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How much weight can be supproted by the:
Block and tackle
Chain (10 ft.)
Grappling hook
Ladder, 10-foot
Rope, hemp
Rope, silk
Any thing else?
Could each item have a base wieght it can support and then a break DC for each round it supports too mcuh weight with the break DC lowering based on multiples of the base wieght?
How much weight can be supproted by the:
Block and tackle
Chain (10 ft.)
Grappling hook
Ladder, 10-foot
Rope, hemp
Rope, silk
Any thing else?Could each item have a base wieght it can support and then a break DC for each round it supports too mcuh weight with the break DC lowering based on multiples of the base wieght?
Personally, I think that if the item is actually strong enough to support what it is holding, the break DC wouldn't change, regardless of the amount of weight. Now if it's holding MORE then it can actually support, that's when the links in a chain start stretching and bursting, which WOULD change the break DC.
Now as for how much weight it actually can support, I dunno. I'm gonna go take a look at the break DC's and see if I can find some correlation with STR and carrying capacities (though I would assume that since items don't need to "move" that only the "max lift" weight would matter). I'll get back to you.
Unless you think a rope can support 2,800 (or even 1,400) lbs., then I can't really find a correlation between break DC and the weight an object can support.
As for suspending things from a rope or a chain or similar type of suspending device, the old saying that it's only as strong as the weakest link is a very valid one.
That aside, there are three things that happen when you suspend a massive object by such a contrivance.
1. The suspension is capable of supporting the weight. If so, it can support it practically indefintely (though oxidation, erosion, and heck, even entropy will eventually wear it down, but we're talking months or years or decades, depending on what our suspension device is and how well it's made).
2. The suspension is not capable of supporting the weight. If so, it will pretty much break at the weakest point immediately. Don't let hollywood fool you with those scenes of suspending something for minutes, or seconds, and then it breaks - such things are remarkably rare. Much more common is you tie your rope to your massive object and pull so hard that the rope breaks before the mass is fully off the ground. Same with a cable or chain or whatever.
3. The rare in-between case. This is the case where the weight and the capacity are as close to being equal as possible, or nearly so. This is the rare case where you actually get your mass into the air and then the rope (etc.) breaks seconds or maybe even minutes later. If it takes longer than that, you're really back at case #1, and if it takes less than that, you have case #2.
Now I don't think the rules provide exact weight allowances, so for now, it may well be up to the DM.
Suffice it to say that the block and tackle and pulley system, unless they are poorly made or damaged, will support more weight than their chain/cable/ropes will - although their mounting may not; those bolts might tear out of the overhead joists before the rope breaks. Otherwise, it's yoru flexible suspension medium that breaks before the hardware will.
Further note, if your rope (etc.) is perfectly, flawlessly made with no weaknesses at all, then it will break at the point farthest from the mass you are lifting. This is becuase at that point, it's lifting the mass of the object and also the mass of the majority of the rope (etc.). The closer it gets to the mass being lifted, the less of its own mass it must also lift. Not that this really matters, but it's a fun mental experiment.
In short, either you break your rope (etc.) before you lift the mass or you lift the mass without any problems at all, unless the mass being lifted is pretty much exactly the capacity of the lifting medium, in which case you get the Hollywood suspenseful unraveling of the strands, or spreading of the link, etc., and your rope (etc.) breaks moments after the mass is lifted.
Which is all way more thought than we usually need: If the DM says you can lift it, then you do, otherwise you don't.