Does grappling take two free hands?

[kreynolds]

What I find confusing is that in the grappling rules of the ph it says I can still attack with a light weapon while grappling.

Correct.

So does that mean I can grapple with one hand?

Yes, but you take a -20 penalty to your grapple check.

And the -20 rule is for improved grapple...

No. Its an available option for everyone. And it's Improved Grab.

...so its not an issue in this discussion.

*shrug*

 

[Brekki]

Cleric with Righteous Might and several buffs grabbing the puny gnomen wizard?

Polymorphed Expanded Fortified Animal Affinity'd psychic warrior grabbing the Huge Red Dragon ... sure

 

[IceBear]

Ok, if the -20 option is for everyone, then why bother with even listing that there is an Improved Grab for the different monsters? Sure, Improved Grab also lets a monster attempt a grapple on a successful hit for free, but the only place the -20 option is mentioned is in the Improved Grab rules; it's not mentioned in the grappling rules where it should be if it was an option for everyone (and I've checked the d20 Modern SRD too)

I don't see it as a bad house rule if you wanted to use it I suppose, I just don't think it was intended to be an option for anyone without the appropriate feats/abilities.

IceBear

 

[Brekki]

A lot of the grapple rules are not explained properly in the PH. I assume that they didn't think many buffed characters would use the option to grapple with one appendage. That became the -20 rule that appeared in MM. What "Improved Grab" does is:
- free grapple check after succesfull normal attack
- pull opponent towards you
- the ability to NOT take -20 on the first "Hold" check and still hold the opponent in one appendage

 

[Stalker0]

A lot of the grapple rules are not explained properly in the PH. I assume that they didn't think many buffed characters would use the option to grapple with one appendage. That became the -20 rule that appeared in MM. What "Improved Grab" does is:
- free grapple check after succesfull normal attack
- pull opponent towards you
- the ability to NOT take -20 on the first "Hold" check and still hold the opponent in one appendage

I have to disagree with you Brekki. Looking on pg. 9 of the MM, under improved grab:

"The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally , or simply use a part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it suffers a -20 penalty to the grapple checks, but...."

It specifically says normal grapple and the special -20 is an OR situation, so normal grapple does not include -20. Also, as icebear mentions, the only place I've seen the -20 rule is under improved grab. If the -20 rule was intended for normal grapple, it should have been in normal grapple. So I have to conclude that the -20 rule is for improved grab only.

 

[IceBear]

Made irrelevant by FAQ entry.

IceBear

 

[kreynolds]

If the -20 rule was intended for normal grapple, it should have been in normal grapple.

Ironic that the grappling rules are being completely rewritten, no?

So I have to conclude that the -20 rule is for improved grab only.

Also from the FAQ...

The introduction to the Monster Manual says a creature
with the improved grab ability can take a -20 penalty on
grappling checks to avoid being treated as grappled and so
keep its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class and continue to
threaten the area around it, among other benefits. How
long does the -20 penalty last? And how long is the creature
not considered grappled?
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspAny creature can opt to take -20 on a grapple check to avoid
the more unpleasant aspects of grappling (such as losing your
Dexterity bonus and being subject to sneak attacks from
rogues), not just creatures with the improved grab ability.
&nbsp&nbsp&nbspOnce you decide to take the -20 penalty, the penalty applies
to all grapple checks you make until your next turn. Should you
succeed at a grapple check and actually establish a hold on an
opponent despite the penalty, you are not considered grappled.
(If you fail to establish a hold, you wouldn't be grappling in
any case, unless someone grabbed and held you.) On your next
turn, you can stop taking the -20 penalty (which could help you
maintain your hold or pin your opponent), but if you do, you
are considered grappled until it's your turn again, at which
point you can either let go or start taking the penalty again.

 

[IceBear]

Ah - I missed that FAQ entry.

Oh well, learned something new. BTW - you got that thing memorized or something

IceBear

 

[kreynolds]

BTW - you got that thing memorized or something

Nah. I just sucked up the extra megabyte for the search function in Acrobat Reader.

 

[IceBear]

Nah. I just sucked up the extra megabyte for the search function in Acrobat Reader.

Ah well, serves me for trusting my old memory (I couldn't remember that in the FAQ when I last read it) and didn't bother to search when this came up

IceBear