Talk:Grappling Hook Launcher (3.5e Equipment)

DC of a Good Shot

Hay, if anyone wants to help here that would be great. I still need to figure out the cost to make and the DC of making a good shot.--Mander 20:33, 16 December 2007 (MST)

If it's like a crossbow-like device, maybe it should be an attack roll (with the range of a crossbow) against the touch AC of whatever object you're looking at. The AC on inanimate objects, understandably, is about zilch so it is mostly range penalties to worry about. -- Eiji 20:55, 16 December 2007 (MST)

Also there cant be a range penalty. The range of a crossbow is 80, but the length of a rope is only 50. Also, a hook and rope is much hevier than a bolt, another reason to limit it to 50. Perhaps a longer rope could be used, but that would be a huge penalty.--Mander 21:14, 16 December 2007 (MST)

I agree with what Eiji said, the DC should just be the touch of the target. --Green Dragon 22:08, 16 December 2007 (MST)

If something cant move, than its Dex modifier is -6? And if thats the case, then the touch attack AC for that branch up there would be 10-6=4. So the DC for hiting something stationary with the Grappling Hook Launcher would be DC 4. So basicly everyone could use it easy. And that is exactly what it is for. Any thoughts?--Mander 23:35, 16 December 2007 (MST)

-6 or -5. Will some one check this for me?--Mander 02:01, 18 December 2007 (MST)

-5 I believe. -- Eiji 03:24, 18 December 2007 (MST)

How long would it take to Reload?

Obviously it would be difficult to reload. Pushing the spring back into the ready position would probably be the same as loading a crossbow, but coiling the rope would take a long time. How long would you say?--Mander 23:38, 16 December 2007 (MST)

If you had a rewind mechanism, one round. If you're cranking by hand, I'd say one round for every 25 ft out... which is two rounds, but this way in case someone comes up with a crazy 100 ft rope version (which is harder to hit with past 50 ft) they can take more rounds rewinding it. -- Eiji 00:14, 17 December 2007 (MST)

Did I ever mention that I am majoring in Physics? What is the force that powers the rewinding mechanism? It cant be the same force that shoots the hook (the internal spring, the loader does work on it to give it potential energy), otherwise you would lose to much force. In Zelda, the hookshot rewinds itself unrealistically. It would have to be powered by magic or by hand. And since this is supposed to be mundane, it would have to be by hand. Two rounds seems like to short a time to me... I will have to get out my 50' rope and do some experimenting. Also, the rope must we wound some what carefully because you wouldn’t want it to jam.

I am ok with this taking a long time. I like tools that make something easy in one way, but a pain in another way. So you have to trade one convenience for another. You can use this device to throw your hook further, but it makes a lot of noise (stealth is imposable) and takes a long time to reload.--Mander 18:52, 17 December 2007 (MST)

Having worked with ropes and coils, I can state it’s not just a matter of yanking the rope and twisting it - the rope, if it is to unwind smoothly, must be carefully coiled. I would suggest that coiling the rope properly take 1 minute per hundred feet on a DC 5 Use Rope check.

I would additionally suggest that, instead of it making stealthy use impossible, you consider giving a Listen check with a low DC to hear the device trigger.    Roszlishan 22:03, 17 December 2007 (MST)

30 seconds = 4 rounds, Changing. What should the listen check be? Not as loud as a Battle DC-10. But louder than peole talking DC 0. So DC -5?--Mander 01:43, 18 December 2007 (MST)

People talking would seem to be around the right DC. I'm not sure I understand why the grappling hook would be so loud. It’s not as if It’s using an explosive propellant, after all. Bows and crossbows, of which this is a modification, are quiet. Also, I still think that the rope would need to be hand-coiled with great care for this device to work properly. If the rope isn't coiled just right it will pull the projectile off course (really). Roszlishan 08:50, 18 December 2007 (MST)

if a 100 feet takes 1 minute than 50 feet would take 30 seconds. Earlier I incorrectly stated that 30 second was 4 rounds, when in fact it is 5 rounds. Why DC 5 for the use rope check? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Mander (talk • contribs) 13:33, 18 December 2007 (MST). Please sign your posts.

Quite right, I wasn’t reading that properly. I suggest having it be a check because it needs to be done correctly, and it's not easy (or at least, as easy as it looks if you've watched someone do it ...) and besides, what else is Use Rope really good for? This seems to suit it perfectly. Might make the DC 10 with retries, now that I think about it. This is a perfect place for the take 10 rules. Roszlishan 18:47, 18 December 2007 (MST)

One thought on the "how to power it" q with a slight steampunk flavor would be to make a gizmo powered by alchemist's fire (and probably invented by a deranged gnome) that needs refueling every 10-30 shots or so and takes some sort of d20 roll to use properly, and nat 1's make it burst into flames or explode in your hands or something while failures just screw up the coiling so it wont shoot right next time... 70.56.98.175 01:12, 24 September 2012 (MDT)

How loud should the kaPWANG sound be?

I thought I would start a second discussion so we could keep the two topics seporat.

I guess I imagined the sound of metal slaping on metal. And the hum reverb of the spring. I once had this nurf rocket launcher that would shoot a little missle across a feild. Man that spring made a loud sound!--Mander 13:26, 18 December 2007 (MST)

One of the main reasons I wanted it to be noisy was for balance. I wanted to give the players one advantage, but take away another. Yes it can set a grappling hook a long distance with ease, but it will give away your location.

However the long reload time seems to be getting longer. That is almost enough by itself to balance it in my oppinion. Yes you can get your hook to a high spot, but you cant reload quickly. During combat you would consider it to be a one shot deal. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Mander (talk • contribs) 13:41, 18 December 2007 (MST). Please sign your posts.

The current Listen DC has the same check as hearing a full battle rage from 50 feet away, or through a door. If we're making it that loud the user better have earplugs. --Badger 15:52, 3 November 2009 (MST)

Maybe add the possibility to launch steel wire instead of rope?

Maybe you could add the possibility to load the grappling hook launcher with steel/mithril/adamantium wire. This wire (especially the one made of mithril) would be lighter than rope. -- Thiregan 10:31, 31 December 2007 (UTC +2)

I supose there could be many modifications to this. Cost would be the big question I supose.--Mander 20:57, 4 January 2008 (MST)

Integrating Grappling Hook Launcher with a bracer.

Would it be a cool idea to integrate this Grappling Hook Launcher into a bracer? This would allow escapes in tight spots. Digging up a bulky crossbow from your backpack isn't very handy when group of blood-thirsty guards is chasing you. -- Thiregan 10:42, 31 December 2007 (UTC +2)

What do you mean by bracer?--Mander 20:58, 4 January 2008 (MST)

I believe there is a wrist crossbow (probably Complete Scoundrel). Check there to see if they have some rules on it. He's thinking something in your bracers slot that would be the grapple crossbow. -- Eiji 21:04, 4 January 2008 (MST)

Making it stay

normally setting a grappeling hook is like a dc 15 use rope. THere is a chanc you just dont know what the hell you're doing with this. if its embedding in a thing as opposed to wrapping around it, shouldn't it have to basically deal damage to a target and overcome hardness to embed? sice it says touch attack i guess its wrapping arund things? --Name Violation 17:06, 3 November 2009 (MST)