Maybe this question was already asked, but I'm wondering when a Garrote's weapon damage comes into play?
1. Does it get incurred during the choke option and/or initial grapple?
2. If not, then can I use it to damage an opponent in a grapple, even though it's a Two-Handed Weapon? If so do I then get 1.5x Str and improved Power attack ratio? If so I'm kinda digging this option instead of choke (character with 18 str and at 1st lvl doing 1d6+9, not a bad thing). It's hell of a lot better option than waiting the 20 rounds for a character with 10 constitution to expire due to suffocation.
With my lvl 1 strangler you can:
Grapple the soon to be corpse (STBC)
Then next round pin them (I don't like my STBC hitting back at me), and then start doing damage in the rounds afterward.
After that, with my lvl 1 sample strangler above, you're hitting the STBC for 1d6+9 and they get to gurgle and lamely struggle as you break vital breathing bits.
This seems to work a lot better (especially with the low level guards you're likely to be taking out silently to get at the BBEG)
From the viewpoint of an outsider (you left witnesses!):
Strangler comes out of shadows, secures garrote around STBC. (Surprise round)
Opponent fights back as you move your knee up and into their spine so that they can't fight back anymore and you have leverage. (Next round)
Garrote begins cutting into/breaking vital breathing bits. (Third round)
Oh and since corpses and constructs don't breathe, remember +1
Brilliant Energy Garrote! Umm...just hope they ignore the glow, but at least coifs and collars won't be a problem.
Thanks for the help!
Thread I found(Are the suffocation rules ridiculous)..
Everybody seems to want to concentrate on the suffocation rules (and it uses suffocation rules, which are sadly worse than drowning rules(there is a difference, somehow)). I'd rather just check out if the weapon could damage people in a grapple, as that would be quicker.
Also, as most people in the above thread discussed the purpose of a garrote was never meant to be to cut off air supply. It was supposed to cut off blood supply or alternatively cut into or crush vital breathing (and blood transferring) bits. That would in my mind would be what the damage ability on this thing would be.
So I'm just looking for a clarification if this thing can be used to damage in a grapple (technically a two handed weapon, so according to the grappling rules it cannot). If not, then why bother giving it a damage code?
I'm with you on this one.
The garrotte can only do damage in a grapple. It's not like you can flail around with it like a, well, like a flail...
So if you're doing damage, it's going to be done the way you described (although, the knee-in-the-back is not the way special forces are trained to use them; much better to turn completely around so you're back to back and then bend over, lifting your foe off of his feet onto your back, at which point he has zero leverage to free himself).
Yes, grapple says you can't use two-handed weapons, but it seems the garrotte is a specific exception to that rule.
Not RAW, but I believe it's RAI.
Read a book and that's how they had the character with the garrote do his thing. Like your way better though! Yeah, I would in no way let a player in my game use it outside a grapple. Just wasn't sure you could deal damage with it in a grapple as a two handed weapon. Would sure be nice if they'd put it into the weapon text though to clarify.
Now the question is that as a two handed weapon, do you get the 1.5x Strength and Power Attack 1:3 ratio? I say yes and it actually makes this a very worthwhile weapon for any sneaker with a decent CMB/CMD. Like I said above, you're not going to be killing most BBEGs with this thing, but against guards, the damage over two or three rounds should be enough to wipe them out without worrying about the horrible strangulation rules.