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Here is the situation:

Two flying combatants are having an aerial duel. Creature A has the improved grab ability, and successfully hits Creature B, initiating a grab.

On Creature B's turn, they are immobilized, and cannot take move actions:

You're held in place by another creature, giving you the flat-footed and immobilized conditions. If you attempt a manipulate action while grabbed, you must succeed at a DC 5 flat check or it is lost; roll the check after spending the action, but before any effects are applied.

You can't use any action with the move trait. If you're immobilized by something holding you in place and an external force would move you out of your space, the force must succeed at a check against either the DC of the effect holding you in place or the relevant defense (usually Fortitude DC) of the monster holding you in place.

Assuming creature B cannot Escape from the grab on their turn, they would fall, since they didn't use an action to Fly. However under the Immobilized condition, forced movement requires a check against the DC of the Effect/Creature holding the target in place.

What modifier would forced movement due to Falling use for this check? Unarmed attack mod of the target? Or something else that I am missing?

Two questions:

Can a creature that has something grabbed (per the creature ability) release that grab? The bestiary doesn't cover it specifically. Would the answer change at all if it was an ability such as the Balor's whip attack, which has Improved Grab?

Grab [one-action] Requirements The monster’s last action was a success with a Strike that lists Grab in its damage entry, or it has a creature grabbed using this action. Effect The monster automatically Grabs the target until the end of the monster’s next turn. The creature is grabbed by whichever body part the monster attacked with, and that body part can’t be used to Strike creatures until the grab is ended.

Using Grab extends the duration of the monster’s Grab until the end of its next turn for all creatures grabbed by it. A grabbed creature can use the Escape action to get out of the grab, and the Grab ends for a grabbed creatures if the monster moves away from it.

RELEASE [free-action]
MANIPULATE
You release something you’re holding in your hand or hands. This might mean dropping an item, removing one hand from your weapon while continuing to hold it in another hand, releasing a rope suspending a chandelier, or performing a similar action. Unlike most manipulate actions, Release does not trigger reactions that can be triggered by actions with the manipulate trait (such as Attack of Opportunity).
If you want to prepare to Release something outside of your turn, use the Ready activity.

Tangential question, regarding the spell Freedom of Movement.

You repel effects that would hinder a creature or slow its movement. While under this spell’s effect, the target ignores effects that would give them a circumstance penalty to Speed. When they attempt to Escape an effect that has them immobilized, grabbed, or restrained, they automatically succeed unless the effect is magical and of a higher level than the freedom of movement spell.

Would a target grabbed by a magical whip attack (again, from a Balor for example) count as a 'magical effect' for purposes of Freedom of Movement?

I am wondering how Frightful Presence works in respect its wording "A that creature first enters the area..."

The full rule is:

Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) A creature that first enters the area must attempt a Will save. Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the creature is temporarily immune to this monster’s Frightful Presence for 1 minute.

So for example, if a dragon with Frightful Presence moved such that a creature is now in its Frightful Presence, would this ability trigger? Or would the creature in question have to move to the dragon to make it trigger?

Another example, imagine a summoned monster that has this ability and it appears within range of one or more creatures? Would that cause the ability to trigger?

It feels like the answer to both of these should be no, as the creature didn't actively cause the 'entering of the area'. But the wording is confusing enough to me that I wanted to post here.

How do death effects interact with regeneration? Would a target reduced to 0HP by a death effect that has regeneration die, or would they just go to dying 3? Stated differently do death effects trump regeneration or does regeneration trump death effects?

Some spells and abilities can kill you immediately or bring you closer to death without needing to reduce you to 0 Hit Points first. These abilities have the death trait and usually involve negative energy, the antithesis of life. If you are reduced to 0 Hit Points by a death effect, you are slain instantly without needing to reach dying 4. If an effect states it kills you outright, you die without having to reach
dying 4 and without being reduced to 0 Hit Points.

This monster regains the listed number of Hit Points each round at the beginning of its turn. Its dying condition never increases beyond dying 3 as long as its regeneration is active. However, if it takes damage of a type listed in the regeneration entry, its regeneration deactivates until the end of its next turn. Deactivate the regeneration before applying any damage of a listed type, since that damage might kill the monster by bringing it to dying 4.

