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Net

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A net was a tool generally intended for fishing or hunting, but which was often adapted as a weapon intended for entangling opponents.[6][7][8]

Description[]

Nets were webs of woven rope or cord designed to trap creatures inside them.[6][9] They were thus useful for fishing[7] and for making hunting snares[8] and traps.[10] A net was easily three times as effective at catching fish as compared to using a fishing rod or spear.[7]

Weaponology[]

Nets intended for fighting were often 8​ to ​12 feet (2.4​ to ​3.7 meters) in diameter[11] and were fitted with barbs[6] or weights[9][11] to better ensnare the target. They included an attached rope to allow the wielder to throw the net and then control the victim from a distance.[6][9][11] To be thrown effectively, a net had to be properly folded[6] such that it would spiral open and engulf the target.[11] Folding a net in the midst of battle took about a minute for a trained wielder.[12] They could generally only be thrown up to about 10 feet (3 meters)[6] or could be dropped on targets from above.[12]

Nets could also be wielded as melee weapons, and skilled wielders could use them to disrupt, parry, and ensnare foes.[12][13]

Ensnaring a target in a net was an effective way to limit a foe's mobility, to break a spellcaster's concentration,[6] or to disarm a weapon.[11] A captured target could escape an average net by either cutting through it or tearing through it with sufficient strength,[6] but doing so was often injurious[14] and left them vulnerable to attack.[15]

Nets were a critical component of underwater combat, allowing wielders to trap a target in order to strike. Larger nets could be used to encircle enemies, while thrown nets were heavily weighted in order to both offset the drag of the water and to more effectively limit an ensnared target's mobility. Nets could also be easily concealed or disguised as seaweed in order to set an ambush.[16]

Availability[]

  • Nueth's Fine Nets, a shop in Waterdeep that specialized in rope and rope-related products such as nets.[17]
  • The city of Tantras was well known for having a number of expert netmakers. A typical rope shop was owned by one or more masters, with six to eight skilled workers and a handful of apprentices in their employ that all worked to ‘weave’ ropes into nets by hand.[18]

Notable Nets[]

Notable Owners[]

2e net ambush

Sahuagin launch an ambush!

General[]

Groups[]

  • The Huroola tribe solely permitted male members the use of nets for fishing.[23]

Races & Sentient Creatures[]

Religions[]

  • Guides, the specialty priests of Lucha, favored the use of nets in combat.[28]
  • Joydancers, the specialty priests of Church of Lliira, were permitted to wield nets without violating their vows.[29] The weapon was favored among mystics.[30]
  • Nets were a favored weapon of Eldath[31] and thus were often favored in combat by peacemen, a variety of specialty priest in her church.[32] Her avatars also wielded an enchanted net, known simply as Net.[31]
  • The favored weapon of Marduk's avatars was an enchanted net that was said to be made of the four winds and was unbreakable so long as he stood within 50 feet (15 meters) of it.[33]
  • Waterwalkers, a variety of specialty priest in the Church of Istishia, favored the use of nets in combat.[34]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Adventures

Desert of Desolation • Dungeon #20, "The Ship of Night" • Dungeon #33, "Mad Gyoji" • Dungeon #103, "Forest of Blood" • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage

Novels & Short Stories

Rising Tide • The Sea Devil's Eye • The Crimson Gold

Comics

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (comic series) (#2, #3) • Forgotten Realms (comic) (#11, #21)

Gamebooks

Knight of the Living Dead

Board Games

Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins

Card Games

Dragonfire (Moonshae Storms)

Organized Play & Licensed Adventures

Spirits of the Night • A Smuggler's Life for Me • A Wedding Summons in Ravens Bluff • How Long Can You Tread Water? • Inferno in the Living City • A Goodly Apple • ...And the Body Dies • The Water Babies • Waterfalls • Slippery When Wet • Dawn's Early Light • Descent into the Deep • The Fisherman's Tale • Hunting Party • The Rogue of the World • Masks of the Dohi-ri • The Guns of Azzagrat: "A Celestial Crown" • A Ticket to Midnight • Stone and Steel • Spider Tower • A Night at Sharkey's Bar and Grill • An Army of One Thousand • Raiders of the Twilight Marsh • Chaos in the City of Splendors
Referenced only
Scavenger Hunt • One Thing... • Red Dawn • The Roundup • Quatlebar • Three Coins in a Well

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 117. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  3. ↑ Grant Boucher, Troy Christensen, Jon Pickens, John Terra and Scott Davis (1991). Arms and Equipment Guide. (TSR, Inc.), p. 108. ISBN 1-56076-109-1.
  4. ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (August 2000). Player's Handbook 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 99. ISBN 0-7869-1551-4.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Robert J. Schwalb (October 2008). “We Who Are About to Die...”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #368 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 119–120. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 58. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 63. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Robert J. Schwalb (October 2008). “We Who Are About to Die...”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #368 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65.
  10. ↑ Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 71. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Grant Boucher, Troy Christensen, Jon Pickens, John Terra and Scott Davis (1991). Arms and Equipment Guide. (TSR, Inc.), p. 83. ISBN 1-56076-109-1.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Keith Francis Strohm (September 1997). Of Ships and the Sea. (TSR, Inc), p. 87. ISBN 0786907061.
  13. ↑ Robert J. Schwalb (October 2008). “We Who Are About to Die...”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #368 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 66–67.
  14. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 148. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  15. ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 141. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 56. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  17. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 159. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  18. ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2004-03-24). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2004). Candlekeep Forum. Retrieved on 2023-06-11.
  19. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 72. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 151. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  21. ↑ Wolfgang Baur (November 1993). Secrets of the Lamp. Genie Lore. (TSR, Inc.), p. 61. ISBN 978-1560766476.
  22. ↑ Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 276. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
  23. ↑ Uncredited (December 1994). “Tribes of the Nubari”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #102 (TSR, Inc.), p. 9.
  24. ↑ James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 78. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
  25. ↑ Voronica Whitney-Robinson (September 2012). The Crimson Gold. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 1. ISBN 0-7869-3120-5.
  26. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 198–200. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  27. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 35. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  28. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 137. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  29. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 99–100. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  30. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 186. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 234. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  32. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 59. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  33. ↑ James Ward, Robert J. Kuntz (August 1980). Deities & Demigods. Edited by Lawrence Schick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 24. ISBN 0-935696-22-9.
  34. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 80. ISBN 978-0786903849.
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