When using a rope, what kind of action is it to shorten the lead rope.


Rules Questions


Say you've netted someone. The rope is 20 feet long.

You move towards them.

What kind of action is it to re-grab the rope (or slide it through your hand) to make the lead shorter?


standard + opposed grapple check?


How would that be a grapple check? There's 20 feet between the two combatants, and one of them is moving forward on their action and winding the rope around their arm (or something like that).

Nets Entangle, not Grapple.


OK, then standard plus opposed strength check, since you just forfeited any earlier opposed strength victory by moving towards the netted person.


There is no action in the rules for this. I would probably just include it with the move action.

Grand Lodge

You're manipulating a rope, but not applying any particular new effect to the opponent. I'd probably treat it much like drawing a weapon: a move action, or can be combined with a normal move.


Are there any relevant rules regarding this situation? I haven't been able to find any.


Sheesh. The title should read "When using a net…"

Talk about a fully public deep moment.

Scarab Sages

edit: nevermind, i was answering a different question you didn't actually ask below.

Drag action.
Look at monsters who use "Pull"
that is basically the same action, and use that to guide you. (such as a monster with long tongue that has grab plus pull)

However nets only entagle, if it's a normal net you throw at/over someone, then you haven't actually pulled them down (you'd need a large net come from up under their feet, or knock them prone, or something first).

Grand Lodge

Berti Blackfoot wrote:

edit: nevermind, i was answering a different question you didn't actually ask below.

Drag action.
Look at monsters who use "Pull"
that is basically the same action, and use that to guide you. (such as a monster with long tongue that has grab plus pull)

However nets only entagle, if it's a normal net you throw at/over someone, then you haven't actually pulled them down (you'd need a large net come from up under their feet, or knock them prone, or something first).

How is it a drag action? He's neither dragging nor pulling the net'd <whatever>. He's moving towards it while keeping the rope taught. I don't see how that's the same.

Grand Lodge

It's just a move action.

The whole action of re-gripping the rope, is the same action as regripping a weapon, such as putting two hands on a one-handed weapon.

Meaning, it's a free action.

Just to repeat: Move(Move Action), combined with a regrip(Free Action).


The original question wasn't entirely clear. But, if I'm reading it correctly now, you want to approach the netted opponent while keeping the net closed, not remain stationary and drag them to you, right? In that case, it's just as BBT said; you're just moving and not significantly manipulating the rope (that would be a move action in itself; manipulate an item). So it's no different than just walking towards them and letting the rope go slack in terms of action economy. Just keep in mind that, if you don't have a non-hand weapon, both of your hands are occupied with the rope so you won't threaten.


The question is this:

I have someone in a net. They are 20' away. I want to approach them and shorten up the rope to keep it taut.

I am not attempting to move the person in the net. I am only moving myself, and trying to make the effective length of the rope shorter by winding it around my arm, or sliding it through my hand.

What kind of action is it to shorten the length of a rope as I move toward the person in the net?


Now that the question has been made clear, anyone have anything to add?


nope, BBT has answered it more than adequately.


Works for me.

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