Bugbear Strangler

[Markn]

If the Bugbear Strangler uses its Strangle power to establish a grab. What happens if it chooses to attack another creature?

Looking at other monsters, like zombies, it is clear that once a grab is established there is nothing to prevent the creature from attacking someone else (unless I missed something of course) either with a normal attack or as an OA.

So, once the strangle is established, can I give up the ability to do auto damage to my victim and swing a weapon at someone else and if so, do I lose my grab? If I don't can I then sustain the power next round to do auto damage?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mort_Q]

You must have one hand free to make (or maintain) a grab.

I don't see why a Bugbear couldn't maintain the grab with one hand and attack with the other, but he'd lose the -4 penalty to escape as well as the strangle damage.

I'm sure what the advantage of that would be.

 

[Markn]

You must have one hand free to make (or maintain) a grab.

I don't see why a Bugbear couldn't maintain the grab with one hand and attack with the other, but he'd lose the -4 penalty to escape as well as the strangle damage.

I'm sure what the advantage of that would be.

So, after reading Grab it appears you normally needa minor action to sustain a grab. I think with the Bugbear Strangler, it is intentional to be a Standard action to maintain the grab and do the power. That's my reading anyway so I way say that if you attack someone else you lose the grab completely.

Does that make sense?

 

[Tellerve]

I would do a minor to keep the hold, if he wants to benefit from the damaging strangle and keep the hold then its the standard action.

However, it should be noted that the strangler's weapon is an oversized morningstar (a two handed weapon) so unless he is kicking or punching nearby enemies for 1d4 + str then he would have to let go of the rope garrote to make an attack with that morningstar.

Tellerve

 

[Markn]

I would do a minor to keep the hold, if he wants to benefit from the damaging strangle and keep the hold then its the standard action.

However, it should be noted that the strangler's weapon is an oversized morningstar (a two handed weapon) so unless he is kicking or punching nearby enemies for 1d4 + str then he would have to let go of the rope garrote to make an attack with that morningstar.

Tellerve

Good point about the morning star.

So, if a minor action would keep the hold, how would you go from just maintaining the hold to doing auto damage and giving a -4 on the check to escape? Would the bugbear just spend a standard action?

 

[Mort_Q]

... so I way say that if you attack someone else you lose the grab completely.

I wouldn't say you lose the grab, just all the other stuff granted by the strangle power.

That is, it is now just a grab.

 

[Markn]

I wouldn't say you lose the grab, just all the other stuff granted by the strangle power.

That is, it is now just a grab.

So, the Sustain Standard only applies to the additional components of the Grab then (even though it is the same power)?

 

[Tellerve]

I would say he can sustain minor, and still keep his -4 to the opponents escape check and then have himself a move and a standard. He could decide to try and move himself and the strangled pc. Or he could kick/punch/whatever an adjacent enemy. Or if you gave him a different weapon he could use that.

Otherwise he would spend his standard action to cinch in the garrote tighter and make it hurt (ie a standard action doing the damage), or he could let go altogether and pull out his heapin' big morningstar and go to town.

EDIT: Ya know, after re-reading it, it does make it seem that he has to use his standard action to keep the strangle and all its effects going. I don't know if I like this, as I like the possibilties above for him, instead of him just continually choking the victim. I especially like the idea of him move the character with him back somewhere to finish him off, perhaps without others knowing. And moving a grabbed character is a standard action and if I went with standard sustain is the only way to go he wouldn't be able to do that. And that doesn't seem as interesting to me.

Tellerve

 

[Markn]

Tellerve,

I compared the Strangler to the Choker and the Choker seems obvious in that it could get a grab, then attack someone else as long as the minor action was spent on sustaining the grab because hit power are separated instead of being lumped into one power.

So, like you, I think the power is combined and if he does not use a standard action to continue the power, the grab is broken. Also, like you, it doesn't seem as interesting that way.