[MoI] Using soulmelds while grappled...

[RigaMortus2]

(Need someone knowledge about of Magic of Incarnum to help answer this...)

So I found myself grappled by a large octopi the other night, and was wondering if I could use a couple of soulmelds to deal damage.

1) Lightning Gauntlets - Standard Action to perform a melee touch attack for electricity damage.
2) Dissolving Splittle - Standard Action to perform a ranged touch attack for acid damage.
3) Slam attack with natural weapon (melee attack) which also happens to channel the electricty damage through the attack.
4) Mantle of Flame - Automatically does fire damage when damaged with a melee attack. Would constrict or "grapple damage" cause the target to take this damage? What about the fact that they are simply grappling someone wreathed in a flaming mantle?

I ended up doing the Slam attack + electric damage, but wondering if I could even attempt the others.

 

[RigaMortus2]

From WotC CustServe:

1. Yes, you can make a touch attack any time you can make a normal attack.

2. Yes, you can do this because you are not prevented from making ranged attacks while in a grapple. (Especially if you are not using your hands to make that attack.) You are allowed to perform other kinds of ranged attacks as well if all you need is one hand to make that attack (like thrown daggers or the like.)

3. Yes, you can attack with natural weapons that are augmented by magic.

4. Mantle of Flame is similar to Fire Shield. It flares out in response to an attack made against you. In the case of grappling, the "Attack Your Opponent," the "Damage Your Opponent, and the "Use Opponent's Weapon" options each cause the defender's mantle to lash out and deal damage to the attacker. The person with the Mantle cannot use the Mantle offensively, and if the non-Mantled grappler is just using other non-attack grapple options, he is not going to be hurt by the Mantle at all.


Take Care and Good Gaming!