RAI: Pinning a Dragon's Mouth Shut

[Kask]

After stating what actions you can take while pinned, the article goes on to say:
"You cannot take any other actions except to make an opposed grapple check to escape the pin in place of an attack."
As I read it, "any other actions" would include attacking with a natural weapon.

Read the rules on attacking with natural weapons while grappled...

 

[Vegepygmy]

Read the rules on attacking with natural weapons while grappled...

You'll have to be less cryptic. How about quoting the "rules on attacking with natural weapons while grapple" that you think trump the article?

 

[Elethiomel]

Read the rules on attacking with natural weapons while grappled...

Where's your quote? In fact, do you even have a counterargument? Your response is so vague as to be completely ambiguous, while ignoring my reply (which you quoted) to your question. Why?

 

[Kask]

Where's your quote? In fact, do you even have a counterargument? Your response is so vague as to be completely ambiguous, while ignoring my reply (which you quoted) to your question. Why?

Start with pg. 156 PHB

 

[Piratecat]

Less hostile brevity, more actual support of arguments, please. Everyone, if you are claiming a rules interpretation, it's considered good form to actually explain your point instead of just referencing the page.

 

[Elethiomel]

I had the nagging feeling we were all overlooking something. Is the rules compendium not considered a definite rules source? In it, on page 61 we find the following text on being pinned:
"When your opponent has pinned you, you are held stationary (but not helpless) for 1 round. You can't take any actions the creature pinning you doesn't allow; even speaking." The only exception to this seems to be the grapple check to escape a pin.
So, OP: Yes, you can prevent a dragon (of any size) from biting or using its breath weapon by pinning it, assuming you are already in a grapple with it. The only way to do that if the dragon is more than 1 size category larger than you is if the dragon itself successfully initiates a grapple; after that, all bets are off.

 

[Kask]

Less hostile brevity, more actual support of arguments, please. Everyone, if you are claiming a rules interpretation, it's considered good form to actually explain your point instead of just referencing the page.

Should I copy & paste the rules from a copyrighted book?

 

[Kask]

I had the nagging feeling we were all overlooking something. Is the rules compendium not considered a definite rules source? In it, on page 61 we find the following text on being pinned:

A specific rule trumps a general rule that doesn't talk about the specific rule.

It would have to state a change in the natural weapons use while grappled specific rule...

 

[Elethiomel]

A specific rule trumps a general rule that doesn't talk about the specific rule.

It would have to state a change in the natural weapons use while grappled specific rule...

So in the rules on paralysation, for instance, it should carefully and point-by-point talk about all the possible actions you can take, and then deny each and every one except mental actions? This seems an unreasonable expectation.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Let me ask a flipside version of this question...

If you managed to jam a dragon's mouth open, would you still let it use spells with verbal components?

(Just like I think a dragon with its mouth forced closed by someone else can't really use its breath weapon, I think a dragon with its mouth wedged open can't properly use its mouth to form the magic syllables.)