Grappling with Grappling

[Mark]

Without getting too much into a Rules discussion (let's keep this anecdotal, please), what have been your experiences over the past six or seven years using the 3.x Grappling rules, as is, modified, or nearly changed beyond recognition? Please, try not to debate other people's experiences as we are not looking to discover who might be doing things right or wrong, just checking the community pulse with details, so to speak. Thanks.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

It was a pain in the butt every time it came up. I don't know why, but the grapple rules (as seldom as they were used) were probably my biggest problem with 3e. It always stopped the game dead in its tracks. I'll gleefully substitute Pathfinder's take on the issue.

 

[EricNoah]

The rules aren't so bad, necessarily, but I find that the creatures that can do it do it so well that there's no point in even trying to get out of it. I would like it to be less deadly, and I would like there to be the option of cutting off the grappling appendage (particularly tentacles).

 

[Morrus]

I would like there to be the option of cutting off the ... appendage.

I always worried about you, Noah!

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Grapple only really starts to break down once you start encountering CR 5 or greater creatures built around it, and its basically a case of positive feedback.

Your grapple modifier is based on your Bab, Str, and Size. For most PC characters, this is not especially overwhelming. However, there is a problem when you consider most Giant type creatures. Giant types are going to generally have high HD, and at least a decent BaB relative to their CR. Giant types always have a very high strength score. So a Str 30 size Huge creature is already playing with a +22 modifier to an opposed roll. It will almost never fail.

And when your grappled, your actions are basically limited. No movement, and any attack or spell type action is going to require an opposed grapple check, so again, it will never fail.

I have decided that for my own games, the size modifiers for grapple will instead apply to the touch AC attack to start a grapple rather than to the opposed roll. This makes it quite difficult to make the initial touch attack, but gives most fighter types at least an even chance at breaking the grapple, and Rogues / Clerics at least a plausible chance.

Given how spell casters are built though, Grapple is still the best 'screw the caster' option.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Krusk]

For last five years, Krusk reduced to grappling alligators in East Texas biker bars for tips.

 

[blargney the second]

Pain in the ass. We have to look it up in the PHB every time it comes up.

When DMing, I've started substituting improved grab and constrict for fun abilities instead.

 

[Woas]

Never had any problems with it. In fact, it's pretty fun!
Some of the best scenes in past games have come from grapples.
For example: a fight breaks out on the edge of some woodlands. One of the enemies has climbed onto a large boulder for cover and height advantage while he fires arrows at the heroes around him. He's standing at the edge of the boulder (it was a 2x2 terrain feature on the battle mat) and one of the heroes half climbed/half ran up the side of the boulder, grabbed the enemies ankles and with some grapple checks pulled the enemy off the side with himself landing with his elbow in the enemies chest and pretty much knocking him out.
Another time, sort of the same situation, some enemies are above the heroes on a small ridge firing arrows down. The hero scales the ridge (about 30' distance) runs over to the enemy archer, grapples and proceeds to pick the enemy up over his head and throw him over the side of the ridge to his death.

 

[Arnwyn]

Without getting too much into a Rules discussion (let's keep this anecdotal, please), what have been your experiences over the past six or seven years using the 3.x Grappling rules, as is, modified, or nearly changed beyond recognition?

Our group uses grapple as-is (with some additional moves added!), and we're very happy with it. We love the granularity that the current grapple rules provide.

 

[Armadillo]

In my next my next campaign (if I get it going before 4e), I'm going to allow a Reflex save for drawing a weapon and some other actions. I'd also love to see a way to do damage to Evard's Black Tentacles as a way to defeat that spell, but I'm not sure that I'll spend the time to modify it.