Grapple & attack situation

[GM Chyro]

An owlbear has grappled and is holding a goblin.
Can it still attack the goblin it holds? It doesn't have constrict, but can it still attack the held goblin with its other arm on its next turn?

[Chess Pwn]

If you do not release the grapple, you must continue to make a check each round, as a standard action, to maintain the hold. If your target does not break the grapple, you get a +5 circumstance bonus on grapple checks made against the same target in subsequent rounds. Once you are grappling an opponent, a successful check allows you to continue grappling the foe, and also allows you to perform one of the following actions (as part of the standard action spent to maintain the grapple).

You can inflict damage to your target equal to your unarmed strike, a natural attack, or an attack made with armor spikes or a light or one-handed weapon. This damage can be either lethal or nonlethal.

[blahpers]

Yes. If it maintains the grapple, it can automatically deal damage with one of its natural attacks (either a claw or a bite, in this case) as part of the standard action used to maintain the grapple.

[Bob Bob Bob]

If the owlbear wants to keep the goblin grappled it needs to spend a standard action to maintain the grapple (it rolls CMB+5 versus the goblin's CMD, the +5 is for being in control of the grapple for a round). If the owlbear fails the grapple ends, if it succeeds then it can: move them both at half speed; pin the goblin; or damage the goblin with a unarmed strike, natural attack, or light/one-handed weapon.

This has a flowchart for it.

[GM Chyro]

I'm aware of the grapple checks. Needed to make sure the owlbear could attack if it didn't have the constrict.

Could i use the goblin as a shield vs arrows shot by the other goblins?
A +1 bonus to AC or the like?

[Bob Bob Bob]

Well, remember, shooting into melee (which a grapple counts as) is -4, shooting through allies in another -4, and goblins rarely get sane/high level enough for precise shot/improved precise shot. In fact, they'd probably take that feat that lets you shoot allies so you don't have to take the -4 penalty for firing into melee. I don't know the name and all a quick search could turn up was Reckless Aim and it's not nearly as good.

Otherwise there's not really good "human shield" rules in the game, at best it counts as partial cover (+2 AC) for being half your height. Like a low fence.

[That Crazy Alchemist]

If you want to use an enemy as a shield:
1) Be Cavalier
2) Take the Ally Shield Teamwork Feat
3) Use Tactician ability to grant Ally Shield to your allies, opting to treat the goblin as an ally for this purpose.
4) Enjoy

[SwiftyKun]

For ranged combat, you suffer a -4 to hit anyone that is engaged in melee combat, unless that enemy is ten feet or more away from the nearest friendly ally. I.E. if the enemy is using a reach weapon for 10 feet and no allies are adjacent to that enemy, even though that enemy might have attacked an ally with a melee attack, you don't suffer a -4 to hit that creature.

Also! If the square of the target you are shooting at passes through a hard corner or another creature's square, that creature you are trying to hit has a +4 to their ac due to cover.

Lastly, if you wanted to reposition that goblin, after you had them in a grapple, into the way of the enemy archer and use him as a shield, you would indeed get +4 to your ac if the enemy archer shot through his allies square, he would also suffer a -4 to hit because of the melee rules. Do keep in mind however, repositioning an enemy with a grapple into a "dangerous" position, needs a successful CMB check by you to reposition them, and they get a free CMB check of their own to break the grapple. If you merely wanted to reposition them into a non-dangerous square, they would not get the free attempt to break the grapple.

[GM Chyro]

Remember, this is an Owlbear having grappled a goblin.

But indeed i'd not be surprised with them to shoot regardless of their friend being the hostage and at risk of hitting their little green friend.

[Faelyn]

Chryo... Check out Body Shield. That is probably the closest you will find for that type of situation, at least rule-wise.

[GM Chyro]

Oh that is sweet, using his buddy to take his arrows.
Sadly, owlbears don't have those. :)

But it's a good reminder for my own monk later, thanks.

[GM Chyro]

The last question for the situation:

Could the owlbear throw the goblin?
I've been searching the boards for an answer, but it seems in a grey area of discretion, opposed to rules available.