There's such a weirdly hostile tone in this thread, damn. I feel like OP's game must be a little sillier than y'all's, is all.
But yeah, question's been answered. There's no rule. See what your DM thinks.
It's a combination of the weirdness of the question and the OP's refusal to provide any context, leading to assumptions of it being for...weird unwanted sort stuff.
I don't have that much concern over weird, unwanted stuff (though it is a possibility) but I'll admit, I struggle with the OP a little. I find it odd they are so uncooperative towards having their own question answered. Or perhaps not uncooperative, but unable to understand what is being said back to them? If they're experiencing some sort of barrier to communication, I don't know what it is or how it should be addressed.
Fair enough. From looking at OP's post history, I am guessing this is for the purposes of tickling other PCs as a prank, but I don't care enough to sleuth out whether this would be non-consensual between players, or only between characters, or indeed whether it's simply hypothetical. I'm just going to trust that OP either already understands the essential violation of personal boundaries and potential trauma trigger that this can be, and knows for sure that it's safe, or is willing to do their own reading to figure it out before doing something stupid. Because I don't have the energy to tease out all the details needed to understand the situation, let alone appoint myself the judge of their game.
Don't let me down here, OP.
Edit: Apologies if this sounds like I'm dunking on anyone for having concerns. That's not my intention. I'm just really disinterested in solving this puzzle. I'm tired, and as Kris said, it's a bit challenging, and I'm not personally invested.
'RAW', there is absolutely nothing regarding tickling in the game. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Negatory. There are precisely zero words written on it, which means that the RAW answer is 'whatever your DM decides.'
People are reticent to answer because the question is bloody weird and leans into an angle of D&D people are usually hesitant to deal with. If you're asking what tickling could accomplish on the battlefield? With my DM Hat, I would rule "nothing at all. Any attempt to tickle an enemy you are actively fighting fails and wastes your action."
If you're asking what tickling could accomplish in town, such as attempting to tickle a shopkeep into lowered prices? I would rule that any attempt to do so would piss off the shopkeeper and very probably be construed as harassment. A guard would have a stern word with the tickler and they'd likely pay a premium in that shop, if they were allowed back in at all.
If you're asking what tickling coupld accomplish in the bedroom, or some other boudoir nonsense? The answer is "nothing I'm going to narrate for you." If for whatever reason it's actually pertinent to the game and not just a player being a total creeper, that's a fade to black and a 'have fun in your imagination palace, buddy.' If it's not pertinent to the game and the player is actively being a total creeper, I'm going to ask them - once - to stop. The second time I have to ask, it's not gonna be asking-to-stop, it's going to be "Please leave my table, you're not welcome in my game if you're going to be a sex creep when nobody else is comfortable with it."
If you have some other reason you want firm, RAW mechanics for tickling, you're going to need to provide some C.O.N.T.E.X.T. Which, given how strenuously you've been resisting doing so, I doubt I want to hear, but have at it. I may well be surprised.
'RAW', there is absolutely nothing regarding tickling in the game. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Negatory. There are precisely zero words written on it, which means that the RAW answer is 'whatever your DM decides.'
People are reticent to answer because the question is bloody weird and leans into an angle of D&D people are usually hesitant to deal with. If you're asking what tickling could accomplish on the battlefield? With my DM Hat, I would rule "nothing at all. Any attempt to tickle an enemy you are actively fighting fails and wastes your action."
If you're asking what tickling could accomplish in town, such as attempting to tickle a shopkeep into lowered prices? I would rule that any attempt to do so would piss off the shopkeeper and very probably be construed as harassment. A guard would have a stern word with the tickler and they'd likely pay a premium in that shop, if they were allowed back in at all.
If you're asking what tickling coupld accomplish in the bedroom, or some other boudoir nonsense? The answer is "nothing I'm going to narrate for you." If for whatever reason it's actually pertinent to the game and not just a player being a total creeper, that's a fade to black and a 'have fun in your imagination palace, buddy.' If it's not pertinent to the game and the player is actively being a total creeper, I'm going to ask them - once - to stop. The second time I have to ask, it's not gonna be asking-to-stop, it's going to be "Please leave my table, you're not welcome in my game if you're going to be a sex creep when nobody else is comfortable with it."
If you have some other reason you want firm, RAW mechanics for tickling, you're going to need to provide some C.O.N.T.E.X.T. Which, given how strenuously you've been resisting doing so, I doubt I want to hear, but have at it. I may well be surprised.
add your own context
You asked the question, that's why you're being asked for context. Everyone who has replied has basically even offered contexts and how they think its a silly question and even with that in mind they're still trying to answer your question but unless you specify how could they possibly answer the question you initially set out "Does tickling work", its an incomplete question.
That said this is still offering to try and get to the bottom of things to help you, despite the fact I'm almost certain between your avoidance of clarification and fairly random comments that you're just trolling.
