# Tying Knots *Source: Xanathar's Guide to Everything p. 78* The rules are purposely open-ended concerning mundane tasks like tying knots, but sometimes knowing how well a knot was fashioned is important in a dramatic scene when someone is trying to untie a knot or slip out of one. Here's an optional rule for determining the effectiveness of a knot. The creature who ties the knot makes an Intelligence ([Sleight of Hand](/Rules/Source/skills.md#Sleight%20of%20Hand)) check when doing so. The total of the check becomes the DC for an attempt to untie the knot with an Intelligence ([Sleight of Hand](/Rules/Source/skills.md#Sleight%20of%20Hand)) check or to slip out of it with a Dexterity ([Acrobatics](/Rules/Source/skills.md#Acrobatics)) check. This rule intentionally links [Sleight of Hand](/Rules/Source/skills.md#Sleight%20of%20Hand) with Intelligence, rather than Dexterity. This is an example of how to apply the rule in the <span title="Player's Handbook">"Variant: Skills with Different Abilities"</span> section in chapter 7 of the player's handbook.