Using Ring of the Ram while grappled

[Nightskies]

A level 7 Cleric PC picked up such a ring, having only a few charges in it. Later, he was grappled by a typical salamander. On his turn, he opted to use the Ring of the Ram on the salamander grappling him. What should happen?

Per my ruling, the cleric first had to successfully bull rush the salamander (succeeded with a 32). Succeeding that, then using the cleric's own CMB with the strength of the ram, had to break the salamander's grapple. If the grapple failed, the bull rush would move them both still in grapple with a -4 to the bull rush, or, if the grapple succeeded, the salamander alone would be moved away, leaving the cleric free. In this case, the cleric failed to break grapple and both of them were moved 10 feet.

I'd like more opinions.

Ring of the Ram:

as seen from http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/magicItems/rings.html

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th
Slot ring; Price 8,600 gp; Weight —
DESCRIPTION
The ring of the ram is an ornate ring forged of hard metal, usually iron or an iron alloy. It has the head of a ram as its device. The wearer can command the ring to give forth a ram-like force, manifested by a vaguely discernible shape that resembles the head of a ram or a goat. This force strikes a single target, dealing 1d6 points of damage if 1 charge is expended, 2d6 points if 2 charges are used, or 3d6 points if 3 charges (the maximum) are used. Treat this as a ranged attack with a 50-foot maximum range and no penalties for distance.
The force of the blow is considerable, and those struck by the ring are subject to a bull rush if within 30 feet of the ring-wearer. The ram is Large and uses the ring's caster level as its base attack bonus with a Strength of 25. This gives the ram a Combat Maneuver Bonus of +17. The ram gains a +1 bonus on the bull rush attempt if 2 charges are expended, or +2 if 3 charges are expended.
In addition to its attack mode, the ring of the ram also has the power to open doors as if it were a character with Strength 25. This expends 1 charge. If 2 charges are expended, the effect is equivalent to a character with Strength 27. If 3 charges are expended, the effect is that of a character with Strength 29.
A newly created ring has 50 charges. When all the charges are expended, the ring becomes a nonmagical item.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Forge Ring, bull's strength, telekinesis; Cost 4,300 gp

[Stynkk]

Nightskies wrote:

I'd like more opinions.

I think you handled the situation well, I think I would have done the same: Successful Bull Rush CM check, Break Grapple CM check and determine distance moved.

[Maliphian]

I think you should have made the Salamander make the CMB check to maintain the grapple. The force was made against the entity doing the grappling, away from the cleric so he should of had to maintain his grip and at a penalty. The cleric was probably actively trying not to move, the Salamander had no choice.

[Matthew Morris]

Newton, meet Pathfinder. :-)

I agree with Maliphian. A more dramatic version would have been to split the distance travelled between the cleric and the Salamander. Cleric goes flying one way, Salamander the other, hillarity ensues. :-)

That said, your ruling makes sense in an on the fly moment. One reason tabletop still rules over CRPG, who would have thought to code an answer to that question?

[cp]

I think you handled it fine; however you asked for an option, so heres an option.

If someone were braced against a bull rush, you might give them a +2 or +4 to the bull rush CMD.

Since they were holding the cleric, I might give them a +2 to the CMD roll, and dispense the grapple roll entirely.

More or less, I think this is preferable than giving the additional grapple roll. Faster / cleaner. There are many preconditions necessary to grapple; the player found an innovative way to remove one of them (bullrushing the grappler). I wouldn't award an extra grapple attempt if someone DDoored out, or if they cast freedom of movement.

.02

[Quandary]

This ties directly into an issue that has been festering a very long time.
How does Grapple´s movement restriction apply to cases like this?
It´s not written like Entangled, which prevents movement period (i.e. all movement),
it prevents YOU (grappled person) from moving, thus seemingly preventing your own movement,
but not externally caused movement (such as falling from lack of support, being bullrushed, etc).

Of course, by the RAW there is NOTHING further that must be accomplished other than what is needed to ´normally´ accomplish the movement (i.e. in the case of falling: nothing, just 1 bullrush check in your case). I think using the Grapple ´controller´s´ CMD (which may be higher due to bonuses) if it is higher than the Bullrush target´s CMD is very appropriate and in-line with PRPG ´mechanical feel´ (it is still just one CMB check), but that is definitely not even suggested by RAW. In your case, you were targetting the Grappling controller anyways, but such a distinction comes up if, say, an ally wants to Bullrush their own Grappled ally away from a Grappling Monster who is ´controlling´ the Grapple. If you want, you could subtract from 2 to 5 from your bullrush attack roll to represent breaking free from the grapple (5 is the equivalent of 5 further feet travelled in the bullrush), though I feel that simply over-coming the ´controller´s´ CMD is good enough - Grappled condition being written differently from Entangled doesn´t itself prevent any movement from being applied to Grappled characters, after all.

Though again, that issue has never been dealt with by Paizo... So feel free to FAQ this so that changes.
Perhaps Grapple IS meant to prevent ALL movement period, but it seems bizarre that the largest of Titans could not possibly bullrush (even on a Natural 20) one of two Halflings with 6 STR who are Grappling each other... Or that the floor could disappear beneath the same pair of Grappling Halflings, but as long as they continue mainintaing the Grapple, they are immune to being moved (by the other reading of the Grapple movement restriction).

But however you want to modify it, ´boiling it down´ to one roll seems the most in-line with PRPG´s approach to maneuvers IMHO.