Dazed and Grappling

[Pinotage]

What happens when a grappling character becomes dazed, e.g. by the foe its grappling casting Blasphemy? Can it make opposed grapple checks or does the foe just walk free from the grapple? Can the foe escape on a move action? Is the term 'move action' redundant in a grapple or can you actually use one, e.g. if you cast a spell, can you use your move action in the grapple for something?

Thanks

Pinotage

 

[the Jester]

I wouldn't think that being dazed makes you let go, it simply stops you from taking any actions on your own. You still keep your dex bonus when dazed, for instance.

Stunned, on the other hand, makes you drop whatever is in your hands.

 

[Pinotage]

But is an opposed grapple check considered taking an action? So, for example, the dazed creature's opponent attempts to escape the grapple and makes an grapple check. Can the dazed opponent prevent the escape?

Pinotage

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

But is an opposed grapple check considered taking an action?

No, just like making a saving throw is not an action.

 

[the Jester]

No, just like making a saving throw is not an action.

That would be my reading too.

 

[jgsugden]

There are no official rules that I know of that handle what happens when a dazed character is involved in a grapple.

My suggestion is that the grapple *not* be automatically broken. Dazed is a very minor incapacitated state. In fact, a dazed character is not truly incapacitated at all. It is just prevented from taking actions for 1 round. Importantly, a dazed creature does not lose any AC. It is able to defend itself. It is able to respond to threats.

It just cannot take any new actions. My interpretation is that a dazed character can respond to outside stimulus, but cannot begin new activities. Accordingly, if a Burly barbarian were grappling a cleric, and that cleric cast blasphemy (dazing the barbarian), the barbarian would not automatically release the cleric. If the cleric wants to get free, it would need to find a way to instigate a grapple check or escape artist check of its own to get free.