[D&D 3.5] Dragging someone off in ONE round

[LordPhrofet]

So I have been planning an Urban adventure game for a while now using the 3.5 rules. Now the question I have is if there is a way to mimic the Batman/Assassins Creed/etc style of grabbing someone and hauling off into the darkness, around a corner, into a hay stack, etc in ONE(1) ROUND. Theoretically it is quite simple to do with a successful grapple check but you wouldn't be able to do that until the round after initiating a grapple (at least as far as I understand the move enemy with a grapple rules) which would not be fast enough for the desired effect.

Thank you all in advance for any assistance in this matter.


First post here on Enworld but once upon a time I was quite active in the old WotC forums. Hopefully I can even lurk and post helpful stuff once in a while!

 

[Greenfield]

Option 1:
Start with a Surprise action. That happens before Initiative.

Beat the target's Initiative and you get a second round of action before they get their first. The effect is exactly what you're looking for.

Option 2:
Initiating a Grapple is a Standard action. The Move action is separate.

There are rules for moving someone you have in a Grapple. Easier if you have them Pinned, but that takes more time than you're allowing, so do with what you have.

Option 3:
Lurk in hiding until the target comes within reach. Grapple with your first attack. Pin with your second attack. five-foot step to pull target into concealing darkness.

The "Pin" in this case has to include the classic "Hand over the mouth" maneuver, which I think is legal under the Pin rules. That way they can't yell or draw attention to you, since you're really close to the spot you grabbed them from (5 feet).

If you avoid notice that round, drag them where you need to.

In all cases be aware that attacking from the shadows (total concealment, if you can convince your DM) is great, but you still need a Hide check once you've got them, and that's at a huge penalty.

 

[LordPhrofet]

Greenfield:

Option1 doesn't work for the concept because a surprise is still a separate round so there is still 2 rounds going off which is more then enough time for someone to see the action.

Option 2 I though the moving someone with a grapple was a standard action? I am wrong about this? That concept might work

Option 3: Yeah this definitely works but doesn't allow the jump around the corner, grab the guy, and drag him back around the corner.

I am the GM of the game and am trying to work a way to allow PC and NPC to do a maneuver like this. I am hoping there is an existing way to do it but if not I might need to create a homebrew feat ( I remember a feat that allowed you to trip an opponent as soon as you grappled so would probably something similar to that)

Thank you for the reply!

 

[Dandu]

Be a Psychic Warrior. Hustle.

 

[adwyn]

Another option is to have a feat that allows multiple attacks in grapple at higher levels the same way characters gain multiple melee attacks. I would link it to BAB with the same -5 formula.

 

[Tinker]

Bull rush, if you can come out of concealment on one side of the alley, and take your victim into another place the other side.

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[Tinker]

Moving someone with a grapple is indeed a standard action, not just an attack.

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[LordPhrofet]

adwyn:
i thought you could already do that if you started the round already in a grapple? At least that was my understanding based on the old rules of the game article.

 

[Tinker]

adwyn:
i thought you could already do that if you started the round already in a grapple? At least that was my understanding based on the old rules of the game article.

I think the question is, is there a way to get from unengaged and out of sight to grappling the victim and back out of sight in a single character's turn. Presumably the scenario requires that no passer-by gets a chance to see it happen.
I think the answer is no, barring a new feat or monstrous special ability.
Can the snatcher or an ally of theirs do magic, or have items? Silence and an illusion, darkness or fog might help them make the grab undetected even if it takes multiple rounds.

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[Greenfield]

I think option 3 works. Here's the scenario:

You stand in the dark alley, waiting for the victim to come within reach.

Grapple the person in the adjacent square. Per the rules you end up in that person's square This five foot move is free and doesn't count against your movement in the round.

This is, by the way, the only way I know of to end your round in a space occupied by another medium sized character.

That gives you the move-attack-move combo you sought.

Discuss with the DM whether you can draw them into your square, instead of you moving into theirs. That would be a house rule, not a book rule, but if the DM agrees then you have your full scene right there.

One thing I learned in reading up on this is that when the grappler and defender tie on their grapple checks, the tie doesn't go to the defender. I'd always heard that and played it that way. The tie goes to the one with the better grapple modifier. If it's still a tie then re-roll to break the tie.