rope it appears along the path that you and the spider took.

Summary: I like this one quite a bit. It is fun and flavorful and costed about right. I'd like to know a little bit more about the spider or countermeasures one could use against the item but in general I think it's pretty good.

[Clinton Boomer]

Uh ... actually, Jason, it wouldn't be of much use in a maze: the rope materializes "between the hook and the hook's master". You could order the Spider Hook to follow you, and then three rounds later it would turn into a grappling hook on a leash. There's no mention that the rope manifests along the Spider Hook's path.

But I do really, REALLY like the name. Spider hook, spider hook ... radioactive spider hook ...

Yeah, I like this item. I, much like the judges, also do NOT dig on the materializing rope. What if it goes around a corner? If the rope can follow the curve of a corner, can it also manifest already tied into knots?

Perhaps the rope materializes in a straight line ... after all, the master of the Hook has to be able to point at what the Spider Hook goes to. If there's no line of sight, the Spider Hook can't get any more instructions, and the rope wouldn't be able to manifest in the master's hand.

If the (presumably incorporeal & non-damageable) spider was spinning out the rope as it ran, this wouldn't be as much of a concern. Although, I suppose that having the spider spin out web behind itself would add further questions about what it could and couldn't do.

Ack. That's the problem with magic, I suppose - it's a codification of physical impossiblity, all to make a fantasy more realistic.

A neat & flavorful item, and I look forward to seeing your subsequent work in the next rounds of Superstar!

[Rob McCreary]

Yeah, it's a rope of climbing on steroids, but with cool flavor. But 500 feet of rope?! Who needs that much rope? That's 10 times normal adventuring rope! I agree that the spider should spin the rope behind it. Did you actually design it with web-spinning in mind (as the other judges mentioned), but ran out of word count? I see you're right at the limit. Web-spinning would definitely add the finishing touch to this, and as Jason said, we need something to define the spider - stats in MM, incorporeal, what? Lose some of the evocative description (hourglass-shaped rune, the hook shudders, etc.) and add in those crucial details.

But a nice item, simple but evocative name, and useful. I could definitely see drow or other creepy underground beasties using this. Congratulations on joining the ranks of RPG Superstar!

[Jason Nelson]

Clinton Boomer wrote:

Uh ... actually, Jason, it wouldn't be of much use in a maze: the rope materializes "between the hook and the hook's master". You could order the Spider Hook to follow you, and then three rounds later it would turn into a grappling hook on a leash. There's no mention that the rope manifests along the Spider Hook's path.

Poo! Curse my misinterpretation! Some guest judge I am!

Well, it seemed like a neat way to use it...

Clinton Boomer wrote:

But I do really, REALLY like the name. Spider hook, spider hook ... radioactive spider hook ...

... does whatever a spider hook does... Which apparently I don't know... :)

[Christine Schneider]

Very evocative. I instantly imagined the line as “magically” spun somehow, so I didn’t miss that particular nonexistent detail. There is something to be said for clean utility items and this is one.

Positive:
You convey the flavour of an item really well. The Spider Hook isn’t something that I’d usually enjoy, but your descriptions were detailed and full of cute ideas.

Negative:
Maybe the hook ends up at being too simple over all. It doesn’t have that many uses outside of combat and nearly none within.

After reviewing all other items:
I find that many entries did fall for strange mechanics. The other judges might have discovered a few things here and there, but overall, I deem this item to be well crafted and worthy of the RPG Superstar 09!

[Chris Mortika]

I like the details here: the hourglass shape, the silk rope. I like the fact that you didn't try to overburden this thing with other spider-motif stuff: it doesn't bite anybody, or entangle anything.

I'd be happy to put something like this in my campaign.

[Mike Welham]

This really "hooked" me. It has a great visual, and every party can use an movable grappling hook.

Congratulations!

[Russ Taylor]

It's a rope of climbing that isn't boring. I like it. The best magic items make you want to use them.

