Flying Grapplers...

[Eccles]

My group is about to confront a group of flying creatures with Improved Grab.

The grab and grapple is no problem. Where I come unstuck is the "flying away whilst holding someone" part.

It gets the grab as a free action, so could it hold the grapple on the same basis?

How fast can the creature move? Single move? Double Move? Run?

Answers on a postcard, please...

 

[silentspace]

I'd say if the grappler can carry the grapplee's (?) weight while flying, then that's all there is to it. Dragons, fer instance. Can they grab (grapple) someone and fly off with him? I'd say yes. A grig? Maybe not.

 

[strongbow]

A Creature may fly with no more than its light load, so calculate encumbrance and that will tell you the answer to your question.

 

[Camarath]

Normally one uses the Move grapple option to move while in a grapple. I can not find anything that says that flying creatures do not need to use this action to move while in a grapple so I assume that they must use this option.

Move: You can move half your speed (bringing all others engaged in the grapple with you) by winning an opposed grapple check. This requires a standard action, and you must beat all the other individual check results to move the grapple.
Note: You get a +4 bonus on your grapple check to move a pinned opponent, but only if no one else is involved in the grapple.

 

[Legildur]

I'd have thought that the flying creature would need to take the -20 penalty on the grapple in order to be free to fly.

And/or, as per the dragon example, would need the Snatch feat.

 

[Eccles]

I've been thinking about this for a day now, and still don't see any way around it.

The creature in question is an Yrthak. 60' base fly speed.

It has improved grab, and the Snatch ability. Specifically written into the description are its habits of picking things up, and dropping them.

If it's having to use an attack to maintain the grapple, then it can't double move or run.

And can only move at 1/2 speed.

It has average flight, and can only climb (at a 60 degree angle) at half speed.

So if it wants to pick up the average adventurer, it can only carry him at 15 feet a round? It's going to take the darn creature 4-6 rounds just to get out of darkvision range!

Anyone care to help me out here? We're due to game tonight (UK o'clock), and I want to get my facts straight before I get started...

 

[Wolffenjugend]

A Creature may fly with no more than its light load, so calculate encumbrance and that will tell you the answer to your question.

Where's that rule from? Does it apply to characters with the Fly spell as well?

 

[Eccles]

Where's that rule from? Does it apply to characters with the Fly spell as well?

Actually, from the SRD I've got here at work;

The creature can fly at the listed speed if carrying no more than a medium load.

So medium load, and it seems that this is a limit for everyone, even people using the spell.

And unless anyone comes back to me in the next hour or so, I'm going to wing it and have improved grab creatures with wings able to fly and grapple as a free action.

Or maybe just double moves...