Freedom of Movement, and Maintaining a Grapple

[FireberdGNOME]

This question may seem a little bit self-obvious, but I am looking for Feedback.

PRD sez: wrote:

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT: This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web. All combat maneuver checks made to grapple the target automatically fail. The subject automatically succeeds on any combat maneuver checks and Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple or a pin.

Does this mean that Character A with Freedom of Movement (FoM) can maintain a *perfect* Grapple?

*A* Claws and Grabs *B*, beating *B's* CMD, and successfully grappling him. *B* attempts a Grapple Check (Under Grapple in the PRD, "If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check...") and autofails as "all combat maneuver checks made to grapple the target [of FoM] automatically fail". Thus, FoM creates a *perfect* Grapple. (Excepting of course Escape Artist, which is a Skill Check, not a CMB roll!)

Or, am I reading this all wrong?

Thanks in advance

GNOME

[Karjak Rustscale]

I don't think that's intended by the spell.
technically I think grappling would be applying the grappled condition to you, which that spell automatically breaks, meaning you can't keep it going.

otherwise that's kind of rediculous.

[Aventi D´Gaudon]

Force is with you, young padawan! come to the dark side!
Break the system and use it against PCs! Cookies are allowed after TPK vs Ancient "Color" Dragon

[Starglim]

FireberdGNOME wrote:

This question may seem a little bit self-obvious, but I am looking for Feedback.

PRD sez: wrote:

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT: This spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web. All combat maneuver checks made to grapple the target automatically fail. The subject automatically succeeds on any combat maneuver checks and Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple or a pin.

Does this mean that Character A with Freedom of Movement (FoM) can maintain a *perfect* Grapple?

No, B is not trying to grapple A, nor is A trying to escape the grapple, so none of the effects of freedom of movement apply.

[YuenglingDragon]

I disagree with your reading of the rules here. FoM only auto-fails attempts to grapple you not any and all combat maneuver checks. That's why later it refers to "combat maneuver checks...to escape a grapple." They're different.

[FireberdGNOME]

Thanks for the justifications.

Let me state very clearly: I do not think it should work as a 'perfect' grapple; it is contrary to the (subjective) intent of the spell. I was working on a grappling (Barb/Druid(Bear Shaman)) monster as a PC and this felt kind of... cheaty.

Karjak wrote:

technically I think grappling would be applying the grappled condition to you...

Could that mean that a FoM subject cannot even initiate a Grapple as the FoM *might/could* prevent the subject from gaining the Grappled Condition? (Even though the spell does not say explicitly that FoM prevents the Grappled Condition)

Thanks again :)

Aventi wrote:

Cookies are allowed after TPK...

Oh! I do love cookies! Especially ones made of real girlscouts! ;)

GNOME

[YuenglingDragon]

I think you can certainly initiate the grapple. FoM would, from my read, prevent the grappled opponent from taking control of the grapple but not prevent you from initiating or your opponent from escaping one.

[James Risner]

FireberdGNOME wrote:

Does this mean that Character A with Freedom of Movement (FoM) can maintain a *perfect* Grapple?

No.

They can't be grappled, but they gain no bonus to grab others.