Rope Dart

If you’ve seen Shanghai Noon, there’s a scene where Jackie Chan beats the living tar out of a group of angry cowboys using only a horseshoe on a rope. The rope-dart is an actual martial arts weapon, available from actual martial arts weapons supply places. And it looks incredibly cool.

Unfortunately, I haven’t found any good gaming resources with rope dart rules. So, with a huge nod to the Open Game License, here’s my own take on the Rope Dart.

Everything between this divider and the next is Open Gaming content and is subject to the Open Gaming license.


Exotic Weapon Cost Damage Critical Weight Type
Rope-Dart 5 gp 1d6 x2 5 lb Bludgeoning

The word “dart” in the name of this weapon is something of a misnomer. A rope-dart is a flail-like weapon consisting of a heavy weight on the end of a long cord or chain. The rope-dart does not inflict much damage, but it is an extremely versatile weapon.

The long cord means that the rope-dart can be used as a reach weapon. Unlike other reach weapons (with the notable exception of the Spiked Chain), the rope-dart can also be reeled in for use against adjacent opponents.

You can make trip attacks with a rope-dart. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the rope-dart to avoid being tripped.

When using a rope-dart, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails).

A rope-dart can also be used to entangle enemies as a ranged touch attack with a maxiumum range of 10 feet. If you hit, the target is entangled. An entangled creature takes a ?2 penalty on attack rolls and a ?4 penalty on Dexterity, can move at only half speed, and cannot charge or run. If you control the trailing rope by succeeding on an opposed Strength check while holding it, the entangled creature can move only within the limits that the rope allows. If the entangled creature attempts to cast a spell, it must make a DC 15 Concentration check or be unable to cast the spell.

An entangled creature can escape with a DC 20 Escape Artist check (a full-round action). The rope has 5 hit points and can be burst with a DC 25 Strength check (also a full-round action).

A rope-dart can only be used to entangle creatures within one size category of you.

Also note that if you attempt to entangle an adjacent target, you may provoke an attack of opportunity.

You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with a rope-dart.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *