|
If an ally is being grappled by an enemy or via a spell like black tentacles, what action is required for another ally to move them out of the grapple?
I did look at using other combat maneuvers like reposition or bull rush... but upon reading the combat rules, realise that the rules for all combat maneuvers states either FOE or OPPONENT as valid targets. Meaning by RAW, you can't actually use combat maneuvers on allies.
So what can be used?
Or must an ally help (via the Aid Another action) the grappled ally get out of the grapple first?
|
You can aid the grappled person to break free then use either Bull Rush or the Re-Position maneuver. Or you could hope the grappler is going to break free by themselves and READY an action to either Bull Rush or Re-Position as soon as they do.
I have always ruled in my games you can perform a combat maneuver on an ally and that ally can choose to submit.
"Defender receives a +2 bonus to break free from grapple for each creature that assists using Aid Another."
Basically, by the rules once an ally is grappled they're pretty much screwed unless you can hit them with freedom of movement.
People will probably argue that you should be allowed to re-position your ally (or perform some other maneuver) and I would argue that you would need to beat the grapple CMD of the grappler in order to essentially break them apart to do so, but that would completely be a house rule.
I would rule that failing to beat the CMD in a case like re-position would simply move both characters (if you beat both CMDs) but you weren't able to break the grappler off your ally. For something like overrun, you knock them both down (if you beat both their CMDs) else nothing happens.
Basically, by the rules once an ally is grappled they're pretty much screwed unless you can hit them with freedom of movement.
Don’t forget about grease or liberating command. Better yet, grease + liberating command. For those times you don’t have level 4 spells yet.
| 3 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Ally and Opponent are arbitrary designations made by the involved parties.
You can choose to treat party members as opponents when it is beneficial for you to do so.
For example, attack rolls are only against opponents, but you may need to attack (or grapple) a confused party member to stop them. According to your position, this would not be possible.
Giant Frog B attacks Sam, also hitting and successfully grappling Sam. B is 20' away from A, and 15' from Sam. By Raw, Sam is moved adjacent to B and no longer inside the reach of A. Is Sam still grappled by A? If you believe B's attack fails, for what reason, by RAW, do you make this decision?
Volkard, we have no guidelines for how to handle a situation like what you've suggested (two competing grapple checks).
As I stated earlier, I would require you to beat the CMD of the original grappler to wrestle control away from them before a second grapple attempt would be considered successful. Such a success would cause the original grappler to lose the grapple and move the target adjacent to the second grappler.
Dot as this is a question I have wondered in the past. I will also FAQ Volkard's post.
Edit I more specifically wondered, when I was running a grapple focused character, if I could grapple a creature that was grappling someone else. My DM ran it that the creature was essentially immune to my attempts to grapple it because the rules didn't support such an action.
Volkard, we have no guidelines for how to handle a situation like what you've suggested (two competing grapple checks).
I agree, but I wanted to remove the whole Opponent/Ally aspect from the argument and address the root of the problem.
See, I've had it ruled that I (The super grappler) wouldn't be able to initiate a grapple on the Ogre, only assist Sam in breaking free, providing a mere +2 bonus. I like your version better, but it would be nice if it was more clear.
If I pin the Ogre, then the pinned condition doesn't allow for the Ogre to maintain his grapple - only attempt to break free or speak. Thus, at what point does the Ogre lose his grapple? Is it just released on the Ogre's turn? If Sam has an action before then, is it an automatically successful action to get released? Or did he get released at the moment the Ogre became grappled and thus he can act normally on his turn?
As I look a bit more at the grappled/pinned conditions, I do see that "Grappled creatures cannot move." Except when using a maintained grapple action to move. But that only refers to yourself and your target creature... not the creature your target also has grappled who cannot move and thus acts like an anchor?
I would also hesitate on Sam being limited to staying grappled or breaking free completely because of the negative conditions that arise from being grappled. I would propose in that case that if Sam succeeds his check but wants to remain in the grapple, he provides a +2 to my checks/CMD and isn't subjected to the grapple being maintained by the Ogre rules. Being able to release the grapple as a free action and have a better chance for success next round (no +5 to the Ogre's grapple checks) can be very helpful.