Salamander tail slap

[Alan Sinclair]

So a salamander's tail slap does does 2D6+1 plus 1D6 fire damage if it hits.

It MAY then attempt to establish a grapple as a free action because of the grab special ability (at -15 on the roll if it does not want the grappled condition).

Furthermore, it causes an additional 2D6+4 plus 1D6 fire damage WHEN it establishes a grapple because of the constrict ability.

Please, for the sake of my players, tell me I have got this wrong and explain to me how it does work.

I keep reading the passages in the Bestiary and come to this conclusion every time.

If I have not made an error, I take it the damage for the constrict ability is only ever applied when a grapple is established, and not every round.

Cheers

Alan

[King of Vrock]

The penalty is -20, not -15. And you add both the tail slap damage AND the Constrict damage each time you make a successful grapple check.

The only thing I can't state for certain is the action required to maintain a Hold each round.

--Figure four leg Vrock

[Otm-Shank]

Unfortunately for your players your interpretation of the rules is mostly correct.

First, a creature takes a -20 to it's grapple check in order to maintain a grapple without gaining the grapple condition, rather than -15.

Second, I regret to inform you that the constrict damage is applied every round the Salamander successfully maintains his grapple as well as when the grapple is initially established.

The Salamander is certainly impressive but given that it is a CR 6 creature and the relatively low attack bonus of the tail slap (only +6), it isn't particularly overpowered. Your party just needs to make sure they keep any squishy casters out of the Salamander's reach ;)

EDIT : It is a standard action to maintain a grapple check, also note that you don't need to deal the tail slap damage when you successfully maintain the grapple, you can also move the grappled creature or attempt to pin them. Regardless of whatever choice you make, the constrict damage still applies each round...

[Alan Sinclair]

Thanks for clearing that up for me (don't know where I got the -15 from).

They won't keep the squishies out of harms way, they never do. What's a Dm to do? They will have to learn the hard way I suppose.

[wraithstrike]

Alan Sinclair wrote:

Thanks for clearing that up for me (don't know where I got the -15 from).

They won't keep the squishies out of harms way, they never do. What's a Dm to do? They will have to learn the hard way I suppose.

With a -20 you should have a hard time making the check unless they have really bad CMD's.

Quote:

CMB +11 (+15 grapple);

That means it has a -5 to the D20 roll as a total on the initial grapple check.

[Alan Sinclair]

Unfortunately for the squishies, they only have an AC of 11 and a CMD of 12.

Seeing as the fight will almost certainly take place on a small island of rock floating on a deep lava pool, dragging the players to a firey doom seems almost inevitable.

Still, we have not yet had a death by lava in the group, so it will be unique.

Death by boiling bubble, we had quite a few of those years ago. Lava, not yet.

[wraithstrike]

Alan Sinclair wrote:

Unfortunately for the squishies, they only have an AC of 11 and a CMD of 12.

Seeing as the fight will almost certainly take place on a small island of rock floating on a deep lava pool, dragging the players to a firey doom seems almost inevitable.

Still, we have not yet had a death by lava in the group, so it will be unique.

Death by boiling bubble, we had quite a few of those years ago. Lava, not yet.

If they don't have mirror image or displacement I have no sympathy for them.

[Xraal]

Hehe, they have dumped their defensive attributes. Burn them. Burn them hard. :-)

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Xraal wrote:

Hehe, they have dumped their defensive attributes. Burn them. Burn them hard. :-)

And remember that the salamander is probably fighting to win, not to be a jerk.

If he's grappling someone, and they pass out from the pain (e.g., drop to 0 hit points), have him just toss them down so that he can focus on an active target. When he wins, he can always kill them at his leisure later.