I have a question, and there has been lots of debate on the Brawler archetype for the Strangler archetype and the Strangler feat, but I'm running a rogue. In any case, I'm not sure about the outcomes of these debates. So here is my position:
If I have a rogue grappler who has the Strangler and Greater Grapple feats, the breakdown would be this, correct? On the 3rd round, I would deal double sneak attack?
Round 1
Me: Standard Action, Grapple check. Success. Target is grappled. +5 bonus to maintain the grapple.
Enemy: -2cmd from -4 penalty to dex. Fails to escape.
Round 2
Me: Move Action, Maintain Grapple check +5. Success. Standard Action, Choose to Pin. Success. Swift Action, Strangler Sneak Attack damage.
Enemy: Denied Dex bonus completely, Subject to sneak attack from normal hits. Fails to escape.
Round 3
Me: Move Action, Maintain Grapple check +5. Standard action, Damage pinned target. Damage+Sneak Attack. Swift Action, Strangler Sneak Attack Damage
You're essentially correct, but your round 3 is actually:
You: Make a grapple check as a move action (with a +5 non-cumulative bonus, +4 improved/greater grapple), if you succeed you maintain & can also do one of many options, including dealing damage. Because the target is pinned which causes them to lose their dexterity bonus, they would also be susceptible to sneak attack. You can again make a grapple check as a standard action, and again deal sneak attack damage if you choose to deal damage as a result of your successful check. If you had failed your previous check but succeed on this one, you still maintain the grapple.
You don't need strangler on this round, because your target is pinned.
Strangler will only help you when your target is grappled only and not pinned.
In fact, on the second round because you choose to pin first as your result of having made a successful grapple check you don't even need strangler on that round because the target is denied dex at that point.
The problem comes in when you fail to maintain on the first grapple check (you're a rogue so this is likely to happen) and that's where strangler could help. Also, on the enemies turn they can attempt to reverse the grapple which is also likely to work (again because you're rogue with lower BAB).
So strangler will help you on rounds that don't go in your favor. But if everything is going optimally for you, strangler doesn't help at all.
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I believe Claxon is correct.
Throat Slicer is probably better than Strangler... once you get them pinned, Coup de Grace as Standard Action.