And that, Choir, is why there's a hostile tone to the thread. The original poster asked a weird, creepy question and has refused, increasingly trollishly, to provide any context for the request. You may have the right of it in that he's looking for more ways to troll his party with unappreciated pranks, in which case he will likely swiftly find himself without any party to play D&D with. I know that if someone I was not very good friends with tried to tickle my character in her sleep, the way his previous thread suggested, I would definitely be wondering a few things. if such a person were to make a habit of it, or forced the DM to try and adjudicate some sort of tickle battle, there would be a Discussion.
So I suppose the answer to 'does tickling work' in D&D is "no. Not really." Because anything this guy tried to pull in a game I was either running or playing in would be shot down hard, fast, and with finality. And since I was explicitly told to 'add my own context", that's the context I'm choosing.
There's your answer, Coccorc. I hope you're satisfied with wasting a day of my time.
now this is a bit extra but a rogue could slight of hands dex grapple TICKLING but only if dm allows DEX grappling str check.
It would probably be Dex vs. Con or Dex. Some of the grappling rules would not apply. Also, a number of creatures that might be grappled may not be susceptible to tickling. For instance, I don't know if Tortles would be easy to tickle, though I may allow it if there was accompanying alliteration. Twenty ticklish tortles, traipsing through the town. Tactile tactics (read: tickling tackles) took those tortles down.
a bards inspiration can be tickles
There are out of game reasons to be more cautious around PCs tickling other PCs. Often it shouldn't matter, but if it's a table of people who don't know each other well enough to understand each other's boundaries, I wouldn't.
Is someone asking out of the blue "does tickling work in D&D, and if yes tell me how" and then steadfastly, aggressively refusing to explain why he wants this information a "Weird Perv Thing' red flag?
I don't have that much concern over weird, unwanted stuff (though it is a possibility) but I'll admit, I struggle with the OP a little. I find it odd they are so uncooperative towards having their own question answered. Or perhaps not uncooperative, but unable to understand what is being said back to them? If they're experiencing some sort of barrier to communication, I don't know what it is or how it should be addressed.
Fair enough. From looking at OP's post history, I am guessing this is for the purposes of tickling other PCs as a prank, but I don't care enough to sleuth out whether this would be non-consensual between players, or only between characters, or indeed whether it's simply hypothetical. I'm just going to trust that OP either already understands the essential violation of personal boundaries and potential trauma trigger that this can be, and knows for sure that it's safe, or is willing to do their own reading to figure it out before doing something stupid. Because I don't have the energy to tease out all the details needed to understand the situation, let alone appoint myself the judge of their game.
Don't let me down here, OP.
Edit: Apologies if this sounds like I'm dunking on anyone for having concerns. That's not my intention. I'm just really disinterested in solving this puzzle. I'm tired, and as Kris said, it's a bit challenging, and I'm not personally invested.
add your own context
Ah.
You asked the question, that's why you're being asked for context. Everyone who has replied has basically even offered contexts and how they think its a silly question and even with that in mind they're still trying to answer your question but unless you specify how could they possibly answer the question you initially set out "Does tickling work", its an incomplete question.
That said this is still offering to try and get to the bottom of things to help you, despite the fact I'm almost certain between your avoidance of clarification and fairly random comments that you're just trolling.
And that, Choir, is why there's a hostile tone to the thread. The original poster asked a weird, creepy question and has refused, increasingly trollishly, to provide any context for the request. You may have the right of it in that he's looking for more ways to troll his party with unappreciated pranks, in which case he will likely swiftly find himself without any party to play D&D with. I know that if someone I was not very good friends with tried to tickle my character in her sleep, the way his previous thread suggested, I would definitely be wondering a few things. if such a person were to make a habit of it, or forced the DM to try and adjudicate some sort of tickle battle, there would be a Discussion.
So I suppose the answer to 'does tickling work' in D&D is "no. Not really." Because anything this guy tried to pull in a game I was either running or playing in would be shot down hard, fast, and with finality. And since I was explicitly told to 'add my own context", that's the context I'm choosing.
There's your answer, Coccorc. I hope you're satisfied with wasting a day of my time.
Please do not contact or message me.
It would probably be Dex vs. Con or Dex. Some of the grappling rules would not apply. Also, a number of creatures that might be grappled may not be susceptible to tickling. For instance, I don't know if Tortles would be easy to tickle, though I may allow it if there was accompanying alliteration. Twenty ticklish tortles, traipsing through the town. Tactile tactics (read: tickling tackles) took those tortles down.
There are out of game reasons to be more cautious around PCs tickling other PCs. Often it shouldn't matter, but if it's a table of people who don't know each other well enough to understand each other's boundaries, I wouldn't.
Yes, it's a fetish.
Is it common?
No.
Is someone asking out of the blue "does tickling work in D&D, and if yes tell me how" and then steadfastly, aggressively refusing to explain why he wants this information a "Weird Perv Thing' red flag?
Very much so.
Please do not contact or message me.
I think this thread has about wrapped up.
Thank you all for your contributions.