Escape artist and ropes

[Patrick Ransom]

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)?

[cliff]

Rope Use should be added back into the Skill list and be the way to set Escape Artist DC just like a Grapple check. Roll the skill, with the result being the DC. Different types of binders add or subtract to modify the DC.

No need for targets to achieve certain kinds of knots; that was always dumb. But the loss of Rope Use as a skill just boggles me, and it leads to unnecessary errors like this one. I spotted it too, but ignored it because my group still uses Rope Use as I describe.

Doing it this way also makes any bindings a static DC, sort of like making a lock on the spot, that bound characters must use Escape to defeat. Easy peasy.

[Scribbler]

Here are some other issues with the use rope skill:

link