Stunned

[Markn]

Do you resist being grappled when you are being stunned?

As far as I can tell, by RAW the answer is no however the "Rules of the Game" articles that exist at WotC they recommend that you should be allowed unless you are helpless.

 

[Jack Simth]

"Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any)."

This doesn't preclude attempting to resist the establishment of a grapple (just as it doesn't preclude making reflex saves), but it does preclude attempting to escape an established grapple (which requires an action).

 

[Markn]

In the PHB, resisting a trip or a grapple is considered a free action. Since stun states that you can't take any actions and resisting a grapple is a free action that pretty much rules out being able to resist the grapple, as per RAW.

From the Rules of the Game articles, resisting a trip or a grapple is considered a nonaction (which if you want to be really literal is still an action, though an oxymoron ) and it is recommended that you be allowed to resist grapples unless you are helpless.

Understand that I am playing the devils advocate here. I have always played that you can make the grapple check but I find myself with a new group as part of a second campaign. I am trying to do one of two things - either find irrevocable proof that one can resist grapples while stunned or come to the conclusion that by RAW you shouldn't be able to and adjust my own game. Essentially, this new group sees the resisting of a grapple as an action and therefore it is disallowed. Summarily, I am calling upon the good citizens of EN World to help me find that proof - or disprove it. Either way I would like to see sources that support it.

Thanks.

 

[Diirk]

In the PHB, resisting a trip or a grapple is considered a free action. Since stun states that you can't take any actions and resisting a grapple is a free action that pretty much rules out being able to resist the grapple, as per RAW.

And since you can't make free actions when it isn't your turn, noone can resist grapples or trips ? Unless of course, you provoke an AoO during your turn, and the opponents response is to try and trip or grapple you.

 

[Hypersmurf]

In the PHB, resisting a trip or a grapple is considered a free action.

Is it?

-Hyp.

 

[Diirk]

Is it?

"Step 3: Hold. Make an opposed grapple check as a free action. If you succeed, you and your target are now grappling, and you deal damage to the target as if with an unarmed strike.

If you lose, you fail to start the grapple. You automatically lose an attempt to hold if the target is two or more size categories larger than you are.

In case of a tie, the combatant with the higher grapple check modifier wins. If this is a tie, roll again to break the tie."

Of course, this is a free action on the attacker's part, not the defender's. But maybe that's where he got the idea from.

 

[Markn]

Ah, Hype...

Yes, unfortunately, I can't provide proof until tomorrow night when I am back home as I am out of town for the weekend. However if you check in the combat section and more specifically, the grapple rules it specifies that resisting a grapple is considered a free action. If you can't find it or no one can post it for me before then I will be happy to state page and paragraph.

 

[Markn]

"Step 3: Hold. Make an opposed grapple check as a free action. If you succeed, you and your target are now grappling, and you deal damage to the target as if with an unarmed strike.

If you lose, you fail to start the grapple. You automatically lose an attempt to hold if the target is two or more size categories larger than you are.

In case of a tie, the combatant with the higher grapple check modifier wins. If this is a tie, roll again to break the tie."

Of course, this is a free action on the attacker's part, not the defender's. But maybe that's where he got the idea from.

Ah, yes, this is what I was thinking of. I never considered that it is only a free action on the attackers part. Would it not make sense that if it is a free action on the attackers part, it would be for the defender as well? Maybe I am assuming too much.

Anyways, thanks for the relevant quote...

 

[Markn]

And since you can't make free actions when it isn't your turn, noone can resist grapples or trips ? Unless of course, you provoke an AoO during your turn, and the opponents response is to try and trip or grapple you.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe there is a restriction of free actions to only being on your turn...

 

[Infiniti2000]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe there is a restriction of free actions to only being on your turn...

You are wrong. You can only take actions on your turn, free or otherwise. There are very few exceptions, such as immediate actions (not in the core rules) or explicit free actions (like featherfall, or talking, or something like duelward). Any other free action cannot occur. So, for instance, a creature with improved grab can hit you with an AoO, but cannot grab you because that requires a free action.

I don't think that defending is ever called out as an action and, therefore, it is a non-action.