5e Magic Item: Arrow of Grappling (need help balancing)

[Claesical]

I've got another magic item I'm working on, this time for my player's rogue.


Arrow of Grappling
Rare magic ammunition

Rather than a point, the tip of this arrow ends with a sharp, obsidian claw. When shot from a bow, the arrow comes alive, gripping on to its target with immense force. It is capable of piercing the hardest surface in its awakened form. The arrow is incredibly sturdy, capable of holding up to 3000 pounds before being torn from its grip. A creature trying to remove the arrow must make a DC 20 Strength(athletics) check or speak its command word within 30 feet of it to succeed.


The intention is to have this come in a pack of 5. I'm considering making it have advantage against objects and constructs, or some sort of flat bonus to attack rolls against those targets. What do you guys think?

[BerzerkerUnit]

I’d reduce the DC to remove it to 10 or 12 and make it common. Even change the damage to bludgeoning and have it tipped with an ooze.

[Claesical]

I’d reduce the DC to remove it to 10 or 12 and make it common. Even change the damage to bludgeoning and have it tipped with an ooze.

I mean, I’m trying to lean into the whole claw theme, as well as make something worth the rare description (or at least uncommon). Do you have any advice for boosting it as apposed to demoting it?

[BerzerkerUnit]

Sorry, As a big Monster Hunter World fan, I love hookshots and want them to be more accessible.

As a Rare consumable it’s a +2 magic arrow that deals magic piercing damage and grapples the target on a hit. The Escape DC for the grapple is 20. Escaping the grapple and removing the Claw deals 3d6 magical slashing damage to the target. The shooter can use a command word to reel the target or the shooter 25 feet closer to the other as a bonus action while the target remains grappled. The target can also attempt to cut the rope affixed to the arrow. The rope has AC 12 and 20 hp, it is immune to bludgeoning damage but vulnerable to fire and slashing damage.

A very rare version of this arrow can be found that is an indestructible arrow tipped with a bottled dollop of Soveriegn Glue. The initial damage is bludgeoning and piercing but the arrow cannot be removed without carving out a huge chunk of the creature’s flesh dealing 5d6 slashing and Necrotic damage and inflicting a permanent level of exhaustion that can only be recovered after the creature receives a greater restoration, regeneration, or wish.

[NRSASD]

I must admit, I'm quite tickled by the idea of an arrow that just wrestles with people after you shoot them with it. Being a incredibly strong, tiny hand on the end of an arrow, it's not very good at wrestling or incapacitating the target, but it's thoroughly annoying as it keeps trying to put you in a half-nelson.

On a much more serious and hopefully useful front, I'd say there's a couple options you could have.

If it's a climbing tool, shooting someone with it attaches them to a line. Make the line capable of supporting 3000 lbs of weight, and there's very little to stop ingenious players from completely disabling opponents. Tie it to a drawbridge, shoot someone, lower the bridge. Tie it to a bull. Tie it to a windmill blade. The possibilities are endless. Look up Just Cause videos for inspiration.

If it's an anti-personnel weapon, I'd say the claw does extra damage as the claw closes and deepens/widens the wound. If you're feeling particularly brutal, it could dig into the target looking for a solid handle to grip. This would do a lot of damage and pretty thoroughly disable any target you shot.

I'm not seeing it as an anti-construct weapon, since constructs tend not to care about horrific wounds (not having organs or anything important on the inside). How do you see it as an anti-construct weapon?