A medium wererat in hybrid form is Slept by a spell and tied up. When he awakens, he shapechanges to his dire rat form (small): would he automatically be free or does he just receive a bonus to his Escape Artist check?
Thank you in advance for all the insight!
He's been described as "tied with many loops of rope around his body" :)
A medium wererat in hybrid form is Slept by a spell and tied up. When he awakens, he shapechanges to his dire rat form (small): would he automatically be free or does he just receive a bonus to his Escape Artist check?
Thank you in advance for all the insight!
Wouldn't the rope just meld into the new form like all the rest of his gear?
I doubt rope used to tie someone up could conceivably be called part of their gear.
I doubt rope used to tie someone up could conceivably be called part of their gear.
Why?
I wouldn't call that gear more than a cave-in fallen over anybody :)
If you're tied up with your own rope, I'd say it'll meld with you, because then it's "your" gear. Otherwise it's an obstacle. I'm in agreement more with Splendor, depending on how he's tied up, shapechanging would free him... Or possibly kill him.
You could allow them to tie him up properly if they pass an appropriate knowledge check for that monster type. I'd say DC 10+CR+10 as a minimum. Otherwise I'd grant a +5 or more to escape artist for every size smaller they become
On the other hand if the creature where to become larger I'd go a more extreme route. I'd apply the same knowledge check and if passed then shapechanging would do automatic damage, maybe 1d8/rnd. Failure of the check, I'd just make the ropes burst
If you're tied up with your own rope, I'd say it'll meld with you, because then it's "your" gear. Otherwise it's an obstacle. I'm in agreement more with Splendor, depending on how he's tied up, shapechanging would free him... Or possibly kill him.
How does that make any sense whatsoever? If a wererat ties himself up... it melds, if someone else does... it doesn't? Where do the game rules say that?
Besides... it is clearly his rope, it is in his possession.
Possession is how the game treats ownership. What other method of determining ownership is there?
You defeat a bandit, and take his +1 longsword. Then later try to shapechange and the longsword clatters to the ground because it properly belongs to that bandit from a couple weeks ago??
What are you even talking about here...
Not his own rope, so not a problem in this case :)
Just having one end of the rope in the hands of the binder would clear any confussion with that, OTOH.
I won't call "in your possession" anything you are not in control of. The one who tied you has tha control of the rope you are tied with, not the coins you spent on it :)
Not his own rope, so not a problem in this case :)
Just having one end of the rope in the hands of the binder would clear any confussion with that, OTOH.
I won't call "in your possession" anything you are not in control of. The one who tied you has tha control of the rope you are tied with, not the coins you spent on it :)
I'm still not entirely sure what you're saying.
If the wererat was simply bound by a rope, tied only to himself so that he was immobilized... he would be able to shapechange freely. The rope would meld with his new form.
If, however, he was tied to something, say... a tree. Then he would be fully bound by it. If the person who tied him up held on to the rope... then he wouldn't be able to shapechange it into his new form either.
But.. Just a hogtied wererat? That dude is getting away... soon as you look away, most likely.
How is, ruleswise, any different to be tied or to be tied to a tree? It doesn't make a difference to, say, the Escape Artist skill. Why would shapechanging be any different?
That it's over you doesn't mean it's part of your gear. You need to be in control of the item (not the opposite).
I will chime in and add that I agree it's not about ownership or possession, but "control".
If you're tied up with a rope it doesn't matter if it's your (as in you bought it) rope or someone else's.
Also, doesnt everyone know if you suspect someone of being a druid you put metal heavy armor on them before you tie them up. Render them powerless!
But what if you tie up a druid and then put a leather armour on her?
Does she keep the rope and armour while shaped?
Okay, the armor thing was a joke...but if the druid is wearing any sort of armor it would meld into her wildshaped form. Metal armor is prohibited and causes a druid to loose all powers for as long as it is worn and 24 hours after.
The rope however, would not meld with the druid assuming the druid is tied up with the rope.
Or else, why wouldn't the tree or ground or whatever was touching the druid meld with them? Because thats just not how it functions.