[Sue Flaherty]

My one concern is that the rope goes poof when the hourglass is touched ... nothing says that it has to be the same person that activated in the first place. I see evil little Kobolds just waiting for the right moment and listening to the screams all the way down the chasm :)

I agree that a thin spider web trail from start to finish, that then *poomfs* up into a full silk rope would add to the coolness factor.

((And would you folks PLEASE stop putting song cues in my head! LOL! First the dwarves, now Spiderman!? Sheesh!))

[Jason Rice]

Spider Hook

This eight-pronged grappling hook has an hourglass-shaped rune along its haft.

I like this item a lot. I especially like the "Black Widow" hourglass bit.

K. B. Carter wrote:

While animated, the spider hook can spider climb with a speed of 30 and it can leap up to 20 feet as a standard action.

Assuming the hook can "run" at x4 it's base movement, it can only travel 360 feet in the 3 rounds it's active. I'm not sure why there is 500 feet of rope.

Also, I agree that it would have been better to have the hook spin the rope, but I still love this item. Nice job.

[Xaaon of Xen'Drik]

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

I'm not terribly excited by this ... there's not much this can do that a padded or silenced grappling hook can't do. And I agree with Clark that it would have been cooler if the spider spun the rope as a webline. :) But I'm glad you can't use it to create unlimited amounts of silk rope.

This would actually be better as a construct that does spin the silk rope. Once it's dropped it's load it has to reel it back in, or it's effectively broken. Activating the hourglass reels the rope back in...would make it nice to pull up your pack you had to leave behind to make the climb easier.

Great Item tho. YOINK!

[RedShirtNo5]

Yet another vote that having the hook spin the rope would have been better, but I still like this. I wonder if that was the original intent, but the description exceeded the word limit

Jason Rice wrote:

Assuming the hook can "run" at x4 it's base movement, it can only travel 360 feet in the 3 rounds it's active. I'm not sure why there is 500 feet of rope.

As long as you can see the bottom, I think you could command the shadowy spider to leap into a pit, off a cliff, etc.

[Chris_Johnston]

Jason Rice wrote:

Assuming the hook can "run" at x4 it's base movement, it can only travel 360 feet in the 3 rounds it's active. I'm not sure why there is 500 feet of rope.

I puzzled about this too, but then realized that the hook's master could be moving at the same time – in the opposite direction.

My only question is what happens if the spider's MORE than 500ft? You put a limit, but don't give the consequence. Does the rope just not appear? Does part of it appear? Starting from which end?

But really, this is a great idea. I love the image. Congratulations!

[R D Ramsey]

Good concept for a basic utility item. I'd want one, and it's well-flavored. Not mega-mojo, but seems quite natural. I'd put it at tier 2.

[Kevin Carter]

Thanks to all for the great feedback. Glad I was able to sneak into the top 32!

[Erik Anderson]

Now this is how to conceptualize a utility item. Genius.

Your idea is so good that I'm willing to overlook some of the clunkiness in your writing.

The price is a little high, making this item suitable only for heroes of the spellpunk genre, but if there are wizards out there crafting items for the sole use of troubleshooting adventurers, then this item should definitely be on their shelves.

[Vladislav Rashkovski]

Spider Hook is a good name, immediately evocative. I almost guessed what it would do outright, and that's a good thing! Sometimes a name can cause blank stares and/or irritation.

I also see this item as a lifesaver in a series of Underdark adventures, and it perfectly fits with the theme, too. It's way more likeable and imaginative than a rope of climbing. Definitely Superstar design!

[Mark Moreland]

I actually like the fact that the rope (de)materializes. I read it as making a straight line as best it can to the user's hand, making it good for climbing, tightrope walking, whatever, but not for waving an intricate web, which it could do if it was constantly spewing silk from it's bumhole. You can get from point A to point B, but not make a zig-zag of rope. Simple, useful, and cheap enough that a low-level party lacking good climbers could easily pool their money to get one to help them scale the castle walls!

