Hi all,
I was hoping that somebody could clear this up for me: does it take two or three rounds for a mind flayer to extract a victim's brain?
Fromm the SRD:
"Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the mind flayer must hit a Small to Large creature with its tentacle attack. If it gets a hold, it attaches the tentacle to the opponent’s head. A mind flayer can grab a Huge or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe’s head. After a successful grab, the mind flayer can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or Escape Artist check, but the mind flayer gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent’s turn.
Extract (Ex): A mind flayer that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and successfully maintains its hold automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature."
I am inclined to think that it takes 3 rounds. On the first round, it hits with one or more tentacles and (let's assume) succeeds in getting a Hold.
In the second round, (assuming that the victim hasn't escaped) it makes another grapple check and (let's say again) succeeds, thereby attaching any and all remaining tentacles.
On its third round it succeeds another grapple check and the victim is killed.
To me, this seems almost impossible for a mind flayer to achieve unless it gets lucky with its stun ability.
The other option is that it actually hits with all 4 tentacles, succeeds in getting 4 Holds, and extracts on the second round. The flaw here is that I am not sure if it can mke that many grapple checks in a round (it's limited to BAB isn't it - I've seen several variations on how grapple checks work with monsters with multiple attacks).
Thanks for your help!!
I was hoping that somebody could clear this up for me: does it take two or three rounds for a mind flayer to extract a victim's brain?
Fromm the SRD:
"Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the mind flayer must hit a Small to Large creature with its tentacle attack. If it gets a hold, it attaches the tentacle to the opponent’s head. A mind flayer can grab a Huge or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe’s head. After a successful grab, the mind flayer can try to attach its remaining tentacles with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or Escape Artist check, but the mind flayer gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacle that was attached at the beginning of the opponent’s turn.
Extract (Ex): A mind flayer that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and successfully maintains its hold automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature."
I am inclined to think that it takes 3 rounds. On the first round, it hits with one or more tentacles and (let's assume) succeeds in getting a Hold.
In the second round, (assuming that the victim hasn't escaped) it makes another grapple check and (let's say again) succeeds, thereby attaching any and all remaining tentacles.
On its third round it succeeds another grapple check and the victim is killed.
To me, this seems almost impossible for a mind flayer to achieve unless it gets lucky with its stun ability.
The other option is that it actually hits with all 4 tentacles, succeeds in getting 4 Holds, and extracts on the second round. The flaw here is that I am not sure if it can mke that many grapple checks in a round (it's limited to BAB isn't it - I've seen several variations on how grapple checks work with monsters with multiple attacks).
Thanks for your help!!