K, so I decided to try out a monk in a campaign that just started. I did the normal thing and took Improved Grapple as my first level monk feat. Now after reading into it some more since I figured I'd try and actually use this I am now have a few questions.
1. After a successful grapple attempt the 3 ways the grapple can end is:
A. The person in control of the grapple decides to let go.
B. The person being grappled attempts to break the grapple and beats the person in control of the grapple's CMD.
C. In a consecutive round the person who has control of the grapple misses his grapple check.
Now the one I am not sure on is C. Is this what happens if you don't beat their CMD that round? Do you just end up letting go and you end up standing adjacent to each other with nothing going on? Kinda seems like grappling at that point is really weighted against the person who initiates until they can get Greater Grapple so they can have 2 chances to succeed.
2. There is no way to improve your CMB for grapple other than Improved Grapple, Greater Grapple, Weapon Focus (Grapple), and improving your BAB and STR.
I suppose as a fighter you can take Greater Weapon Focus (Grapple) if you wanted. Other than this though I'm not finding a good way to improve it so it seems to become less useful to worthless around 12th level or so.
3. If you have Greater Grapple and make sure first grapple check which succeeds and you do damage. Then do the second one and miss is the person you grappled then free?
4. If someone you've grappled pulls a dagger and tries to stick you they can't attempt to break the grapple until they drop/sheath the weapon because they need to hand free correct? I thought I saw something somewhere you can attempt to grapple with 1 hand but then take a -4 to your CMB.
and last but not least
5. If you have the grappled condition you have -4 dex. Now when you figure your CMD you add your dex in this. Does being grappled reduce your CMD by 2? Also if pinned you lose your dex, so would any dex bonus then be negated on the CMD making it an easier # to hit.
Thanks for the help guys!
Actually, Weapon Focus (unarmed) is what you'd want to increase your grapple checks.
Actually, Weapon Focus (unarmed) is what you'd want to increase your grapple checks.
No, you want Weapon Focus (Grapple).
Besides the obvious weapons, you can take Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Weapon Focus (Grapple), or Weapon Focus (Ray). Pathfinder Core Rules p. 136
1. After a successful grapple attempt the 3 ways the grapple can end is:
A. The person in control of the grapple decides to let go.
B. The person being grappled attempts to break the grapple and beats the person in control of the grapple's CMD.
C. In a consecutive round the person who has control of the grapple misses his grapple check.Now the one I am not sure on is C. Is this what happens if you don't beat their CMD that round? Do you just end up letting go and you end up standing adjacent to each other with nothing going on? Kinda seems like grappling at that point is really weighted against the person who initiates until they can get Greater Grapple so they can have 2 chances to succeed.
The grapple ends just as if you had let them go.
2. There is no way to improve your CMB for grapple other than Improved Grapple, Greater Grapple, Weapon Focus (Grapple), and improving your BAB and STR.
Barbarian Rage Power Animal Fury will give you +2 to Grapple with successful bite attack. Another character using the Aid Another action will grant a +2 bonus. Enlarge Person will grant a size bonus. A bag of Devouring will grant a +8 bonus to Grapple.
Weapon Specialization(Grapple) will give you +2 to damage.
3. If you have Greater Grapple and make sure first grapple check which succeeds and you do damage. Then do the second one and miss is the person you grappled then free?
Per the feat description: "You only need to succeed at one of these checks to maintain the grapple."
4. If someone you've grappled pulls a dagger and tries to stick you they can't attempt to break the grapple until they drop/sheath the weapon because they need to hand free correct? I thought I saw something somewhere you can attempt to grapple with 1 hand but then take a -4 to your CMB.
No. You do not need to have a free hand to attempt to break a grapple. Humanoids with only one free hand take a -4 to attempt to grapple, but not to break a grapple.
5. If you have the grappled condition you have -4 dex. Now when you figure your CMD you add your dex in this. Does being grappled reduce your CMD by 2? Also if pinned you lose your dex, so would any...
Yes, your CMD decreases by 2 because of the -4 penalty to Dexterity. While pinned you would lose any Dexterity bonus to AC, but note that it does NOT decrease your Dexterity and thus has no effect on CMD.
I'm pretty sure weapon focus unarmed strike does not work. but that said how is grapple a valid weapon ficus? it's a combat maneuver not a weapon. ( though if there is an example of this I'n the book somewhere my apologies
Please be aware that grapple is a CMB check, and all bonus's that would normally be applied to your attack apply to a grapple, therefor getting buffed to the gills by things like good hope, inspire courage, haste, etc etc certainly make you into a better grappler on the attack. Much harder is buffing your CMD high enough that your opponent can't escape on his turn easily. Oddly I believe Pathfinder has flipped the tables on the monk being a bad grappler and the barbarian being the best one, as the monks hefty dodge bonus and CMD training makes it hard to squirm out, and the barbarians -2 ac while raging has made it much easier.
Yes, your CMD decreases by 2 because of the -4 penalty to Dexterity. While pinned you would lose any Dexterity bonus to AC, but note that it does NOT decrease your Dexterity and thus has no effect on CMD.Incorrect. Per the rules on CMD (page 199 of the Core Rulebook):
Any penalties to a creature's AC also affect its CMD.
Doh! How did I miss that. Live and learn.
Thanks for pointing that out.
A grappled creature is restrained by a creature, trap, or effect. Grappled creatures cannot move and take a –4 penalty to Dexterity. a grappled creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, except those made to grapple or escape a grapple.
You would not have to adjust your CMD or CMB for grapple related checks
A bag of devouring doesn´t give you bonus on grapple checks, it grapples you with +8 if you try to stuff something in or take something out and if you are pinned you get devoured and are dead with only a 50% chance of being ressurected after one round.
What you can do is take an amulet of mighty fists. Every bonus raising your unarmed strike attack will count on grapple checks. Or by RAW with a +5 one-handed weapon you get +1, because its one higher than the -4 you get for grappling with only one hand^^
Personally i love the Hamatula Strike and Hamatul Grasp Feats. If you then add Hamatulatsu, you can impale oponents on your hand or arm after an succesful pierce attack with your hand. Having your hand enchanted with abilities like flaming/frost/corrosive/sonic is perhapsup to your GM, but makes you awful.
Whoaa, Fist of the South Star!
Another good idea for playing a monk is taking the Oakling race and take the mighty oak feat. If you then dip into Referent of spring Prestige Class, you can grapple as a swift action and make another grapple with reach, effectively grappling two oponents. Of course you can combine that with what i wrote above, making for an real brutal grappler.
A tree grappling foes by impaling them on its branches^^
grin, thanks for the ideas and answers guys. Unfortunately in this campaign we're restricted to the Core and APG so it seems like alot of options for improving grapple are out. I'm going to stay straight monk so using other class options are out.
Biggest question I guess that you only need to succeed on one grapple check with Greater Grapple. So if you make your first check and miss your second you're still in control? Or the fact you tried to do something else and failed do they get out.