Grappling Massive Opponents

[CAFargo]

OK, so I was looking through the rules for grappling and found that my player couldn't grapple an opponent more than two sizes larger than himself. I was wondering, why not? Could a player perhaps grapple a part of a larger opponent?

 

[Runestar]

Nope. That's what sucks about grappling (and trip/disarm/bull-rush etc). They tend to favour the enemies over the PCs.

 

[Vegepygmy]

I was wondering, why not?

Because it's patently absurd.

Now, some people don't mind "patently absurd" in their games, and there's nothing wrong with that. Such people can safely ignore that particular rule.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Grappling and Overrun in particular I find patently absurd. But Bull Rush and Trip? If you have enough of a bonus to actually beat something 10x your size on an opposed roll, for all intents and purposes you are not human. I guess you could make the same case for grapple and overrun, but I just can't see a pixie pinning a giant. But tripping him? That I could imagine.

For what it's worth, I had a Goliath with the Knockback feat who focused on bull rushes. We made a custom +1 weapon enhancement ot let him bull rush any size creature, didn't seem broken.

 

[Mark Chance]

Against these very large foes, replace grapple checks with Ride checks.

 

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Against these very large foes, replace grapple checks with Ride checks.

Who's your daddy?