Multiple Grabs

[Bluewyrm]

Can a character be grabbed by more than one opponent?

The example we had was a PC was grabbed by mutiple zombies. Would it require a single escape attempt per grab? Or could somehow one escape attempt get you out of all the grabs?

We weren't sure how to handle this one.

 

[Alvoros]

I would rule each grab is handled individually...i.e. if you have 8 creatures that have grabbed you, it is VERY VERY dificult to escape...impossible in a single round. I (as DM) would also be relatively careful not to abuse it either though....could be overpowering perhaps if used abusively, but as a DM, there are more interesting and dark ways to kill a PC.

Can't see anything about it in the rules though.....

Alvo

Edit 1: See "Escape" on Page 288 (PHB) - you attempt to escape an enemy - note the singular. Seems to imply 1 grab per escape action.

Edit 2: Escape Artist (PHB).....this would allow you to escape 3 grabs in single round perhaps.

 

[Tellerve]

man, that'd be rough, but I guess in keeping with the whole swarm of zombies and whatnot.

Speaking of grabbing n' whatnot. Since maintaining a grab is a minor action can you continue to attack other creatures, or the creature you have grabbed?

And by the same token, it'd seem by RAW that the person grabbed can continue to attack anything in its reach as well, just can't move.

Tellerve

 

[AverageTable]

Correct. Grabbing is a very mild and passive action in 4th Edition. It has only two effects:

1. The grabbed individual is "Immobilized", meaning that he cannot change his location on the grid until he escapes the grab. He can still, however, be pushed, pulled, or slid by another creature without interference. In this case, he leaves the grabber behind and escapes the grab automatically. The grabber can also be forced to move by another creature as normal, also ending the grab.

2. The grabber may move the victim up to half the grabber's speed as a standard action using Strength vs. Fortitude. Note that the victim does not provoke any opportunity attacks during such movement, but the grabber does.

Nothing else happens.

This means that the grabber can still do whatever else he wants on his turn (as long as he keeps spending a minor action to maintain the grab) and the victim can use all of his actions without restriction or penalty (so long as he doesn't try to leave his current location). The victim can, for instance, swing a sword, shoot a bow, cast a spell, avoid attacks, pick a lock, or even juggle - all while grabbed and all without any penalty of any kind.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Since maintaining a grab is a minor action can you continue to attack other creatures, or the creature you have grabbed?

The requirement to have one hand free implies that one hand is occupied by the grab, so the grabber presumably would be unable to use a two-handed weapon, or sword-and-shield, or anything else requiring two hands while maintaining the grab. That seems to be about the only limitation, though.

-Hyp.

 

[Master Witch]

We do one roll but for each extra grab on the target the roll is at the DMs -2. So its a lot harder to get away from a group then one creature/ person.

 

[Stalker0]

The requirement to have one hand free implies that one hand is occupied by the grab, so the grabber presumably would be unable to use a two-handed weapon, or sword-and-shield, or anything else requiring two hands while maintaining the grab. That seems to be about the only limitation, though.

-Hyp.

Grabbing then is actually a bonus of the THW users, for it takes a shield user a standard action to put away his shield, while a THW can take a minor to put his weapon away.