Disarm, Trip, and Grapple with ToB Combat Maneuvers

[HoboGod]

The requirement for most ToB combat maneuvers is a successful melee attack. Disarm, Trip, and Grapple, according to the SRD, are substitute for melee attacks. With a successful Disarm, Trip, or Grapple attempt, can any such combat maneuver be activated?

 

[Wyvernhand]

No. While substitutes for an attack, they are not an attack as required by most strikes. You couldn't Mountain Hammer disarm someone (unless you actually sundered their weapon with the Mountain Hammer, a valid tactic). Unless you have some ability that causes a combat maneuver to trigger (such as Scorpions Grasp or Knockdown), or the maneuver itself actually grants the combat maneuver (Disarming Strike, Ballista Throw, etc), you can't start a non-attack combat action with a strike.

 

[HoboGod]

Thank you for the response. It is not quite the answer I was looking for, however. I have a feeling that Disarm, Trip, and Grapple cannot be used to activate a combat maneuvers, but I don't know where in rules that it prohibits them. If you can point me to a place that says substitute melee attacks are not treated as melee attacks, I would appreciate it greatly.

 

[HoboGod]

I found the rule I was looking for! If anyone else has this question, it's in Tome of Battle (Bo9S) page 43: ". . . you cannot combine special attacks such as sunder and bull rush with strikes. . . ."

The PHB lists trip, disarm, and grapple as special attacks, so that's pretty open and close. I'm still not sure if trip, disarm, and grapple can be treated as melee attacks for all other purposes, but for ToB maneuvers, they are not.