Grappling rules & beholders

[Nail]

BTW: Let's say an Air Elemental grappled a PC. Could the Air elemental still fly (with the PC in it's grasp)?

 

[Deimodius]

If someone using the "fly" spell is grappled, canthey continue to Fly?

 

[tauton_ikhnos]

Deimodius: Weight counts towards your ability to fly.

Grappling & Flying: Strictly by the rules, you can't fly (other than hover) while grappling, unless you make a grapple check to move, or have Improved Grab and are using only one limb. Describe it as "using eyestalks as handlebars". Certainly, you can prevent movement without actually grappling the motive limb, just by shifting weight and angles. However, in the case of movement which does not require limbs, I'd have the default be "able to move", and the attacker be able to make a grapple check to prevent movement (i.e., a pin).

Regardless, though, the encumbrance factor would have killed the beholder whether he can fly in a grapple or not - he can't fly with a heavy weight on him.

 

[mikebr99]

A little harsh for someone grappling a beholder perhaps, but no more than they deserve if they want to wrestle an explosive beach ball.

• Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.
• Do not expose Happy Fun Ball to direct sunlight.
• Prolonged exposure to Happy Fun Ball may result in reduced sexual activity.
• etc.

Mike

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

If I have a normal movement rate of 30' walking on the ground can I still walk while grappled? No! There is no mechanical difference for flying abilities. If the Beholder doesn't have the carrying capacity, it just plummets to the ground.

IMHO, yes, it can use it eyestalks in a grapple. But there is a 25% of any ray hitting the Beholder itself. Careful with the Disintegrate: it won't hurt the Barbarian but it will kill the Beholder.

 

[Camarath]

IMHO, yes, it can use it eyestalks in a grapple. But there is a 25% of any ray hitting the Beholder itself. Careful with the Disintegrate: it won't hurt the Barbarian but it will kill the Beholder.

Why would the beholder have 25% chance to hit its self with it eye rays when in a grapple?

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Sir whiskers: I'm not sure that encumbrance should apply to a Beholder's ability to fly. If a person (or creatures dependant onlegs to move) is carrying to much weight, the reason the can not move is that they are forced to towards the ground and can not move their legs do to the weight on them.

If the Beholder's ability to fly does not depend on its body (ie, magical/psionic) then unless it is carrying so much it is physically pushed to the ground, how should encumberance stope it from "levitating" sideways (which is really what a beholder's flight is).

I based my analysis on a reading of both the fly and overland flight spells, which specificially limit the affected creature to no more than a heavy load. If these spells limit the load, I think it's reasonable that the Ex ability would too.

If someone using the "fly" spell is grappled, can they continue to Fly?

I can't find a thing in the rules that answer this one way or the other. I'm inclined to allow it (within encumbrance limits), but if a GM ruled otherwise, I wouldn't argue. Since most grappling creatures are way over the max encumbrance of your typical flying character, it's probably a moot point.

 

[CalrinAlshaw]

Why, out of curiosity would a fly spell be based on the strength of the flyer? I think a PC who is "flying" via the fly spell, should only be able to carry an amount of equipment equal to Caster Level = Strength (Using the medium creature carrying capacity)

That way, higher level wizards can "carry" more. And it's not based on a rediculous notion that the "strength" of the fly spell is based on the muscle power of the subject of that spell.

Calrin Alshaw

 

[andargor]

Why, out of curiosity would a fly spell be based on the strength of the flyer? I think a PC who is "flying" via the fly spell, should only be able to carry an amount of equipment equal to Caster Level = Strength (Using the medium creature carrying capacity)

Calrin Alshaw

Don't you flap your arms and kick your legs when you use Fly?



Andargor

 

[Shin Okada]

Regarding eye rays. While grappling the only weapons a creature can use are unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weapon. It can be argued in either way but if I were a DM, I do not allow someone to use ranged touch attacks while grappling.