Grappling For Beginners: How To Strike, Hold & Throw

[Primitive Screwhead]

Got some tweaks for you on the draft of the Monster thing....

Breath Weapons

Opponents are denied saving throws against the breath weapon of a creature that has a Hold on them with a Bite attack.

Constrict

A creature with this special attack can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage at the end of its turn if it has a Hold on that opponent. The amount of damage is indicated in the creature’s description.

Improved Grab

If a creature with this special attack succeeds at a normal attack, it may make a grapple attack to establish a Hold as a free action. This free attack does not draw an AoO. If the grapple is successful, the target is drawn into the creature’s space. Unless otherwise noted, improved grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than the creature.
The creature may take a –10 penalty to the Hold attempt in exchange for the ability to not be considered Grappled.

Rake

A monster with the rake ability usually gains two additional claw attacks that it can use only against a held foe. Rake attacks are unarmed Strikes at the creatures highest BAB.

Snatch

The creature gains the ability of Improved Grab. In addition, if the target opponent is three or more sizes smaller, it gains the following additional benefits:
- The creature is not considered to be Grappled.
- At the start of any round in which the creature has a Hold on the smaller creature, it automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold.
- The creature with Snatch can move normally while maintaining a Hold on the opponent (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight.
- The creature can drop the creature it has snatched as a free action or use a standard action to fling it aside. A flung creature travels 1d6 × 10 feet, and takes 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet travelled. If the creature flings a snatched opponent while flying, the opponent takes this amount or falling damage, whichever is greater.
Note: Tumble and Monk skills may negate/soften the damage from being flung.

Change thoughts:
Added the breath weapon bit on its own just to cover all bases since it comes up in Imp Grab, Swallow Whole, and Snatch
Changed Constrict to read smoother and be easier to institute. SImple rule.. end of Snakes turn, check has Hold? Yes = damage
Changed Imp Grab to match Core {mostly}
Changes Snatch to match Core {mostly}
Rake.. deleted your avoiding the -4 penatly. If the Rake attacks are at the highest BAB, then you add in the -4 penalty you end up with pretty much the same score. Having the ability be two 'free' strikes once a Hold is gained. I think the critter should be able to Rake on the same turn. Pounce adds movement + Full attack + Rakes...

Anyway, just some random thoughts
I like the rest of the material..

 

[Morrus]

Got some tweaks for you on the draft of the Monster thing....



Change thoughts:
Added the breath weapon bit on its own just to cover all bases since it comes up in Imp Grab, Swallow Whole, and Snatch
Changed Constrict to read smoother and be easier to institute. SImple rule.. end of Snakes turn, check has Hold? Yes = damage
Changed Imp Grab to match Core {mostly}
Changes Snatch to match Core {mostly}
Rake.. deleted your avoiding the -4 penatly. If the Rake attacks are at the highest BAB, then you add in the -4 penalty you end up with pretty much the same score. Having the ability be two 'free' strikes once a Hold is gained. I think the critter should be able to Rake on the same turn. Pounce adds movement + Full attack + Rakes...

Anyway, just some random thoughts
I like the rest of the material..

Very nice - thank you! I must put a note thanking you in the book.

 

[Morrus]

My mistake. I think I just misread the PDF when I was trying to quickly digest it.

Out of curiosity, amaril - how do you manage to have a copy of the PDF yet not have it in your Bookshelf?

 

[RangerWickett]

I know that when I send out complimentary copies, if someone clicks 'download' as opposed to 'add to bookshelf,' they just get it once, instead of being able to get it whenever.

 

[Kristian Serrano]

Out of curiosity, amaril - how do you manage to have a copy of the PDF yet not have it in your Bookshelf?

It is in my bookshelf. I paid for it and I just downloaded the update yesterday. I can forward the paypal receipt to you if you'd like.

 

[Morrus]

It is in my bookshelf. I paid for it and I just downloaded the update yesterday. I can forward the paypal receipt to you if you'd like.

No, no, that's not necessary! I'm not trying to suggest anything.

 

[Kristian Serrano]

No, no, that's not necessary! I'm not trying to suggest anything.

Now I'm concerned. What gave the impression that it wasn't in my bookshelf? Is there a glitch in the system? Was it something I posted that was misinterpreted?

 

[Morrus]

Now I'm concerned. What gave the impression that it wasn't in my bookshelf? Is there a glitch in the system? Was it something I posted that was misinterpreted?

No, but you don't appear to have a bookshelf - there's no link to it under your avatar in your posts, and it doesn't appear in your profile. I'm presuming it's because you've elected to hide your bookshelf?

Honestly, no biggie! Nothing to be concerned about.

 

[Kristian Serrano]

No, but you don't appear to have a bookshelf - there's no link to it under your avatar in your posts, and it doesn't appear in your profile. I'm presuming it's because you've elected to hide your bookshelf?

Truthfully, I don't even know where that setting is.

 

[DrSpunj]

Alright, just got back from a couple days of vacation and downloaded the updated version. Morrus, these are very streamlined and easy to use! Thank you! (I sincerely hope my players will approve of them so we can ditch the Core rules for all of the special maneuvers.)

A few questions though:

• Improved Bullrush talks about moving into the defender's space, however there's no similar section in the Hold attack section. If the attacker's Hold is successful do both combatants remain in their original spaces? I'm getting a picture of Sumo wrestlers here, if so.
• If not, who moves? And if it's the attacker moving into the defender's space, they could induce a movement-related AoO from nearby foes, which is different than "provoking an AoO from anyone other than your target simply by attempting an unarmed attack" as described at the top of page 3.
• Either way, you list the penalties applied for someone who is held when being attacked by opponents other than the one grappling them, but are not explicit about any possibility of randomly hitting one of the other combatants either in melee or with ranged weapons. The PHB describes the latter while other systems (namely Iron Heroes) describe the former. Just looking for a clarification here, really.
• Depends on the first answer above, but if opponents share a space when one is holding the other, and the individual being held breaks free (of all holds, if multiple), do either get any kind of immediate movement so they aren't sharing a space any longer? Or are they just forced apart when one of their initiatives comes up?
• If someone is successfully held, you describe their -4 to AC to other opponents and delineate their options for attacking with a light weapon or natural attack at a -4 penalty, or unarmed strikes without penalty. They also can't use two weapons. However, it's not clear to me whether they can use those options only against the person(s) holding them, or whether they could choose to attack foes outside the grapple but within range. It's very cinematic to have the hero being held in a choke hold by one opponent and being unable to shake him loose before another foe comes up to join the fun; the hero kicks the new guy away before throwing the holder off of him.

I admit, it's mentally a bit difficult for me to "turn off" the Core rules and the IH rules we've been using more recently, but running through a few sample combats led me to these questions above. Sorry if I've missed the answers to some/all of my questions if they're already addressed in your text (though I'd still appreciate knowing exactly where I missed them).

I think a handful of quick examples would go a long way to pointing out how simple this system is. Using Archie, Biff & Clyde at the end of each manuever section would go pretty quick, and the fact that all the paragraphs would be really short is another testament to how easy these rules are to use.

Thanks.