[Jacob Manley]

Great imagery (and name) though as has been mentioned I'd prefer a physical spider and spinning the rope as it goes... the rules for how the hook works outside line of sight could use some revision though, as it's unclear whether or not the rope can appear bending around corners or what happens if you can't see it anymore. A quick note on what happens if the animate hook (or rope) gets dispelled would be nice, though I suspect the word limit was holding you back on this. Still, I'm a big big fan of concept, and much improved from the boring ol' rope of climbing.

[Charles Evans 25]

Oooh, I concur that this is a magic item which makes you want your PC to use it.

[Eric Morton]

Nice imagery. And unlike a few previous posters, I wasn't put off by a lack of combat stats for the spider. Since nothing was said to the contrary, I just assumed that the animated spider could be attacked and destroyed as though it were an unattended grappling hook. Since, you know, that's what it is.

[Neil Spicer]

I have to say this was one of my favorite items. Love the visual of the spider crawling to the right spot and then freezing/hardening into a grapple hook. Very creative idea. Cool execution. And not over the top on too many spidery functions. You get extra points for that, too, because it avoids the swiss-army knife stereotype. Well done! And congratulations on making the Top 32.

My two-cents,
--Neil

[Craig Johnston]

This is a nice tightly focused item that (as Neil said) avoids the Swiss Army Knife mould others would be inclined to pour it into.

I'm afraid I'm another vote for the "spin the rope as it goes" idea though, sorry.

Congrats! :)

[allen trussell]

Very nice item. The only issue I have is with the time the hook remains in spider form. 3 rounds is hardly enough time to climb very far. Still, pretty awesome otherwise. Congrats!

[rootbeergnome]

I like this idea, its creepy and magical. I also agree the grappling hook should poop the web, maybe after the hook is lodged somewhere. He could shoot it at the user, so that he can easily grab it. That would at least make it ideal for difficult climbing.

Not sure its worth the price though, a decent rogue with a padded grappling hook could do all this, but flavor wise its sweet.

congrats on top 32!

[Paul Worthen]

Nice imagery, and a really useful item for a low level character. I have two minor issues that I'd like to see addressed in this item. One, I think 3 rounds at 30 feet a round is not enough movement (especially since you can get 500 feet of rope.) Two, why does this thing move around silently? I think it would be cooler if it had a normal move silently check.

[Straybow]

I agree that the materializing rope is out of synch with the rest. It should lay the silk as it moves, or lower the silk line after anchoring itself. Or some combination, starting to lay after navigating some obstacle. It could flick the strand to swing the loose end out towards the master by 1/4th of the length of drop.

[Steven Helt]

Writing could be cleaner, and the formatting was way off. However, it's an evocative item. It seems the 500 foot maximum is kind of a random number. With a maximum speed of 360 feet in three rounds, why not set the limit there?

Not sure how it would affect the price yet, but I think shadow conjuration would have been a better spell to base the requirements from.

Congratulations. Looking forward to your villain.

[Chad Bartlett]

I like the idea of using the spider hook to set a trip wire.

You could spring it at the last possible second. :)

[Joel Flank]

This is a solid item that I can completely see uses for in a game. However, I'm not sure it's superstar quality, as it basically is just an improvement on a climbing item like the rope. It becomes really cost effective however for a larger group. The formatting also hurts - if this were a voting round, I think that would hurt you a lot.

As for the 500' of rope, while it implies that the rope is just long enough to reach from the hook to the user, it actually just says that it is created and is up to 500'. Can the activator mentally request the maximum rope even if he's closer than 500'? That would allow you to set the hook at the top of a cliff, then drop the entire 500' of rope down.

Also, what happens to the rope if it's cut? Does it remain until the hook is touched again? This could allow the rope to be created, cut up and used for other purposes, and stick around as long as you don't activate the hook again. This could allow you to build a rope bridge, cross it, and when your enemies follow you, touch the hook and wave to your foes as they plumet down the chasm.

[Matthew Stinson]

I see this as a clockwork item. It make's it more real in my head that way. Creepy too. I wound name mine and train it on how to grab door handles so I could answer the door with out getting up.

[Carl Flaherty]

I am Shocked!
Just shocked that no one has done the song cue . . .

