Arm-mounted Grappling Hook

A compact hand crossbow fitted flush to a heavy reinforced bracer worn on the forearm. Thick dark leather, hand-stitched with heavy cord, edges banded with strips of hammered iron clearly cut from something else. The crossbow mechanism sits low and close to the arm. The spool is squat iron, wound with 30 feet of braided cord. The hook is blunt and functional — three tines that fold flat and snap open on impact. No engravings. No flourishes. This is a tool made by someone who needed it to work.

Base Statistics. This weapon uses hand crossbow statistics. It deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit and uses your attack roll. You are proficient with this weapon if you are proficient with hand crossbows.

Integrated Mount. This weapon cannot be disarmed or forcibly removed from your arm against your will. It does not require a free hand to reload.

Natural 1 — Tangle. On a natural 1, the hook misfires and the cable jams in the spool. The attack misses automatically. You must spend 1 action to clear the tangle before the weapon can be fired again.

Reel In. When the hook hits a target, you may use your bonus action to reel them in. The target must succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or be pulled 10 feet directly toward you and knocked prone. On a success, the hook pulls free and the tether ends.

Prone Immunity. A target knocked prone by this weapon is immune to its prone effect for the remainder of the encounter. The target may stand using half its movement as normal.

Tethered. While the hook is embedded in a target, a 30-foot cable connects you to them. Neither party can move more than 30 feet apart — if either party would be moved beyond that distance by any means, the hook pulls free automatically. The target may use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check to remove the hook. You may use your bonus action to retract the hook voluntarily at any time.

Proficiency with a Hand Crossbow allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.

Notes: Fighter, Rogue, or Ranger, Ammunition, Light, Loading, Range, Vex