I'm not a new GM, but I *am* new to this item. It was first used on a witch (level 4) mini-boss during the game I ran and it pretty much doomed the guy for the princely sum of 25gp (alchemist can make it on the cheap).
All you have to do is hit touch AC (extremely easy) and they get entangled with no save. If they are a caster and then miss the save they are completely boned.
I honestly can't decide if this item is too good or not. Just looking for input from other GM's that have run into this.
They do get entangled yes, and it is a good item but it does have some limitations. It can really screw up a caster but so could anything at that level.
An entangled creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity and must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be glued to the floor, unable to move. Even on a successful save, it can move only at half speed. Huge or larger creatures are unaffected by a tanglefoot bag. A flying creature is not stuck to the floor, but it must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be unable to fly (assuming it uses its wings to fly) and fall to the ground. A tanglefoot bag does not function underwater.
A creature that is glued to the floor (or unable to fly) can break free by making a DC 17 Strength check or by dealing 15 points of damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature assisting, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once free, the creature can move (including flying) at half speed. If the entangled creature attempts to cast a spell, it must make a concentration check with a DC of 15 + the spell's level or be unable to cast the spell. The goo becomes brittle and fragile after 2d4 rounds, cracking apart and losing its effectiveness. An application of universal solvent to a stuck creature dissolves the alchemical goo immediately.
It's not too good. Nor would I say it is too cheap. A lot of alchemical items are totally useless because at low levels they are too expensive and at high levels they don't matter anymore.
The tanglefoot bag is one of few that are worth using at all.
All those that can be used as power components are useful now and then. And the cheap splash weapons are good vs swarms at low levels. But apart from that...
Take away the tanglefoot bag and you can as well remove craft alchemy for non poison users.
This is why you don't use single enemeies against a party. Bad encounter design is to blame here. You would have been better using two 2rd level NPCs rather than one 4th level, both are CR 3 encounters but the the 2nd level characters have a greater chance of inflicting some damage than a single character does. Especially a low level spell caster alone.
Okay. I figured this would be the prevailing opinion on the matter. You've convinced me that it's not too good. Thanks guys.
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In a recent Pathfinder Society special, the best action of our 9th level wizard (who was busy tossing 5th-level spells about like they're nothing and dominating the battlefield with magic) one-shotted a flying enemy with a tanglefoot bag - 200 foot fall. Bye bye!
But no, I don't feel it's overpowered. Just a great situational use of a cool item.