Is there a way to free someone who is being grappled by, for instance, grappling that poor fellow yourself and tearing him free by some kind of opposed check or something?
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when you have more grapplers to one side (under Multiple Creatures)every additional one add a bonus to the check:
" Multiple creatures can also assist another creature in breaking free from a grapple, with each creature that assists (using the Aid Another action) granting a +2 bonus on the grappled creature’s combat maneuver check."
notice that since the grapple has already started you can not be the one rolling and him assisting, but if you start your own grapple with the enemy and get him pinned i think he can't continue his grapple against the original target.(without getting out of the pinned condition)
There's a feat which makes it easy, claw wrench. Applying nasty conditions to the enemy could help your ally escape as well by lowering the enemy's CMD/CMB or by stopping them acting and so being unable to maintain the grapple (stun, daze).
Otherwise zza ni has it right.
The spell liberating command may help you here. Its on most first level lists, and gives a second chance to get out, with a hefty bonus at later levels. text included below:
If the target is bound, grappled, or otherwise restrained, he may make an Escape Artist check to escape as an immediate action. He gains a competence bonus on this check equal to twice your caster level (maximum +20). This spell has no effect if the target could not get free by using the Escape Artist skill (for example, if he were under the effects of a hold person spell or paralyzed by Strength damage).
The most effective way is typically to wail on them using a full attack.
Rarely can a creature suffer a full attack from a martially focused character without it taking a significant portion of their HP. At that point they can continue to try to squeeze the life out of your friend, but doing so will mean ignoring this other dangerous threat.
But in general, no there aren't a lot of great non-magical options for getting your friend out of a grapple. If your wizard friend gets grappled, even if your whole party we're to aid, a +8 to the check to get out of the grapple is unlikely to free them (since wizards tend to have poor CMB/CMD and generally only grapple focused creatures actually try to grapple).
I was thinking if it´s possible to simply rip someone off some other guy´s grapple by brute force, not aiding the grappled guy to free himself?
not via the rules, no.
I was thinking if it´s possible to simply rip someone off some other guy´s grapple by brute force, not aiding the grappled guy to free himself?
No, not by the rules.
There is nothing in the rules for "My friend is grappled and I want to jump into the grapple and bump him out". I suspect it's a bit like the enemy has your friend grappled, and their grip on them is good enough that nothing you can do can separate them on its own, but it can provide a bonus for your friend to free themselves (but if they're on the wimpy side it's unlikely).
Honestly, if there was that option it would make grappling kind of suck. If a grappled focused character could just be "redirected" from attacking the physically weak caster to someone else it would remove grappling's main purpose, which is to lock down a specific enemy.
Well, in real life I have ripped a friend of mine free from a grapple of a drunken idiot, so I know it´s possible :)
Well, in real life I have ripped a friend of mine free from a grapple of a drunken idiot, so I know it´s possible :)
"Real life" has little to no bearing on the rules.
You're free to make house rules about things, but be careful of the repercussions. Grapple focused characters are supposed to be terrifying for the creature caught in their grasp. But remember that they leave themselves completely exposed to those around them (can't do anything against anyone except their grapple target without giving up the grapple) and usually take penalties that make them easier to hit.
Taking away the ability to lock down a specific enemy pretty much destroys the purpose of grappling.
I don't recommend changing the rules, and instead recommend changing tactics. Keep your casters close to someone who cause damage to a grapple focused enemy that might harass them. Use flight to keep out of reach. Use invisibility or mirror image or other abilities which introduce a miss chance before the the character is grappled. But once a character is grappled they should pretty much be screwed, in my opinion. Unless they have a friend to wail on the attacker.
Thanks for advice, guys: I´ll think this thoroughly before our next session :)
I think a Bull Rush might do it.
So might a Drag maneuver.
So might a Reposition maneuver.
Not sure what the rules interaction would be, given the enemy has grappled someone.
/cevah
The rules don't cover what happens if the creature that initiated a grapple is forcibly moved.
My answer when I GM is that you forcibly move both characters. Dragging or bull rushing someone doesn't necessarily make them release their grip on someone else.
Besides, if moving someone broke a grapple there are too many easy ways to force movement (without a check of any kind to prevent it) that would also break it. And that's a big no no in my opinion.