Evard's Black Tentacles get only one try?

[Wolfwood2]

Got a sorcerer who took Black Tentacles at 9th level. So far I have not been impressed with it. (Of course, this might be due to the fact that we've been fighting driders with class levels, who apparently have very high grapple checks.)

Anyway, I wanted to verify one particularly annoying feature of the spell. By my reading, the tentacles only get to attempt a grapple once on any given creature in the area. If the creature fights off the first grapple, it can lounge around in the spell area for the remaining duration without fear.

That means if the creature fights off the first grapple, the tentacle area actually becomes a "safe haven" for it. It can hide inside the tentacles and use ranged attacks, and PC fighters can't come in without risking getting grappled themselves. Ony if the creature leaves and then returns would it have to make a second check.

Is that how it's supposed to work?

 

[s-dub]

While the text doesn't explicitly state that the tentacles get grapple checks every round, I don't think it's a bad assumption to make. The text does explicitly state that any creature entering the area is attacked, so I would imagine if you leave the area and come back it will try to grapple you again.

 

[Dross]

A couple of things to note:

1. There is no clause for being immune to further grapple attempts like they do for critter's fear or nausiating effects; and

2. There is no mention of "each round spent in the spell's area of effect allows another grapple check.

My take is that the the text implies only one grapple check. I wonder how the players would want it to be run if the spell was used against them.

As an aside, there is nothing wrong with some foes being less affected by a particular spell.

 

[Vegepygmy]

I infer from the text that the tentacles continue to attempt to grapple anyone in the spell's area.

 

[wedgeski]

Hmm. Over the past few sessions, ever since a sorcerer in my own group got this spell, I've been finding it dominant to the point of overpowered, giving the party way too much battlefield control for their level.

Now I read the SRD text I wonder whether it's been used correctly. (Is there a chance the PHB text disambiguates things? I'm at work and can't check.) If black tentacles actually only got one attack against opponents in its initial area of effect, leaving them free to act (albeit at half movement) once they escaped or avoided the initial grapple, it would bring the spell back into the realms of being correctly balanced IMO.

 

[irdeggman]

From the FAQ:

Is a character who remains within the area of effect of an Evard’s black tentacles spell subject to being grappled again after avoiding the tentacles initially, or only upon entering the area?


It appears that Evard’s black tentacles attack anyone a) in the spell’s area when the spell is cast, or b) anyone entering the area, but not c) anyone within the area of the spell on later
rounds but free of the tentacles. Thus, if you avoid the initial attack or free yourself from the grapple, the tentacles won’t attack you again.

 

[wedgeski]

From the FAQ:

Well that will certainly change things. Now I have a grumbly sorcerer to look forward to.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

How did the spell work under 3.0?

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[frankthedm]

Well that will certainly change things. Now I have a grumbly sorcerer to look forward to.

Thats an issue with black tentacles, they rule against medium classed opponents and suck vs large monsters. That ungenerous FAQ ruling, I suspect stems from how brutal the spell can be against a medium BBEG.

3.0 Black Tentacles
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: 1d4 tentacles + one tentacle/level, all within 15 ft. of a central point
Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell conjures many rubbery black tentacles. These waving members seem to spring forth from the earth, floor, or whatever surface is underfoot—including water. There are 1d4 such tentacles, plus one per caster level, appearing randomly scattered about the area. Each tentacle is 10 feet long (Large) and saves as the character does. It has AC 16, 1 hit point/per caster level, an attack bonus of +1/per caster level, and a Strength score of 19 (+4 bonus). It is immune to spells that don’t cause damage (other than disintegrate).

Each round that a tentacle is not already grappling someone or something, starting the round after it appears, it makes a grapple attack at a random creature or object within 10 feet of it. These attacks take place on the character's turn. The tentacles do not attack each other, nor do they attack objects that are smaller than a Medium-size creature. The attacks are like regular grappling attacks, except that they don’t provoke attacks of opportunity from opponents. Also, they cause 1d6 points of normal damage (+4 for Strength), not subdual damage. A tentacle maintains its grapple even after its subject is dying or dead.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Ok. So the original version would try to grapple an opponent each round that it was able to. Given that, I do not think that the 3.5 version was meant to try once and give up.

Black Tentacles is a whole lot of area control for a mid level spell. However, Entangle is also a whole lot of control for a low level spell. And casting Web in a room full of opponents does not make for happy opponents either. I can see justification for going either way with this spell, so go with whatever will result in a happier gaming table. I would be inclined to let the spell try for a grapple once each round on any opponent it can affect.

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