Set item layout:

Trap on a Rope

wondrous item, uncommon

This seemingly mundane item combines a heavy steel bear trap with a 15-foot hemp rope.

Throw Trap

You can use an action to throw the Trap on a Rope at a creature within 15 feet of you. The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a fail, the target takes piercing damage and is Tethered to you (see Tethered below). On it's turn, the target can use it's action to make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, the creature breaks free of the tether.
Hit or miss, after using the Trap on a Rope, you need to use an action to reset the trap before you can use it again.

Tethered

While tethered, the target's speed is halved, and its movement is limited to 15 feet away from you in any direction. Once per turn, the target can make a Strength (Athletics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics) check to try to pull you along as it moves (no action required). If the tethered creature is two sizes larger than you, it automatically succeeds on this check, dragging you with it.

Disarming the trap

A creature other than the target of the tether can use its action to attempt to disarm the trap with thieves' tools. The DC to disarm the trap is 13. On a success, the trap opens and the tethered creature is released.

Create printable cards for Trap on a Rope

Lore

Feylen, a seasoned wood elf ranger with the keen eyes of a hawk, patrolled the whispering pines of the Everwood. His people had guarded this ancient forest for millennia, their survival intertwined with its well-being. Lately, a disquieting silence had settled on certain areas, broken only by the harsh rasp of scavengers. Feylen knew the signs – poachers were at work.

One crisp morning, scouting a particularly vulnerable deer trail, Feylen stumbled upon a discarded trap. It was a cruel contraption of iron and teeth, reeking of past prey. Disgust curdled in his stomach. This wasn't just hunting; it was a callous disregard for the delicate balance of the Everwood.
But Feylen wasn't one for despair. He saw an opportunity. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he lashed the trap to a sturdy length of hemp rope he always carried. The "Trap on a Rope," as he called it, wasn't elegant, but it was practical. He practiced throwing it in the dappled sunlight, the heavy weight giving it surprising range.
The next moonlit night, the Everwood itself seemed to warn of danger. Strange rustles and snapped twigs sent shivers down Feylen's spine. He crouched behind a massive oak, his senses on high alert. Two burly figures emerged, their movements clumsy and hurried. Poachers.
Feylen waited until they were within range. With a silent prayer to the forest spirits, he launched the Trap on a Rope. It sailed through the air, a dark blur against the silver moonlight. The lead poacher, caught completely by surprise, let out a yelp as the trap snapped shut around his leg. His companion froze, then turned to flee, only to find Feylen blocking his path, a resolute glint in his eyes.
The Trap on a Rope became a symbol of Feylen's unwavering defense of the Everwood. It was a simple tool, a reminder that respect for nature demanded vigilance. News of the captured poacher spread like wildfire, a chilling deterrent to those who sought to exploit the forest's bounty. Feylen continued his silent patrols, the Trap on a a Rope a constant companion, a whisper of warning in the ever-listening Everwood.

Tags:athleticsdexteritygrappledloadingloreno attunementpiercingsaving throwstrengththrown

Changelog

12.06.2024: Updated wording to make it clearer how the item works.

Changed item type from Weapon to Wondrous Item
Changed Ranged Attack feature was renamed to Throw Trap
Throw Trap now requires a dex save from the target instead of being a ranged attack
Specified that a tethered creature only can attempt to pull the creature holding the tether once per turn.