Trying to make a Grappler type character, need rules help

[xjohnson512x]

I'm currently playing in a Pathfinder campaign based in eberron, and I've started a warforged fighter/rogue. The character has magic armor spikes on his body so that his grapple does 1d6 for the spkies and 1d6 fire damage. The issue I'm having is trying to figure out how and when the damage is applied. Right now we're playing it that every round the grapple is maintained(including the round it is started) I do 2d6 damage. Which is reasonable, however if I use a natural attack while maintaining a grapple(which is allowed), I can do an additional 5d4 damage(shocking fist feat from eberron). Essentially I can do 2d6+5d4+str every round at 5th level, and since I've taken as many grapple/CMD/CMB feats as I can find and have I very high dex and str I have a +9 on the roll. This seems a little unbalanced to me so I'm just wondering if anybody knows exactly how this combat should work. Thanks

 

[Mojo_Rat]

part of the problem here is you are applying pre pathfinder feats I think. I don't know what that specific feat does though. but I'll make up a sample here.

flexor the mighty, lvl 5 fighter 18 str and imp grapple cmb 11 has armor spikes 1dx crits fir x2.

round 1 he grabs an opponent. no damage is done they just get the grapple condition.
opponent tries to break free and failed.
round 2 flexor his maintain decides to do damage, he gets +5 for being I'n control and wins. he does 1d6 +4 damage.

repeat til his opponent is dead.


he would probably have the close weapon group 2 and maybe spec... so 3 more damage per round maybe. if he really loved armor spikes he could enchant them +1 shocking. other than that to do more damage he would need to power attack but that lowers cmb.

I have no clue how you have those damage numbers.

 

[Volaran]

Not sure which Eberron book Shocking Fist is in. If you want to note that in your reply, I'd be happy to check it out.

That said:

Damage: You can inflict damage to your target equal to your unarmed strike, a natural attack, or an attack made with armor spikes or a light or one-handed weapon. This damage can be either lethal or nonlethal.

When using a maintained grapple to deal damage, you can use your unarmed strike, a natural attack, an attack made with armour spikes, or an attack made with a light or one-handed weapon. You would not be able to use both your armour spiked and your natural attack at the same time. However, you could alternate which you were doing on a round-by-round basis if you are so inclined.

Once you take Greater Grapple, and can perform two actions with a successful check to maintain the grapple, you would be able to use the Damage option twice in the same round, and would be able to pick the damage source each time.

 

[xjohnson512x]

Thanks for the help, I assumed it was an or situation, but the gm and I were unsure, shocking fist is on page 151 of the eberron players guide, you take x damage and can do xd4 damage to an opponent on top of your slam attack. So just to be certain, first round start grapple, second round do some type of damage, and with greater grapple I can do 2 actions? Also just wondering if there are any feats that may add even more to my grapple as I like the idea of a warforged that hugs everyone to death with flaming spikes.

 

[Volaran]

Right. With Greater Grapple, you can roll to maintain the grapple, and then do two things that you could normally do to a grappled opponent. For example, you could move them and pin them, or then pin them and damage them, or move twice, or damage twice, etc.