1) One of the actions you can perform while grappling is tying your opponent up. Do you need to have the rope in hand in order to do this (thus suffering a penalty on your grapple check for not having both hands free), or is grabbing the rope part of the action?
2) Can you attach manacles to your opponent while in a grapple, or are you limited to using rope?
1) I would say that with greater grapple, you can use your standard action to draw it, and your move action to tie the individual without suffering an additional penalty (you already suffer a -10 to do so). If the creature breaks your pin, then he is grappled. You will be drawing penalties to grapple checks at this point. If you don't have greater grapple, you have to roll to maintain the grapple, and then use your standard action to pull your binding implement, if you are capable. If someone assists you by handing you a rope on your turn, you can then do it on that turn.
2) Anything that can bind that can be applied with one hand (unless you have more than two hands), can be used. It is not inconceivable to have some gnomish-made MW manacles that require only one hand to apply (e.g. handcuffs). Likewise, the sashes on a monks outfit mean you always have some "short rope" as ready supply. Perhaps they should provide a cost for replacing those, and explain exactly how many you get.
I'd probably allow applying manacles instead of ropes, but I wonder if it should use the same rules (e.g. the DC to escape is 20+CMB) or if it should use the normal manacles rules (e.g. DC 30 or 35).
I'd probably allow applying manacles instead of ropes, but I wonder if it should use the same rules (e.g. the DC to escape is 20+CMB) or if it should use the normal manacles rules (e.g. DC 30 or 35).
Normal manacles DC. If you made your CMB, you got them on the target and snapped them shut. Your skill has no role now in escaping, it's down to the person in the manacles and the manacles themselves. You delivered the manacles to the target, now the manacles get to do their job. Otherwise if you're an inept combatant, the manacles will be just as inept as you (but not as inept as whom you've grappled).