How many times can this monster constrict?

[Wellby]

Dear Colleagues,

A Lamia Noble may: Constrict (Ex) With a successful grapple check, a lamia noble
can crush a grabbed opponent, dealing 4d8+6 points of
damage. This constriction can be combined with its
Wisdom drain (Will DC 25 to negate while constricted).

Now, it has a base attack of +15, thus allowing it three melee attacks (with its longspear normally). Does this mean that if it begins its round already in a grapple, that it may attempt to constrict its enemy THREE times in the one round, doing horrendous damage? With +29 grapple, that would mean a rather likely chance of doing 12d8+18, + 3 points of Wisdom...

 

[the Jester]

Caveat: I haven't run or played 3e since 4e came out, so I may be misremembering how it works.

But yeah, you can use each iterative attack to make a grapple check, and thus the lamia noble can use each one to constrict. Note that, unlike most natural attacks, this would be subject to the -5 penalty per iterative attack after the first.

Things that grapple are very rough indeed.

 

[Wellby]

Thanks for reminding me of the iterative attack penalty! This will ever so slightly weaken our twelfth level monk who simply starts grapples and defeats her enemies...forgot her iterative attacks are not as powerful...

thanks again

 

[frankthedm]

Also, remember improved grab adds to constrict damage on later rounds if the grapple was originally started by improved grab...

A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature’s descriptive text).

 

[Wellby]

That is fascinating, and at this level of rules, I wonder how many DMs pick that depth of sophistication in a fight...up.

I didn't. Didn't notice the Lamia Noble had improved grab. In his one opp to grapple, the monk batted away the first grab, then he MISSED on the following two grab touch attacks!

Thinking he had no improved grapple, I ruled that the monk only was allowed to AoO on the first grab attempt, but not the following two. Would that have been correct?

 

[frankthedm]

Thinking he had no improved grapple, I ruled that the monk only was allowed to AoO on the first grab attempt, but not the following two. Would that have been correct?

Improved Grab is a core monster ability. Improved Grapple is a feat.

Improved Grab triggers off of a natural attack that improved grab was keyed to. Attack hits, improved grab attempt begins. No AoO at all.

 

[PureGoldx58]

Improved Grab is a core monster ability. Improved Grapple is a feat.

Improved Grab triggers off of a natural attack that improved grab was keyed to. Attack hits, improved grab attempt begins. No AoO at all.

The PHB does not a Splatbook make.

 

[frankthedm]

Thanks, was thinking about back in 3.0's Sword and Fist where the feat first appeared.

 

[Wellby]

Ok, but just say two characters with no improved grapple are fighting. One has three attacks: first attempt to grapple is repulsed by the AoO. For the next attempt, does the usual rule of only one AoO per round apply? ie., no AoO against the second grab attempt?

 

[frankthedm]

Ok, but just say two characters with no improved grapple are fighting. One has three attacks: first attempt to grapple is repulsed by the AoO. For the next attempt, does the usual rule of only one AoO per round apply? ie., no AoO against the second grab attempt?

Yeah, that's how the 1 aoo per round works.