Escape from Grapple

[flun]

Hi,

last night in my group we discussed an issue about grappling. The question was: If after escaping from grapple, can a character make further attacks?

EDIT: We're playing 3.5e.


The rules say (1):

"Many of these maneuvers take the place of an attack (rather than being standard actions or move actions). If your base attack bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these maneuvers in place of each of your attacks, but you use successively lower attack bonuses to resolve any required opposed grapple checks."

and

"You can escape from an opponent's grasp by winning an opposed grapple check in place of making an attack."

We agreed that this means that a combatant with several attacks due to a high BAB may try to escape from grapple as often as he has attacks (with successively lower attacks bonuses of course).

Also the rules say:

"If you escape, you finish the action by moving into any space adjacent to your opponent or opponents. This movement is part of the attack or standard action you used to escape the grapple." (1)

The part in italic is in addition to the PHB.

We did not agree what "you finish the action" exactly means. One opinion was that the combatants turn is over because action here means "full attack action". In this case there would not remain any further attacks. As a result if the combatant escapes from grapple on the first of his severals attacks then he would forfeit his remaining attacks.

The other opinion was that the sentence primarily means the combatant is not on the same space as the other grappler(s) after escaping and that this ends just his attack he used to escape from grapple. This would mean that he can still perform any remaining attacks.

Any opinions on this? If there is any reference, preferably by WotC that further clarifies this?

Thank you!

flun


(1) I took the citations from "All About Grappling (Part Two)", Rules of the Game: All About Grappling (Part Two)

 

[Persiflage]

I thought it was pretty clear: the grappled character escapes on their action: as part of the escape attempt they end up in an adjacent square and if they have any attacks remaining they can take them.

Even if "action" in this context means "full attack action", it doesn't make any difference. An opposed grapple check is a special kind of attack that - if successful - leaves you in an adjacent square to the erstwhile grappler; you still got the rest of your attacks left to take. A single grapple check clearly isn't equivalent to "a full attack action" or you'd only ever get one... and remember, you don't (certain feats and special actions aside) have to declare that you're making a full-attack action until after you've taken your first attack of the round.

The other opinion was that the sentence primarily means the combatant is not on the same space as the other grappler(s) after escaping and that this ends just his attack he used to escape from grapple. This would mean that he can still perform any remaining attacks.

This.

 

[flun]

Thank you very much!

flun

 

[radmod]

The rules say (1):

"Many of these maneuvers take the place of an attack (rather than being standard actions or move actions). If your base attack bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these maneuvers in place of each of your attacks, but you use successively lower attack bonuses to resolve any required opposed grapple checks."

My problem with this is that I can't find that in my 3.5 PHB book, PHB pdf, RC, or the SRD. Is it possible you have a 3.0 PHB or am I just missing it (or is it in another book)? EDIT: I see it's posted this way on WOTC but the article is 7 months older than the RC.

From the SRD/PHB:
"When you are grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), you can perform any of the following actions. Some of these actions take the place of an attack (rather than being a standard action or a move action). If your base attack bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these actions in place of each of your attacks, but at successively lower base attack bonuses. "

Followed up by:
"If you escape, you finish the action by moving into any space adjacent to your opponent(s)."

So it's clear to me that escaping is a 'grapple' action, and if you escape you finish the 'grapple' action by moving.

The RC words it differently though. It uses the term 'maneuver' (perhaps to avoid the 'action' problem you posted). However, it also says "if you escape, you finish by moving..." thereby neatly avoiding the term 'action'.

Also note that if you escape on your first attempt (and you have a DM who doesn't demand you declare a standard or full round action ahead of time) you could then perform a move action to get farther away.

 

[Sunseeker]

My interpretation would be: Their grapple-escape puts puts them there as part of it. Meaning they can still take any more actions they have left.