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Ok, so this came up in my game last night. There are a number of issues with the way it's written, not the least of which being the discrepancy between the stat block and the text of the power.
Questions:
1- Does the creature get the death roll on the turn it bites the enemy? If it's intended to work like rake, then no, but if you go by the RAW, it's unclear and could be interpreted to go off whenever he bites someone.
2- Does it do the damage listed on the stat block AND damage from a bite attack? My interpretation of it would seem that they intended that to mean that the death roll damage doesn't replace the bite damage on a successful grapple check, but the RAW suggests that it goes one step further than that - adding another instance of bite damage on top of death roll damage with every bite attack that successfully grabs the enemy.
3- Does it make a trip attack when it death rolls, or does it knock the enemy prone? Poor editing.
Our party recently gained a summoner, so celestial crocodiles are starting to pop up all over the place. When the player read the monster, he was super excited to start doing "bite>grab>death roll>release>repeat" for effectively (triple bite damage) +2 each turn and that seems excessive.
I'm likely going to rule it the following way, but if anyone has feedback, I'd love to hear it.
You have to start your turn grappling the enemy to use death roll, but unlike rake, it automatically goes off if you succeed on the grapple check to maintain. The enemy takes automatic bite damage from the grapple, then extra damage from the death roll. Then the crocodile makes a trip attempt with no AoO, and cannot be tripped himself if he blows it.
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When grappling a foe of its size or smaller, a crocodile can perform a death roll upon making a successful grapple check. As it clings to its foe, it tucks in its legs and rolls rapidly, twisting and wrenching its victim. The crocodile inflicts its bite damage and knocks the creature prone. If successful, the crocodile maintains its grapple.
If you do not release the grapple, you must continue to make a check, as a standard action, to maintain the grapple... Once you are grappling an opponent, a successful check allows you to continue grappling the foe, and also allows you to preform one of the following actions (as part of the standard action spent to maintain the grapple).
It then goes on to list the different actions that you can preform. I interpet the rules as death roll adding another choice to the list of actions he can take, so he could chose to do a death roll instead of doing damage or moving him ect. Do note, however that this is strictly better than doing damage. Also note that you only get to do the standard action AFTER you have first started a grapple, IE standard to start a grapple then a standard to maintain the grapple with X action tacked on.
With this interpitation in mind,
1) No he cannot deathroll on the turn he inniates the grapple unless he has the greater grapple feat.
2) It would only apply 1 instance of bite damage, the bite from deathroll itself.
2b) it would look like this: Attack, free grapple attempt to inniate grapple, next action grapple attempt to maintain grapple, chose deathroll as the attached action.
3) It automaticaly knocks the creature prone. You could grapple a hundred legged beast and still knock it prone quite easily.
Even if he was able to do what you suggested it still wouldn't be all that exessive, there are multiple rolls that all have to succede to get the full effect and if he wiffs the first one he gets ziltch. Next the croc has a low CMB of +11 and so is really only useful at low levels or against mooks. Once opponets start getting stronger or larger this strategy will start to lose steam pritty quickly. He has no feats that help with his CMB or anything really to help him in that regard. Lastly this can only be done to a single target at a time.
I say let him eat his cake, its a small piece ;)
There is a build that focused on grappling and biting that I wrote a while back that you might like here.
Looking back, that might not all be legal so I gotta rewrite it, so take it with a grain of salt :)
It says when it makes a grapple check. Your initial roll to make the grapple is not actually a "grapple check". You make "checks" to maintain your grapple.
1- No, it gets to START grappling the creature as a free action, so cannot perform another grapple check (unless they have greater grapple)
2- The damage from the stat block, it makes a grapple check as a standard action, so gets bite damage. Its basically using a single natural attack so follows those rules, meaning 1.5xSTR, thats why the bite damage is 1d8+4 and the death roll damage is 1d8+6 see?
3- No, if the grapple check is successful the creature takes damage AND is knocked prone. No actual trip attempt is made, its all based on the grapple check
No you cannot do..."bite>grab>death roll>release>repeat" for effectively (triple bite damage) +2 each turn
Turn 1: If the croc full attacks it would do bite and tail slap with a free action to start a grapple. End of Turn 1
Turn 2: Standard action to maintain grapple (make "grapple check"). If check is successful, creature take bite damage 1d8+1.5xSTR and is now prone. The croc cannot move while grappling without another check which it cannot do as a move action without Greater Grapple. End of Turn 2
He can repeat Turn 2 over and over, or can release the grapple as a free action and then repeat Turn 1