Initial Attack for Grapple

[cmanos]

OK....another stupid question, but I'll bite.

Grappling starts with an initial attack which causes an attack of opportunity. If you have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, your unarmed attacks don't initiate an attack of opportunity. But then under Improved Grapple it states

Normal: Without this feat, you provoke an attack of opportunity when you make a touch attack to start a grapple.

So am I right in thinking that an unarmed attack to initiate a grapple doesn't fall under the Improved Unarmed Attack realm of 'does not initiate an attack of opportunity? Whats the difference between an unarmed attack to cause damage and an unarmed attack to grapple? Why does the initial grapple touch attack draw an AoO when a normal unarmed attack from someone with the IUS feat wouldn't?

 

[Diirk]

Why does the initial grapple touch attack draw an AoO when a normal unarmed attack from someone with the IUS feat wouldn't?

Because you're not punching someone in the face, you're trying to hug them. You need special hugging training to do that without getting hit

 

[cmanos]

OK, cool. I need to go practice my hugging....

 

[Kae'Yoss]

OK, cool. I need to go practice my hugging....

Thanks for the warning, we'll stay at home today