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I have a foe coming up in an upcoming game
The creature lists the ability:
Special Attacks constrict (slam, 1d8+6)
It does not have grab, nor any particular grappling ability. Does the parenthetical slam mean it constricts on a successful slam? Or should I assume that its other special ability,
Yes.
Adhesive (Ex): A mimic exudes a thick slime that acts as a powerful adhesive, holding fast any creatures or items that touch it. An adhesive-covered mimic automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot get free while the mimic is alive without removing the adhesive first.
(Emphasis Mine)
Description says Mimic excrements a thick slime as an adhesive. Bolded part says adhesive (more-or-less) makes their standard slam attack auto-grapple upon a successful hit, meaning they only have to hit AC with a melee attack to "grapple" the creature.
In addition, in its Offensive table in regards to Slam Attacks, the damage says (1d8+6 plus adhesive); meaning you apply the effects of the ability mentioned below to a successful Slam attack.
I have to say though, Mimics are pretty nasty now that I look at their abilities...
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creature with this special attack can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, when it makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage). The amount of damage is given in the creature's entry and is typically equal to the amount of damage caused by the creature's melee attack.
So every time it slams, it automatically constricts on a hit? Additionally every round everything glued to it gets a little crushed as well?
creature with this special attack can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, when it makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage). The amount of damage is given in the creature's entry and is typically equal to the amount of damage caused by the creature's melee attack.So every time it slams, it automatically constricts on a hit? Additionally every round everything glued to it gets a little crushed as well?
The total attack is titled Constrict. It is labeled as something different altogether due to outlying factors.
The description (in parentheses) says the creature makes a natural Slam attack (which is a Primary natural attack in this case); upon a successful Slam attack, the Adhesive property takes effect (as per its description). Since the Adhesive property states that the creature automatically grapples the target on a successful Slam attack, and that the PC's who are grappled cannot break free from it normally with an opposed Grapple or Escape Artist check, it specifically states that the target must find a way to remove the adhesive to break free, since the rules for it grappling through these means are different from the standard rules.
Every time it slams, it automatically grapples. Whether it constricts is more of a gray area.
On one hand, constrict activates on a successful grapple check. The mimic does not make a grapple check. So if you run with that reasoning, it doesn't constrict on the round it starts the grapple. In later rounds it would make grapple checks; if it succeeds it deals constrict along with the normal results of a grapple check, if it fails nothing happens but the victim is still grappled.
On the other hand, 'automatically grapples' could be seen as equivalent to automatically passing the grapple check (I believe there may have been an FAQ or something that confirmed this, but I can't find it ATM). In that case it would deal constrict damage on the first round when it starts the grapple. In later rounds it would make grapple checks as above.
My take on it is that every other creature constricts the round it starts the grapple, so the mimic probably should too.
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taking for granted the first round of combat, when the first foe becomes glued down. I was wondering about the second round, does it need to use an action to maintain the grapple, r can it glue a second foe down while constricting the first. Following that line, can it on the third round glue a third foe while constricting the first 2. How deadly are we talking here?
The mimic still counts as grappling, and must make a grapple check as a standard action on its turn or release the grapple (dissolving the adhesive) just like anyone else. If it succeeds on the check it can constrict and deal slam damage, pin, or whatever. If it fails it does nothing but the foe is still grappled.
No, because it's the standard action attempt to grapple a foe which provokes an AoO. The mimic never takes this action, instead it automatically grapples what it hits. Subsequent grapple checks once the grapple has started also don't provoke, whether you have Imp Grapple or not.
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okay, I think I'm good, so it does still need to make that roll, because it only "automatically grapples any foe it hits with the slam" but it does so with a +5 bonus having successfully grappled the foe on the prior turn? Thus dealing slam (for doing the successful "deal damage" grapple move) and constrict for successfully grappling.
Yes, I suppose it would. Also, the +5 is based on whether the victim breaks the grapple, so even if the mimic failed grapple checks in subsequent rounds as long as the victim was still stuck it would keep getting the +5.