You can still damage them with the thorn body on your turn (by doing the "damage" grapple option and dealing either natural attack damage + 1d6 or unarmed strike damage + 1d6. If they don't struggle against you (making a grapple check), they don't take any damage on their turn, though. They still suffer the normal penalties for being grappled.
It's a solid spell - my alchemist has had fun using Monstrous Physique I to turn into a gargoyle and then use this spell to increase the damage on all four of his natural attacks. The anti-grapple thing is just a nice side effect.
|
Similar question...
Druid's Companion (Large Cat) with Thorn Body cast on it. Assuming that it successfully hits, and successfully grapples... when does the extra damage from grappling apply?
Creatures that successfully grapple you take 2d6 points of piercing damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +15)
I hesitate here because the cat is the one performing the grapple, not the opponent. I can easily see an argument for one of two cases:
1) Cat attacks, does it's natural damage + thorn body damage. Succeeds on grapple (both gain the grappled condition). Next round, cat can bite + rake and get the extra thorn body damage on those attacks.
2) Cat attacks, does it's natural damage +thorn body damage. Succeeds on grapple (both gain the grappled condition). Opponent takes thorn body grapple damage. Cat can bite and rake and gets the extra damage on those attacks as well.
#2 seems like way too much damage, but it is a 4th level spell.
The opponent should only take that extra damage if they successfully grapple you or if they attack you with anything other than reach weapons. When you attack them you deal extra damage with natural weapons.
|
|
The opponent should only take that extra damage if they successfully grapple you or if they attack you with anything other than reach weapons. When you attack them you deal extra damage with natural weapons.
Would an escape attempt using a grapple roll (as opposed to escape artist) also trigger the grapple damage?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
No, I don't believe an escape attempt using their CMB would cause them to take the damage for attempting to grapple because thats the opposite of what they're doing. They're trying to get free.
If they were grappled and tried not escaping but to reverse the grapple and they succeeded then they would take the damage.
If You Are Grappled: If you are grappled, you can attempt to break the grapple as a standard action by making a combat maneuver check (DC equal to your opponent's CMD; this does not provoke an attack of opportunity) or Escape Artist check (with a DC equal to your opponent's CMD). If you succeed, you break the grapple and can act normally. Alternatively, if you succeed, you can become the grappler, grappling the other creature (meaning that the other creature cannot freely release the grapple without making a combat maneuver check, while you can). Instead of attempting to break or reverse the grapple, you can take any action that doesn't require two hands to perform, such as cast a spell or make an attack or full attack with a light or one-handed weapon against any creature within your reach, including the creature that is grappling you. See the grappled condition for additional details. If you are pinned, your actions are very limited. See the pinned condition in Conditions for additional details.
So they aren't performing a grapple when escaping, they're just making a combat maneuver check to escape.