Spider Hook, Spider Hook,
Not in any magic book!
Spins a rope, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Spider Hook.

Is it strong?
Listen bud,
Its got radioactive cord.
Can it spin a long thread
Take a look overhead
Hey, there
There goes the Spider Hook.

In the chill of night
At the scene of a crime
Like a streak of light
It arrives just in time.

Spider Hook, Spider Hook
Friendly neighborhood Spider Hook
Gold and Gems
It ignored
Magic is its reward.

To it, life is a great big bang up
Whenever there's a hang up
You'll find the Spider Hook.

[Neil Spicer]

Somebody call a paramedic for Carl...he's apparently fallen into delirium while waiting for feedback on his villain. ;-)

--Neil

[Tom Cattery]

I hate to be the voice of negativity here, and I'd have to check my sourcebooks when I got home, but the book, Forged In Magic from Paradigm Studios for their Arcanis setting had an item with this same exact name and similar function (although different execution). I really hope this doesn't cause any problems, but I'd rather get this out now than later.

[Kevin Carter]

Tom Cattery wrote:

I hate to be the voice of negativity here, and I'd have to check my sourcebooks when I got home, but the book, Forged In Magic from Paradigm Studios for their Arcanis setting had an item with this same exact name and similar function (although different execution). I really hope this doesn't cause any problems, but I'd rather get this out now than later.

Thanks for posting this. For what it’s worth, I’ve never read (or even heard of) Forged in Magic before googling it just now.

I’ll defer to the judges for comment on this one with my assurances that this is a case of convergent evoultion in creative thinking.

[Tom Cattery]

K. B. Carter wrote:

Tom Cattery wrote:

I hate to be the voice of negativity here, and I'd have to check my sourcebooks when I got home, but the book, Forged In Magic from Paradigm Studios for their Arcanis setting had an item with this same exact name and similar function (although different execution). I really hope this doesn't cause any problems, but I'd rather get this out now than later.

Thanks for posting this. For what it’s worth, I’ve never read (or even heard of) Forged in Magic before googling it just now.

I’ll defer to the judges for comment on this one with my assurances that this is a case of convergent evoultion in creative thinking.

Like I said, I really hope this doesn't cause any problems and wish you luck with the competition!

[Sean K Reynolds]

FYI we are investigating the item in question.

[Sean K Reynolds]

The judges, Vic, and Lisa have taken a look at Kevin Carter's RPG Superstar wondrous item version of the spider hook and the version that appears in Forged in Magic. We believe this is a case of parallel development, that contestant Kevin Carter was not aware of the magic item from Forged in Magic, and that he came up with the design for his item on his own. Thus, he did not violate the rules of the RPG Superstar contest, and is not disqualified.

[Sue Flaherty]

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

The judges, Vic, and Lisa have taken a look at Kevin Carter's RPG Superstar wondrous item version of the spider hook and the version that appears in Forged in Magic. We believe this is a case of parallel development, that contestant Kevin Carter was not aware of the magic item from Forged in Magic, and that he came up with the design for his item on his own. Thus, he did not violate the rules of the RPG Superstar contest, and is not disqualified.

YAY! Poor Kevin can start breathing again :)

[Kevin Carter]

Gamer Girrl wrote:

YAY! Poor Kevin can start breathing again :)

Phew! :)

[Majuba]

While I've liked lots of the items this year, some more than this one, this is the only one that I've instantly gone "Oh I am *so* using that next game." And one of my players will go gonzo for it as well.

[Tom Cattery]

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

The judges, Vic, and Lisa have taken a look at Kevin Carter's RPG Superstar wondrous item version of the spider hook and the version that appears in Forged in Magic. We believe this is a case of parallel development, that contestant Kevin Carter was not aware of the magic item from Forged in Magic, and that he came up with the design for his item on his own. Thus, he did not violate the rules of the RPG Superstar contest, and is not disqualified.

A little late in replying, but I'm happy to hear this and glad to see it didn't keep you from the top 4. Good job!