Malwardin’s Grapnel (a spiderman spell)

 Malwardin’s Grapnel (level 1 conjuration spell)

Casting Time: 1 bonus action.

Target: creature, object or surface you can cast a line to within 60ft.

Duration: until the end of your next turn.

The caster sends forth a length of sturdy silken rope from their open palm, with a grapnel on the end which holds fast to the target. A targeted creature may make a dexterity check to dodge out of the way of the grapnel (in which case it will hit whatever is behind that creature, if possible), or a dexterity or strength check as an action on their turn to detach the grapnel. The grapnel does not require a particularly suitable target and holds onto a sheer featureless wall as well as to a suitable handhold.

While the grapnel is attached, the caster can expand or contract the rope as a free action on their turn, pulling themselves towards the target (if the target is larger, or sturdier, and spending their movement to do so) or pulling the target towards them (if the target is smaller, or of a similar size, and can be pulled). A targeted creature may make a save to detach the grapnel on each pull attempt after the first, and the caster must spend their own movement at twice the usual rate in order to pull an unwilling creature. The rope is strong enough to hold the weight of two creatures (of the caster’s weight or similar) at either end. The caster may detach the rope at either end at will.

 

ok, so i've written this out as this 5e-style spell, i'm pretty sure its balanced but im not sure its good. 5e style you get sort of bogged down with exceptions and the spell sort of ends up written backwards. i think the fun central idea of this is "there should be a spell that lets you swing around like youre spiderman, or grab a guy like youre scorpion from mortal kombat," 5e has web and thorn whip and spider climb already, and a character can carry a grappling hook and a rope anyway, so its hard to find a niche here, maybe it should be a cantrip. but there should be a spell that lets you swing around like youre spiderman, or grab a guy like youre scorpion from mortal kombat