Grappling clarification.

[Wonderstell]

First question: Is Tie Up one of the actions you can perform in addition to maintaining a grapple? (I.E would it be done with the +5 bonus?)

SRD; Combat; Combat Maneuvers: Grapple:

As a standard action, you can attempt to grapple a foe, hindering his combat options. If you do not have Improved Grapple, grab, or a similar ability, attempting to grapple a foe provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver. Humanoid creatures without two free hands attempting to grapple a foe take a –4 penalty on the combat maneuver roll. If successful, both you and the target gain the grappled condition. If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails). Although both creatures have the grappled condition, you can, as the creature that initiated the grapple, release the grapple as a free action, removing the condition from both you and the target. If you do not release the grapple, you must continue to make a check each round, as a standard action, to maintain the hold. If your target does not break the grapple, you get a +5 circumstance bonus on grapple checks made against the same target in subsequent rounds. Once you are grappling an opponent, a successful check allows you to continue grappling the foe, and also allows you to perform one of the following actions (as part of the standard action spent to maintain the grapple).

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Second question: The CMB/Escape Artist check to break a grapple is not a grapple check, correct? Meaning that the grappler wouldn't be granted the +2 bonus to CMD (from Improved Grapple) if her target simply tries to escape instead of reversing said grapple.

SRD; Combat; Combat Maneuvers; Grapple: If You Are Grappled:

If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent's CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity) or Escape Artist check (with a DC equal to your opponent's CMD). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Alternatively, if you succeed, you can become the grappler, grappling the other creature (meaning that the other creature cannot freely release the grapple without making a combat maneuver check, while you can). Instead of attempting to break or reverse the grapple, you can take any action that doesn’t require two hands to perform, such as cast a spell or make an attack or full attack with a light or one-handed weapon against any creature within your reach, including the creature that is grappling you. See the grappled condition for additional details. If you are pinned, your actions are very limited. See the pinned condition in Conditions for additional details.

Improved Grapple:

You are skilled at grappling opponents.

Prerequisite: Dex 13, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a grapple combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to grapple a foe. You also receive a +2 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense whenever an opponent tries to grapple you.

Normal: You provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a grapple combat maneuver.

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Thanks in advance!

[Brf]

Check HERE. The CRB section on combat explains that tying up your opponent is one of the actions you can do after maintaining the grapple. It is a CMB check done at -10 if your opponent is not pinned.

The CMB check to escape from a grapple is itself not a grapple check.

[Yuri Sarreth]

Question one.. Yes you get the +5.. you make a check to maintain the grapple.. d20 + cmb +5 >=cmd You have maintained your grapple and can then do one of the listed options..

two.. as far as I know it does apply as they are trying to beat you grapple cmd and not your standard cmd.

This is how I've always seen it played out anyway but I cant find a ruling anywhere right quickly..

[Wonderstell]

Brf wrote:

Check HERE. The CRB section on combat explains that tying up your opponent is one of the actions you can do after maintaining the grapple. It is a CMB check done at -10 if your opponent is not pinned.

So Tie Up should benefit from the +5 circumstance bonus to grapple checks, negating part of the penalty? As it is written, the CMB check to go from grappled directly to tied up is CMB -5 (+5-10) + d20.

[Brf]

No. The +5 is for the check to maintain the Grapple. Tying up is not a Grapple check.

[Yuri Sarreth]

Rereading the rules on grapple I think Brf is right.. You would have to make a maintain check with the +5 then a second check to tie up.. Will admit I never tried going straight to tied.. Always went to the pinned step first..

[Wonderstell]

Yuri Sarreth wrote:

Rereading the rules on grapple I think Brf is right.. You would have to make a maintain check with the +5 then a second check to tie up.. Will admit I never tried going straight to tied.. Always went to the pinned step first..

Yeah, that sounds logical. Thanks.