Grappling hooks

[I can has fun?]

This isn't an item as much as a system, but before you say nay, hear me out. This requires absolutley no scripting, unless someone just wants to add some flavor. The idea here is to provide PCs with other ways to get around the island, making some areas inaccessible to all but certain classes, or whatever the DMs want to do with it.

Create a set of crossbow bolts / arrows / darts that are only useable by rangers, rogues, and bards with the property "On Hit: Teleport Item Projectile Properties." For those who have never seen it, this item property teleports the thrower to whatever item they hit with the thrown object. These missiles should be fairly expensive (at least 20 gold each).

Then, for every area you want PCs to access with this, put a couple of destructible placeables nearby with the maximum number of hit points. I believe normal EfU:A placeables are indestructible, and without the ability to do damage, the teleport property has no effect. This prevents PCs from using the item to get places where they shouldn't be. If some enterprising scripter wanted to make it more realistic, they could put some code in to make the projectiles unequippable unless the user has rope in their inventory. Otherwise you could simply call them magical grappling hooks.

When the whole thing is in place, classes who can use the grappling hooks can climb up (or across) to otherwise inaccessible areas of the island. It would make for more variety in the areas, make certain underused classes a bit more interesting to play, and add some more flavor to the setting.

There is a bit of potential for abuse, but since it involves using the items on other PCs, and a DM is required for PvP, a rule against using them against PCs for any reason out to be enough to prevent it.

[Howlando]

We actually have scripted grappling hooks already, but in general are reluctant to release them due to concerns with PCs being able to reach areas that we've designed to be inaccessible.

[I can has fun?]

Awesome. I hope everything gets worked out. Grappling hooks would be magnificent.

[Sr.N]

I don't see why it should be restricted to certain classes. That could encourage single level multiclassing even more.

I think that it would be very neat to have such tool though. Make some skill/dex roll applying armor penalties. Maybe make it through a dialogue with a placeable. That should do away with players accessing areas they shouldn't.

[Valium Skies]

Scripted grappling hooks sound like an incredibly sweet addition. If only!

[Cruzel]

The crossbolt idea is also flawed for 2 reasons.
 
1: As howland said, PC's can possibly get to places they shouldn't be (sometimes with no way to get down.
 
2; As far as I know the crossbow teleportation property is hardcoded, meaning it will work on literally everything, and the script cannot be nerfed to only work on the sugested items.
 
An alternative would be a Scripted item which when used, checks for a trigger or plaaceable near a ledge. If there is no placeable or trigger tagged to work with this script on the ledge, Nothing happens (perhaps a chance of losing your hook) If there is a trigger or placeable, the PC then graples, with whatever skill checks (if any) are required.
 
This efffectively solves the PC's going where Dm's do not want them to be -
However the downside is that the builders would then need to go ADD placeables or triggers to ledges they want you to be able to go up on.
This can be very tedious and take a lot of time, so Im pretty sure this will not happen. This is a possibility that the DM's could add in later areas, but to manually go through and mark the edges when they do not necessarily go anywhere? That would take hours, and probably not be worth it.
 
However, keeping in mind the DM's likely put ledges and stuff in for visual flavor, for the most part. In general, if they really want you to get on a ledge, I think they will have added a way to get up without requiring DM assistance or special loot. And if you are looking to do something really neat that IS on a ledge that is not normally acessible - You can probably find a DM to help you out.

[Sr.N]

This efffectively solves the PC's going where Dm's do not want them to be -
However the downside is that the builders would then need to go ADD placeables or triggers to ledges they want you to be able to go up on.

I think this would be quite worthy. Could add those in quest or non-quest areas for access of side areas with encounters and loot, maybe even a mini-quest.

[Garem]

I've played with these before. They're awesome. Sadly, they're SO awesome, I do not expect to ever see one again.

[petey512]

To think I was playing Zelda Twilight Princess the other day and was thinking about posting a similar suggestion...

I'm totally for this, btw.

[Sternhund]

If I have time later I'll implement grappling hooks special to EFUA so we can control what it grapples to and what not.