Countering a Grappler

[GhostwheelX]

Greetings,

In a party I'm DMing for, I have a tetori monk who has a ridiculous grapple CMB (+50ish at level 10), making anything he comes close to almost always auto-pinned and unconscious within a turn or two, seeing as he combines it with massive damage.

How would I go about countering the character without entirely nerfing him into the ground? I don't want to take any of his toys away or change the rules and tell him he can't use things created by Paizo, but it makes many encounters, especially if it's only against a single enemy, a cake-walk. On the other hand, the rest of the party can easily take many small creatures down through a combination of spellcasting and attacks.

I've tried obstacles and the like, but since he's a monk with very high acrobatics and speed, it doesn't deter him too much, and putting enemies too far away makes for irritating encounters for the other meleers in the party.

Any suggestions on the matter?

[KingOfAnything]

Make them use their ki. The occasional freedom of movement won't hurt.

Have you tried obstacles or enemies that blind or trip?

[Snakers]

Ghosts?

[Feral]

First off, I suggest you check and double check his mechanics. Grappling, like eidolons, is one of those things players tend to get wrong in their favor. Post his build here if you're curious or unsure.

Options include:

A) Freedom of movement makes him burn ki.

B) Incorporeal stuff.

C) Any sort of face-beater that can one-round him with a full attack before he pulls off the pin.

D) A bigger/better grappler.

E) High level magic (maze, anti life shell, etc).

That said, assuming his build is legit and your encounters are varied, grappling is actually really bad mechanically. Let him have his fun when it's a valid option.

[Bruno Breakbone]

Bruno, a handsome and beautiful Tetori, have answer.

[Bruno Breakbone]

Bruno like to add if he using Anaconda's Coils Belt to qualify for Final Embrace feat, the feat was errata'd to require racial constrict and the belt no longer allows you to qualify for the feat.

[My Self]

Toss in some spikeys and some slimeys that you really don't want to be grabbing. Make him consider if he really wants to grab it, so other players have a bit of time to shine. Don't do this to absolutely every enemy, but if a few of them, yeah. To give him his fun, make it so that enemies have heard of him and are scared of him, and thus they are packing this sort of protection.

Also, a combat with a Mirror of Opposition inside a hall of mirrors would be fun.

[Vratix]

Bruno Breakbone wrote:

Bruno like to add if he using Anaconda's Coils Belt to qualify for Final Embrace feat, the feat was errata'd to require racial constrict and the belt no longer allows you to qualify for the feat.

Yeah... that really hurt my Brawler (Strangler).

As to OP, throw some proteans at them. They aren't that tough, but they have constant FoM and a bunch of natural attacks. So, while he'll still be able to grapple them (by burning ki) they'll dissuade him from hanging onto them for too long.

[Gwen Smith]

Wand of Grease, negative channels, psychic spells, any supernatural abilities that don't require concentration. Shirt of immolation, grinding armor...

[Gisher]

Gwen Smith wrote:

Wand of Grease, negative channels, psychic spells, any supernatural abilities that don't require concentration. Shirt of immolation, grinding armor...

I never noticed Grinding Armor before. Oh, my! I'll have to remember that for my Occultist with the Aegis Focus Power.