Improved Grab and Constrict (Doomsday Dawn Spoilers)

[Byron Zibeck]

Let's look closely at this abilities:

Quote:

Improved Grab The monster can use Grab as a free action triggered by a hit with its initial attack. A creature with Improved Grab still needs to spend an action to extend the duration for creatures it already has grabbed.

Note that this ability specifically states that the creature still needs to spend 1 Action to extend the duration for creatures it already has grabbed.

Improved Grab also references the Grab ability, so let's include that as well for completion.

Quote:

Grab

RequirementsThe monster’s last action was a success with an attack that lists Grab in its damage entry, or it has a creature grabbed using this action.
EffectThe monster automatically Grabs the target until the end of the monster’s next turn. The creature is grabbed by whichever body part the monster attacked with, and that body part can’t be used to Strike creatures until the grab is ended. Using Grab extends the duration of the monster’s Grab until the end of its next turn for all creatures grabbed by it. The grabbed creature can Escape using Acrobatics or Break the Grapple with Athletics, and the Grab ends if the monster moves away.

So the duration lasts until the end of the end of the round the monster (or hazard in this case) hits with a Strike unless it spends a Grab action to maintain.

Now let's look at Constrict

Quote:

Constrict The monster automatically deals the listed amount of damage to any number of creatures grabbed or restrained by it.

Constrict does not indicate that it extends the duration of the grapple.

Now ordinarily this would be fine as most creatures get 3 actions. However, the Spectral Tentacles in Red Flags only get 1 action each.

So Round 1, they spend their 1 Action to Strike a PC, then automatically grapple as a Free Action thanks to Improved Grab. Next round, they spend their 1 Action to Constrict and deal their damage. However, without having any additional actions, they are unable to spend any to extend the duration of the grapple, so after getting Constricted, they PC is released from their grasp.

This seems counter-intuitive: the tentacles are unable hold you because they spent their turn squeezing you. Note most monsters have three actions (1 Strike with their tentacles or other Grab attacks, 2 maintain existing grapples, and 3 Constrict their grappled foes) so this a problem limited to his particular hazard under the Playtest Rules.