I'm looking at the Engulf ability:
Engulf (Ex) The creature can engulf creatures in its path as part of a standard action. It cannot make other attacks during a round in which it engulfs. The creature merely has to move over its opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Targeted creatures can make attacks of opportunity against the creature, but if they do so, they are not entitled to a saving throw against the engulf attack. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity can attempt a Reflex save to avoid being engulfed—on a success, they are pushed back or aside (target's choice) as the creature moves forward. Engulfed opponents gain the pinned condition, are in danger of suffocating, are trapped within the creature's body until they are no longer pinned, and may be subject to other special attacks from the creature. The save DC is Strength-based.
Format: engulf (DC 12, 1d6 acid and paralysis); Location: Special Attacks.
At least two questions springs to mind.
It says Engulf is a standard action and that the »creature merely hast to move«. Can it move up to its speed with this standard action?
What happens on subsequent rounds if the creature has engulfed something? It's pretty strait forward what the creature does in orther to engulf something, but then I'm at loss. Engulfed opponents are pinned, does this mean the grappling rules now kick in and the engulfing creature has to role CMB checks?
So it's poorly worded...
I think you spend a move action to move normally and as part of standard action it can engulf along the way, but that standard action could also be used to do anything else you can do with a standard (at least it seems, it's unclear.)
Now, its worth noting you can covert a standard action to a move action, so it seems like you could use the standard to move and engulf, and have a move action left.
I think after being engulfed grappling rules kick in, because that's the only thing that makes sense. After engulfing, grappling rules kick in as normal with the caveat that the creature engulfed is also (presumably) holding their breath and in danger of dying from being unable to breath. Presumably, the creature probably also has some sort of automatic damage that occurs from being engulfed (such as a gelatinous cubes acid).
It spends it standard action to basically activate the engulf power for that round and then it can move engulfing any creature in its path.
It quite clearly states that the creature cannot make any other attacks.
The engulfing creature is not grappling, but the engulfed creature does gain the pinned condition. The pinned condition remains until a successful combat maneuver or escape artist check is made (or some esoteric means of escape is used).
It spends it standard action to basically activate the engulf power for that round and then it can move engulfing any creature in its path.
It quite clearly states that the creature cannot make any other attacks.
Yes. I does clearly state that it can't make any other attacks. But it's not clear that the standard action is spent activating the engulf power.
»The creature can engulf creatures in its path as part of a standard action.·«
In its path as part of ... This implies that the standard action has more than one component - that the creature both moves and engulfs as one standard action. Or perhaps both engulfs and maintains an engulfed creature within itself, I suppose. But I don't think it should be a standard action to do nothing but activate the engulf power because the wording strongly suggest something else happens too.
The engulfing creature is not grappling, but the engulfed creature does gain the pinned condition. The pinned condition remains until a successful combat maneuver or escape artist check is made (or some esoteric means of escape is used).
So, on its next turn the engulfing creature can act normally; taking two move actions, using other attacks or attempting to engulf more opponents even though it has someone engulfed already?
So, on its next turn the engulfing creature can act normally; taking two move actions, using other attacks or attempting to engulf more opponents even though it has someone engulfed already?
Yes. You will note that the text of engulf references that multiple opponents can be engulfed.
A GM could apply a reasonableness test, limiting how many could be engulfed at once based on the size of the creature, but by RAW there is no limit.