Improved Grab Question

[Malvoisin]

What happens if a monster with the Improved Grab and Constrict special abilities (in this case a Small Monstrous Crab) attacks a creature that is a size category larger than itself (i.e., a medium fighter).

If the crab makes a claw attack, and hits, can it still use Improved Grab to make a free grapple check for Constrict damage? Or, would the fighter get an AOO because he is larger?

If the grapple does succesfully occur, the crab gets constrict damage, right? But then does the crab pull the fighter into its square? Or, would the crab enter the fighter's square like a normal grapple?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Rystil Arden]

It works exactly like a normal grapple, just as if a halfling grappled a human. Of course, with the -4 penalty for being Small, it is less likely to succeed at grappling, but it sounds like in your case it already succeeded?

 

[Infiniti2000]

What happens if a monster with the Improved Grab and Constrict special abilities (in this case a Small Monstrous Crab) attacks a creature that is a size category larger than itself (i.e., a medium fighter).

Note the rules on Improved Grab: "Unless otherwise noted, improved grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than the creature." It is not otherwise noted for the monstrous crab.

 

[Malvoisin]

So, unless it attacks a tiny foe, the crab's Improved Grab and Constrict abilites are useless?

 

[frankthedm]

What happens if a monster with the Improved Grab and Constrict special abilities (in this case a Small Monstrous Crab) attacks a creature that is a size category larger than itself (i.e., a medium fighter).

If the crab makes a claw attack, and hits, can it still use Improved Grab to make a free grapple check for Constrict damage?

No. That size requirement is pass / fail. The improved grab never happens if the foe is too big.

Or, would the fighter get an AOO because he is larger?

No AoO, the grab attempt never happened.

Or, would the crab enter the fighter's square like a normal grapple?

No, though the crab could try to grapple a larger foe normally. That could involve normal AoOs and moving into the fighter's space.

This is part of why the Barbed devil has both an improved grab ability and the improved grab feat.

Now do read the constrict ability closely, the damage racks up in addition to the improved grab damage, this also means constrict can happen when not in an improved grab.

Constrict (Ex): A monstrous scorpion deals automatic claw damage on a successful grapple check.

If that scorpion succesfully enters grapple, pins in grapple or even escapes grapple, constrict damge is dealt.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Note the rules on Improved Grab: "Unless otherwise noted, improved grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than the creature." It is not otherwise noted for the monstrous crab.

Exactly--any grapple attempt only works like a normal grapple, not an Improved Grab.