Sneak attack while swallowed?

[Hypersmurf]

If the rogue is being grappled by enemy X, and enemy Y is being grappled in an adjacent square by anyone at all except the rogue, then the rogue could stab at enemy Y and get sneak attack, because he is not involved in the grapple with enemy Y, so enemy Y is denied his Dex bonus to the rogue.

The rogue is grappled, so he doesn't threaten any squares; he may not make an attack against a creature in an adjacent square.

-Hyp.

 

[Nail]

The point is, does "with no modifiers for size or Dexterity" mean the "target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC".

....and of course the answer is: "Yes. Not getting a modifier from Dex is - by definition - being denied your Dex bonus to AC."

If I say "You may not use the modifier of 'Kids' on your taxes", you would clearly consider that being "denied your Kid bonus to taxes".

 

[jaelis]

The point is, does "with no modifiers for size or Dexterity" mean the "target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC".

One can answer that question yes and still coherently say that the rogue is denied sneak attack on other grounds, such as concealement or inability to reach the vital organs.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

The rogue is grappled, so he doesn't threaten any squares; he may not make an attack against a creature in an adjacent square.

-Hyp.

An unarmed human doesn't threaten any squares either, but he can attack into an adjacent square. The rogue could even punch or kick the guy in the next square if he has nothing at hand. This is especially good, since the guy he'd be attacking also doesn't threaten any squares, and wouldn't be able to take an AoO on the rogue.

 

[jaelis]

An unarmed human doesn't threaten any squares either, but he can attack into an adjacent square. The rogue could even punch or kick the guy in the next square if he has nothing at hand. This is especially good, since the guy he'd be attacking also doesn't threaten any squares, and wouldn't be able to take an AoO on the rogue.

The grappling rules give a list of what you can do while grappling, and attacking an opponent outside the grapple isn't on that list.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The rogue could even punch or kick the guy in the next square if he has nothing at hand.

Grappling Consequences

While you’re grappling, your ability to attack others and defend yourself is limited.

No Threatened Squares: You don’t threaten any squares while grappling.

While you're grappling, your ability to attack others is limited. Why? You don't threaten any squares. What's a threatened square? A square into which you can make a melee attack.

Unarmed strikes and whips are unusual cases that let you attack while denying your ability to threaten, but they don't grant the ability to attack into a square you can't attack into for another reason... like if you're grappling.

-Hyp.

 

[Kmart Kommando]

Grappling Consequences

While you’re grappling, your ability to attack others and defend yourself is limited.

No Threatened Squares: You don’t threaten any squares while grappling.

While you're grappling, your ability to attack others is limited. Why? You don't threaten any squares. What's a threatened square? A square into which you can make a melee attack.

Unarmed strikes and whips are unusual cases that let you attack while denying your ability to threaten, but they don't grant the ability to attack into a square you can't attack into for another reason... like if you're grappling.

-Hyp.

Threatened Squares: You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your action. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity.

Threatened squares only interacts with your ability to make AoOs.

Melee Attacks: With a normal melee weapon, you can strike any opponent within 5 feet. (Opponents within 5 feet are considered adjacent to you.)

Unarmed Attacks: Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:
Attacks of Opportunity: Attacking unarmed provokes an attack of opportunity from the character you attack, provided she is armed. The attack of opportunity comes before your attack. An unarmed attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity from other foes nor does it provoke an attack of opportunity from an unarmed foe.
An unarmed character can’t take attacks of opportunity (but see “Armed” Unarmed Attacks, below).

Which means you can attack someone other than the one in the grapple with you, no matter what your weapon of choice is.

That also happens in the movies, one guy grabs the good guy another moves to attack and gets kicked before the good guy breaks free of the grappler.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Threatened squares only interacts with your ability to make AoOs.

You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack. While grappling, you threaten no squares. Into which squares can you make a melee attack? No squares.

Hence, "While you’re grappling, your ability to attack others is limited."

Remember also the text from Improved Grab:
The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other opponents.

If the creature doesn't take the -20, it is considered grappled itself; it does lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, it doesn't still threaten an area, and it can't use its remaining attacks against other opponents.

Here's the 'Attack your opponent' option from the Grapple rules:
Attack Your Opponent: You can make an attack with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weapon against another character you are grappling. You take a –4 penalty on such attacks. You can’t attack with two weapons while grappling, even if both are light weapons.

So, if I'm using the Attack Your Opponent option, I'm restricted to unarmed/natural/light weapons, and I take a -4... and I'm restricted to attacking a character I'm grappling. Therefore, if I'm attacking a character I'm not grappling (as you suggest is possible), I'm not using the Attack Your Opponent option; I'm just making a melee attack into an adjacent square. Thus, no restriction on weapons - I can use my greatsword - and no -4 penalty.

And since I can just make a melee attack (as you suggest is possible) against an adjacent character, since "You don't threaten" doesn't prevent me attacking except with an AoO, there's nothing to stop me just making a melee attack against a character sharing my square - something I could do normally. So rather than using the Attack Your Opponent option to attack the character I'm grappling - restricting my weapon choice and imposing a -4 penalty - why don't I just do the same thing... that is, make a normal melee attack with my greatsword at no penalty?

... right?

-Hyp.

 

[Infiniti2000]

The gullet (or whatever) has no vital spot. Note that it has a separate AC from the creature, so you can't really lump the remaining organs of the creature with the gullet. You are only attacking the gullet, not some nameless 'vital spot'. So, you can't sneak attack while swallowed. If you allow sneak attack, then everyone would get some form of a sneak attack because that would imply that the gullet itself is a vital spot (which doesn't make sense from the perspective of the creature swallowing sharp, pointy objects.

Also, note the argument about whether the damage done inside the gullet is applied to the creatures hit points or not. I rule (interpretation of RAW, not a house rule) that the damage is not applied to the creature's total hit points, but to the 'gullet'.

 

[Dross]

That also happens in the movies, one guy grabs the good guy another moves to attack and gets kicked before the good guy breaks free of the grappler.

I'm not sure that using movies is a good indication of what is possible/meant/indicated in D&D.

To me it seems to place the cart in front of the horse. As a desciption it's acceptable, but not as a justification.