Hey--this always comes up with us. For example, the Vermerak:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/aberrations/vemerak
Can he do a full attack, grab with a tentacle (assuming a successful hit), grapple you, and constrict all in one round?
Just seems like a crazy good ability. Especially considering the PC can only try and escape a grapple the next turn?
Pretty much. Grapple is not very player-friendly. Basically, he gets to full attack. With each attack, he gets a free chance to make an opponent grappled. Every time he succeeds on a grapple check, he also does constrict damage.
Alright. So it is. Pretty bad. I think I'm just upset because it always seems to be the paladin (me, that is) who gets grappled:) Thanks for the quick response!
Once you reach higher levels, it's pretty much essential to find a way out of Major Problems. Grapple is one of them. Teleportation, blinking, grease, Liberating Command, and freedom of movement are all good ways to deal with grappling that have varying value.
You're lucky if it's you, the paladin, that's being grappled rather than the mage or cleric, though, heh. Unless you're a Travel or Liberation cleric, then you don't care. ;-)
You can full attack while you are grappled, so kick its butt!