I am looking for three players and will be running a modified version of the Adventure Path Age of Ashes, starting the AP with Module 3, “Tomorrow Must Burn”. The first two modules of this Adventure Path are deemed to have already taken place. All information the players would have learned playing these modules will be provided via a detailed bulleted list. This game will be run via Foundry VTT, using the Forge as the host. with game sessions on Mondays from 7PM to 10PM Central Standard Time (adjusted for Daylight saving). There will be a break in the game session for about 5 – 10 minutes around 9PM.

Characters will start at 9th, and all classes from the CRB and APG are allowed. The various Lost Omen source books are in play, though any option taken from these books must be vetted with me first, even if they are common options. The Free Archetype from the GMG (p 194) will also be in play.

Any common ancestry is allowed, but Rarity is enforced, with goblins and all non CRB ancestries being uncommon. Such ancestries can only be taken after discussion and approval from me. Part of this approval process will be a significant backstory that justifies the ancestry being allowed and will require the player to explain to me how the world would see and react to them. The default answer for uncommon races is “not allowed”, though I am open to discussion. Make a good argument and roll well on your persuasion check.

While it is highly recommended players choose a Background out of the Age of Ashes players guide, any common background option is available. Players are welcome to be as detailed or brief regarding their character’s backstory, however everyone must have a character who has reason to be tied to Breachill in some fashion. In addition, each player character will be deemed to have participated in Module 1 (Hellknight Hill) and Module 2 (Cult of Cinders). As such, each PC should have a backstory that includes knowledge and participation in the events of Module 1 and Module 2.

Additional information about character creation will be shared during session 0 once the group is established.

Expectations

As stated previously the game will be run via a Foundry VTT, hosted on The Forge, with game sessions on Mondays from 7PM to at least 10PM Central Standard Time (adjusted for Daylight saving). There will be a break in the game session for about 5 – 10 minutes around 9PM as I put my son to bed.

The actual sessions will be combat heavy, and most, if not all Monday sessions will start with “Roll Initiative!”, with the session then flowing naturally from there. Players will also be given opportunities for roleplaying with plot critical NPCs.

Between sessions the game will be a “quasi-pbp”, via Discord, where the group chat will take place. The air quotes are intentional here, I do not want to imply this game is pbp. Instead the players will be asked to post daily in the discord chat (even if it is nothing but “I have read the chat and am current on the conversation”), discussing such things as strategy, tactics for any upcoming fights, next steps in their exploration (Do we go left? Do we go right?), and interactions/roleplay with NPCs.

In addition, all other mundane aspects, such as record keeping, leveling up, selling/purchasing of equipment, most downtime activities should also be handled between sessions. The objective would be to use the details from the Discord chat to set up the following Monday game session for “Roll Initiative!”

Interested players can post to this thread (noting their experience level in RP games and PF2e, any relevant character concepts, or other aspects that you wish to share). I plan on moving quickly to form a group.

As for me, I've been gaming for over two decades, much of it as a GM. I've been playing PF2e more or less since it came out. I am looking for a new group since my previous group has decided to take a break.

I am happy to answer any questions potential players might have.

So one of my players has a animal companion that can fly. They want to have it carry stuff, such as a large sack of potatoes.

Any idea what the largest sack/bulk it could carry would be, and for how long?

I have an encounter coming up in my next session and I'd to see what others' opinions are of Rules as Written regarding Reach, Improved Grab, and the Grabbed condition.

Situation:

Beastie with 15 foot reach has an attack with the improved grab rider. So if it hits, target is auto grabbed. There is no provision in this attack that says the target is moved adjacent to the beastie.

Assume the beastie hits and grabs the target 15 feet away. The target now has the grabbed condition, so its flat footed, immobilized, and has a flat check to fail manipulate actions.

Rules as Written, would the grabbed character, with a reach of 5 feet, be able to melee attack the creature that has them grabbed? Based on what I've read, the answer is no.

Please note, while I certainly appreciate any "Here is how I would rule it..." type posts, I am looking for definitive 'Rules as Written'. I've not been able to find anything that contradicts my understanding, but I could be wrong.