First time poster. So D&D introduced guns with the artificer and other aspects, I was thinking about making a grapple gun item. Mainly because I am thinking about a setting where getting around like that might be fun and useful. I am looking for how to describe that mechanically. I was thinking it would give them a climbing/swinging speed of 40 ft/round, but only in a straight line, and maybe require some kind of attack roll to hit what they were aiming for, and if they have to hold on for multiple rounds requiring some kind of check to hold on?
These are my thoughts and suggestions or corrections would be more than welcome.
I, in my humble opinion, think this could add a lot of potential for roleplay and cinematic maneuvers, and simply for that reason, I believe it would be best to add it and ask your players for feedback.
However, from a mechanic perspective, this might not be an outstanding idea. 1. Firstly, you must consider what it takes to acquire the item. If it expensive, rare, requires expert-level crafting, all three, or some other inhibitor, it can push your players away from getting it OR it could push them to want it more. It is also important to consider the same thing about the ammo it uses. 2. Then you must consider how it can be used, mainly in combat but also out of combat. Does it cost an action to fire? A bonus action? Does it have the reload property? If it takes an attack roll to operate, then does it count towards an extra attack if the user has access to one? What kind of range does it have? 3. Lastly you must consider if it is worth it. The swimming/climbing speed would only really apply to whatever surface it is attached to, like a wall. The movement only one line can also be debilitating, especially if there is a hazard in that line. Then they release the grapple and proves it redundant. Some important things to consider for this object:
-Artificers have access to the 'Rope of Climbing' at level 2 -Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards have access to 'Fly' at level 5 -Artificers have access to the 'Ring of Water Walking' at level 6 -Artificers have access to the 'Slippers of Spider Climbing' and 'Winged Boots' at level 10 -Artificers have access to the 'Boots of Levitation' and 'Cloak of the Bat' at level 14 -Artificers have access to the 'Jump' Spell at level 1 -Artificers have access to 'Catapult' at level 1, and when combined with the average grappling hook from the PHB (2 gp, 4lb), they can catapult that 90 feet and mimic the function of a grappling hook at a pretty impressive range -Artificers have access to 'Spider Climb' at level 5
There are likely a lot more to consider when it comes to attempting to scale a wall. The main counter to this grappling gun is mainly the fact it is outclassed by any form of flight speed. Even a 30ft fly speed is more versatile than a 40 feet climb speed in a straight line.
In conclusion, and the most important point I'd like to reiterate, if you think it'd be fun and if you think your players would enjoy it, then absolutely hands down add it, it seems like a fun tool to use. But do recall that if a player tries it and they find other things more useful or better to use in the same situations that this hypothetical grapple gun could be used in, they will probably utilize that instead. I am open to helping you create a tool that the players can use later into their levels if you are interested, but all round I think its a great idea. I hope this helped!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Prometheus doesn't get his liver eaten every day for you to ignore the allure of arson.
As a player, I would immediately attempt to use a grappling gun to grapple an opponent at distance rather than do the batman trick.
Except grappling the 5e mechanic doesn’t really work with a grapple gun; the idea behind the mechanic is you’re physically holding someone in place; doing that at range doesn’t really make sense, and the idea of tangling/wrapping them in the cord would be the Restrained condition, which is a bit too much to allow as a spammable action until we’re talking at least a Rare magic item.
Personally for an Artificer I’d say just flavor/describe a comparable climbing spell/infusion as a grapple gun. A Rope of Climbing covers 90% of the exploration functionality, so I’d say describe it as a grapple gun instead of just enchanted rope and use narration to get the vibe you want from using it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hey!
First time poster. So D&D introduced guns with the artificer and other aspects, I was thinking about making a grapple gun item. Mainly because I am thinking about a setting where getting around like that might be fun and useful. I am looking for how to describe that mechanically. I was thinking it would give them a climbing/swinging speed of 40 ft/round, but only in a straight line, and maybe require some kind of attack roll to hit what they were aiming for, and if they have to hold on for multiple rounds requiring some kind of check to hold on?
These are my thoughts and suggestions or corrections would be more than welcome.
Thank you!
I, in my humble opinion, think this could add a lot of potential for roleplay and cinematic maneuvers, and simply for that reason, I believe it would be best to add it and ask your players for feedback.
However, from a mechanic perspective, this might not be an outstanding idea.
1. Firstly, you must consider what it takes to acquire the item. If it expensive, rare, requires expert-level crafting, all three, or some other inhibitor, it can push your players away from getting it OR it could push them to want it more. It is also important to consider the same thing about the ammo it uses.
2. Then you must consider how it can be used, mainly in combat but also out of combat. Does it cost an action to fire? A bonus action? Does it have the reload property? If it takes an attack roll to operate, then does it count towards an extra attack if the user has access to one? What kind of range does it have?
3. Lastly you must consider if it is worth it. The swimming/climbing speed would only really apply to whatever surface it is attached to, like a wall. The movement only one line can also be debilitating, especially if there is a hazard in that line. Then they release the grapple and proves it redundant. Some important things to consider for this object:
-Artificers have access to the 'Rope of Climbing' at level 2
-Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards have access to 'Fly' at level 5
-Artificers have access to the 'Ring of Water Walking' at level 6
-Artificers have access to the 'Slippers of Spider Climbing' and 'Winged Boots' at level 10
-Artificers have access to the 'Boots of Levitation' and 'Cloak of the Bat' at level 14
-Artificers have access to the 'Jump' Spell at level 1
-Artificers have access to 'Catapult' at level 1, and when combined with the average grappling hook from the PHB (2 gp, 4lb), they can catapult that 90 feet and mimic the function of a grappling hook at a pretty impressive range
-Artificers have access to 'Spider Climb' at level 5
There are likely a lot more to consider when it comes to attempting to scale a wall. The main counter to this grappling gun is mainly the fact it is outclassed by any form of flight speed. Even a 30ft fly speed is more versatile than a 40 feet climb speed in a straight line.
In conclusion, and the most important point I'd like to reiterate, if you think it'd be fun and if you think your players would enjoy it, then absolutely hands down add it, it seems like a fun tool to use. But do recall that if a player tries it and they find other things more useful or better to use in the same situations that this hypothetical grapple gun could be used in, they will probably utilize that instead. I am open to helping you create a tool that the players can use later into their levels if you are interested, but all round I think its a great idea. I hope this helped!
Prometheus doesn't get his liver eaten every day for you to ignore the allure of arson.
As a player, I would immediately attempt to use a grappling gun to grapple an opponent at distance rather than do the batman trick.
Except grappling the 5e mechanic doesn’t really work with a grapple gun; the idea behind the mechanic is you’re physically holding someone in place; doing that at range doesn’t really make sense, and the idea of tangling/wrapping them in the cord would be the Restrained condition, which is a bit too much to allow as a spammable action until we’re talking at least a Rare magic item.
Personally for an Artificer I’d say just flavor/describe a comparable climbing spell/infusion as a grapple gun. A Rope of Climbing covers 90% of the exploration functionality, so I’d say describe it as a grapple gun instead of just enchanted rope and use narration to get the vibe you want from using it.