D&D 5E quick question on giant octopus

[Shadowdweller00]

The grappled creature is in the way of the water jet.

Octopi are capable of swimming/movement without water jets - using external fins and tentacle flaps. Not all octopi even have jets. A (terrestrial) example of an octopus moving off with prey, using its limbs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar5WJrQik2o

Octopi most definitely use their limbs for propulsion.

 

[cmad1977]

The grappled creature is in the way of the water jet.

Why would an octopus do that when it can easily hold its target anywhere it wants.
‘I know, instead of holding my prey over here and jetting to safety... I’ll intentionally plug up my only means of escape and sit here like a rock.’

Not exactly a recipe for survival in the wild.



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[Oofta]

Why would an octopus do that when it can easily hold its target anywhere it wants.
‘I know, instead of holding my prey over here and jetting to safety... I’ll intentionally plug up my only means of escape and sit here like a rock.’

Not exactly a recipe for survival in the wild.



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To me the question is: what's more fun and follows the rules? Is it fun to have the octopus drag someone off screaming and it doesn't violate any rules? Then it happens. Don't want to take out a character by drowning them? Then it doesn't happen.

I see no reason to limit movement other than to cut it's speed in half per the rules. Although that could make a CR 1 creature pretty terrifying. Have the octopus attack a creature on land and it's slowly crawl back to the water where you know you won't have a chance to catch it.

 

[Ganymede81]

Ok, I just noticed that the giant octopus has a reach of 15' with its tentacles. That's probably enough clearance to let it move without its restrained target mucking things up.

The regular octopus, though, I'll still restrict from moving while grappled as its reach is only 5'.

 

[jaelis]

The regular octopus, though, I'll still restrict from moving while grappled as its reach is only 5'.

A regular octopus is Small with a Str of 4. That gives it a carrying capacity of only 60 lbs. So really it would only be an option for small targets anyway.

If you use the encumbrance rules for it, a target weighing 20 to 40 lbs would give the octopus a speed of only 10 ft, and 40 to 60 lbs would take it down to 5 ft (plus give disadvantage to physical stat rolls).

So I don't think there is any need to get into the minutia of how an octopus propels itself.

 

[Ganymede81]

And just imagine if that octopus was wearing barding!

 

[Shadowdweller00]

And just imagine if that octopus was wearing barding!

At least one species already does. Kinda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFda1MZ54G4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XmsqGCXrU4

Cephalopods evolved from shell-bearing ancestors.

 

[cmad1977]

I want an armored octopus mount.

A war-topus!


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[Eltab]

If you have a large group, give the Giant Octopus two or three Tentacle attacks. This prevents them from ganging up on it while it is limited to dealing with them one-by-one. It might use one Tentacle 'defensively' - push pesky hurty things away from itself but no damage inflicted on them.

Is the group's Tank wearing metal armor, by chance? The octopus grabs him, pulls him over, tries to take a bite, metal is tough on beak / tastes bad, lets go of him and tries to grab somebody else, armored guy sinks like a rock...

 

[MarkB]

At least one species already does. Kinda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFda1MZ54G4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XmsqGCXrU4

Cephalopods evolved from shell-bearing ancestors.

Not to mention the occasional clever Common Octopus who can manufacture combined barding / Disguise Self on demand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-UCJ7PPN84