How many grapples can an octopus do?

[0-hr]

GIANT OCTOPUS
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Tentacle +10 melee (1d4+5)
Full Attack: 8 tentacles +10 melee (1d4+5) and bite +5 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict

I believe that an octopus can only make two grapple attempts in a round (one at full value and one five less). If that is the case, how can it do an improved grab attempt 8 times in a round?

I'm clearly missing something here but I don't know where-in lies my error.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I believe that an octopus can only make two grapple attempts in a round (one at full value and one five less). If that is the case, how can it do an improved grab attempt 8 times in a round?

I'm clearly missing something here but I don't know where-in lies my error.

Note that there's a difference between "when you're grappling", and "when you're not grappling".

When you're grappling, you can only attack with one weapon. But before you initiate the grapple, you are not grappling, so this rule is inapplicable.

The octopus can make up to eight attempts to initiate a grapple, one with each tentacle, because until it succeeds, it is not grappling.

Once it succeeds, it hits the "cannot attack with two weapons" restriction.

-Hyp.

 

[0-hr]

Thanks for the help.

Could the wiley cephalopod hit in melee, grab, and hold (doing constrict damage) and then let go (by not moving into the victim's space)? If so, would this allow the critter to potentially constrict 8 times in a round?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Could the wiley cephalopod hit in melee, grab, and hold (doing constrict damage) and then let go (by not moving into the victim's space)?

"When a creature gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space."

It's not phrased as optional...

-Hyp.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Could the wiley cephalopod hit in melee, grab, and hold (doing constrict damage) and then let go (by not moving into the victim's space)? If so, would this allow the critter to potentially constrict 8 times in a round?

No, because escaping from a grapple is not a free action unless you've already pinned your opponent.

 

[Hypersmurf]

No, because escaping from a grapple is not a free action unless you've already pinned your opponent.

He's not talking abuot escaping the grapple; he's talking about Step 4, in the case of a creature who doesn't have Improved Grapple:

Step 4: Maintain Grapple. To maintain the grapple for later rounds, you must move into the target’s space. (This movement is free and doesn’t count as part of your movement in the round.) Moving, as normal, provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening opponents, but not from your target.

If you can’t move into your target’s space, you can’t maintain the grapple and must immediately let go of the target. To grapple again, you must begin at Step 1.

If a (non-Improved-Grapple) grappler cannot move into the target's space, the grapple ends. It's not clear whether "To maintain, you must..." means that you can elect not to; in any event, the octopus does not use Step 4, since Improved Grapple supercedes it.

-Hyp.

 

[Legildur]

Could a giant octopus potentially improve grab and take the -20 penalty to a grapple check to be deemed not grappling and continue to attack and do the same thing up to 8 times in a round?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Could a giant octopus potentially improve grab and take the -20 penalty to a grapple check to be deemed not grappling and continue to attack and do the same thing up to 8 times in a round?

Yep - pursuant to all appropriate restrictions, of course.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Could a giant octopus potentially improve grab and take the -20 penalty to a grapple check to be deemed not grappling and continue to attack and do the same thing up to 8 times in a round?

Yes, although it could potentially be argued that since penalties are unnamed, the "-20 to grapple checks" - not specified as 'grapple checks with that limb' - would be cumulative.

-Hyp.

 

[Legildur]

Ah! Good catch Hyp. Prior to that, I had visions of a buffed giant octupus holding 8 attackers at bay with it's limbs as it constricted them to death.