Can you Sneak Attack with Grapple Checks?

[HellHound]

If we rule no (which I'm pretty much in favor of), it certainly reduces the damage dealt by the druid/rogue gestalt with improved invisibility wild shaped into a giant octopus.

 

[RigaMortus2]

If we rule no (which I'm pretty much in favor of), it certainly reduces the damage dealt by the druid/rogue gestalt with improved invisibility wild shaped into a giant octopus.

Not a very common class combination anyway... Esp since Druid's don't get Improved Invis.

Hmmm... I am now wondering if you were just joking around anyway, heh...

 

[Deset Gled]

If we rule no (which I'm pretty much in favor of), it certainly reduces the damage dealt by the druid/rogue gestalt with improved invisibility wild shaped into a giant octopus.

If you rule no (i.e., that causing damage with a grapple is not an attack), it also means that you can grapple while Invisible and not have to worry about becoming invisible again (although you may have to wait until someone grapples you, or cast it after the initial touch attack). Also, a paladin can't smite someone using a grapple, and a monk's Ki Strike won't help him overcome DR in a grapple.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

The feat Savage Grapple lets you add your SA dice to the damage of a successful grapple check using the "damage your opponent" option.

 

[Pielorinho]

My answer, based on how I see the actions going down, is that of course you can. Sneak-attacking involves knowing vital places to hit someone to do extra-nasty damage. Grappling damage involves hurting someone while wrestling them. Why on earth wouldn't you be able to hurt them in vital places while wrestling them?

Daniel

 

[Notmousse]

Because RAW and sense are much like oil and water. The only way to mix them is if you're the sudsy DM.

 

[HellHound]

Not a very common class combination anyway... Esp since Druid's don't get Improved Invis.

Hmmm... I am now wondering if you were just joking around anyway, heh...

Dead serious.

In my gestalt underdark campaign we have a goblin druid//rogue (with six stat-cards for her alternate forms, which includes one called "Cthulhu" who is a giant octopus - which is terrifying when she drops in on a group of lesser enemies - we've seen her lay out 8 successful attacks with her tentacles, deal full sneak attack with each one, and then follow-up with successful grapple checks on all of them), a half-drow soulknife//ranger, and a halfling wizard//cleric (the source of the improved invisibility).

It's been a lot of fun.

 

[HellHound]

The feat Savage Grapple lets you add your SA dice to the damage of a successful grapple check using the "damage your opponent" option.

Ouch. I'm handing that over to the player of the Druid//Rogue. That's going to be brutal.

 

[Pielorinho]

Dead serious.

In my gestalt underdark campaign we have a goblin druid//rogue (with six stat-cards for her alternate forms, which includes one called "Cthulhu" who is a giant octopus - which is terrifying when she drops in on a group of lesser enemies - we've seen her lay out 8 successful attacks with her tentacles, deal full sneak attack with each one, and then follow-up with successful grapple checks on all of them), a half-drow soulknife//ranger, and a halfling wizard//cleric (the source of the improved invisibility).

It's been a lot of fun.

Consider that after the first successful grapple check, even by the most generous interpretation of the rules, she's got two choices:
1) Take a -20 to all successive grapple checks; or
2) No longer threaten the spaces around her, and therefore be unable to attack anyone besides her first grappling opponent.

And I know that RAW and sense don't always mix; note that this is the rules forum, though, not the RAW forum . I advocate a common-sense approach to the rules, not a programmatic approach.

Daniel

 

[HellHound]

Consider that after the first successful grapple check, even by the most generous interpretation of the rules, she's got two choices:
1) Take a -20 to all successive grapple checks; or
2) No longer threaten the spaces around her, and therefore be unable to attack anyone besides her first grappling opponent.

And I know that RAW and sense don't always mix; note that this is the rules forum, though, not the RAW forum . I advocate a common-sense approach to the rules, not a programmatic approach.

Daniel

This is becoming a total threadjack, but does this mean that a giant octopus doesn't actually get to make all eight attacks in a round typically?