How would you run this situation?

[rgrove0172]

In a recent game an NPC was fleeing some nasties in a cavern by climbing up a rope where the rest of the party was waiting. A player character however was grappled by some of these nasties nearby and in a bad way. Another Player character chose to be heroic and slide down the rope to help him. Two figures then meet, midway on the rope with a good 30 or so feet below them, the PC on the top trying to kick the guy loose while the NPC is trying the opposite to continue his flight. How would you have ruled that situation?

 

[B_Steele]

The game is essentially a story about the PCs, not the NPC. The NPC should get booted off the rope in short order, as he is getting in the way of heroic adventurism.

Now, the 30ft fall will sting...and the NPC might not be the happiest guy after the PCs treat him like so much baggage. However, if the fall would 'kill' him, I would give the sliding-rope PC the opportunity to spend a Fate Point to keep the NPC stable, if not a little bashed up.

That's my two cents.

-Bry

 

[argo]

The game is essentially a story about the PCs, not the NPC. The NPC should get booted off the rope in short order, as he is getting in the way of heroic adventurism.

Now, the 30ft fall will sting...and the NPC might not be the happiest guy after the PCs treat him like so much baggage. However, if the fall would 'kill' him, I would give the sliding-rope PC the opportunity to spend a Fate Point to keep the NPC stable, if not a little bashed up.

That's my two cents.

-Bry

That is a good answer! :lol:

If the OP want something more "crunchy" however, then I would make it an opposed Str check (compare with Trip and Bull Rush). The PC should get a +2 circumstance bonus for being "on top" and another +2 for sliding at an accelerated speed (compare with Charging) but he also has to make a climb check for "accelerated climbing" or fall himslef (possibly also a circumstance penalty of -2 to the climb check). Either side should be able to get a +2 synergy bonus for having 5+ ranks in climb.

Later.

 

[worldeater]

PC gets unarmed attack roll with some crazy bonus to hit (flat-footed defense, since the guy's on a rope), with +d6 non-lethal damage per 10 ft. slid. the NPC then makes a climb test vs. DC 10+damage done. if failed, he falls and takes more damage, probably hurt up pretty bad. the PC makes a Balance roll, or he falls as well (i wouldn't make the DC too high). you might also want to give him some kind of rope burn injury (say -1 on rolls using his hands) for a little while after, unless he's wearing gauntlets or gloves.

 

[worldeater]

... yeah on second thought, unarmed +d6 damage per 10' seems a little severe. maybe just an opposed test:
PC gets d20+STRmod+(distance/2) vs. NPC d20+climb?