| AwesomenessDog |
I believe it actually still would for that swallow check only. Not only does the creature mention getting the choice of raking or swallowing after a successful maintain, meaning you would already resolve the constrict, but constrict already works that you get extra damage "Whenever you succeed at a grapple check," and after they have been swallowed whole, there are no more grapple checks on the following rounds.
Diego Rossi
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Swallow Whole (Ex) If a creature with this special attack begins its turn with an opponent grappled in its mouth (see Grab), it can attempt a new combat maneuver check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage.
Being swallowed causes a creature to take damage each round. The amount and type of damage varies and is given in the creature’s statistics. A swallowed creature keeps the grappled condition, while the creature that did the swallowing does not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon (the amount of cutting damage required to get free is equal to 1/10 the creature’s total hit points), or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + 1/2 its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. If a swallowed creature cuts its way out, the swallowing creature cannot use swallow whole again until the damage is healed. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the attacker’s mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.
So no, the swallowed creature doesn't take constrict damage in the turn in which it is swallowed. It takes bite damage, and bite damage only.
The swallowing creature is making a combat maneuver check with specific effects if it succeeds.
| AwesomenessDog |
None of that precludes the rules for constrict that is a rider on all grapple checks. If the Behir simply grappled for a normal damaging bite without the swallow whole, it would still get the bite damage and the constrict. This is not saying that they would continue to get the constrict damage for free in consecutive rounds swallowed whole, where there is no grapple check to maintain made, but for the actual swallowing check, you should still get constrict.
Diego Rossi
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None of that precludes the rules for constrict that is a rider on all grapple checks. If the Behir simply grappled for a normal damaging bite without the swallow whole, it would still get the bite damage and the constrict. This is not saying that they would continue to get the constrict damage for free in consecutive rounds swallowed whole, where there is no grapple check to maintain made, but for the actual swallowing check, you should still get constrict.
And instead, it gets the bite and the swallow whole (if it selects that option).
You are not making an attempt to continue the grapple, you are making an attempt to swallow whole. Two different kinds of combat maneuvers.
That it works as a pin attempt doesn't make it "a maintain a grapple" action. Pinning someone is an action you do after maintaining a grapple, not a separate maneuver.
Once you are grappling an opponent, a successful check allows you to continue grappling the foe, and also allows you to perform one of the following actions (as part of the standard action spent to maintain the grapple).
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Pin: You can give your opponent the pinned condition (see Appendix 2).
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| AwesomenessDog |
Actually, for the Behir at least that's not the case, the decision to swallow is made after the grapple.
A behir’s grab attack works against creatures of any size category. It can constrict the same round it establishes a hold. On any round thereafter that it maintains its hold, the behir can choose to rake the grappled target or swallow it whole.
Constrict already works on the establishing of a hold, so that's just redundant text, and you can still constrict with a rake. Further, constrict doesn't require any specific grapple check, it is simply all grapple checks:
A creature with this special attack can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, when it makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage). The amount of damage is given in the creature’s entry and is typically equal to the amount of damage caused by the creature’s melee attack.
A further FAQ clarification reiterates both the above that constrict happens on the initiation of a grapple and every other time, regardless of the "chosen" action of what you do with your successful maintain.
A creature with constrict deals this additional damage every time it makes a successful grapple check against a foe. This includes the first check to establish the grapple (such as when using the grab universal monster rule).
By RAW, when you swallow the creature, you still do constrict, which makes perfect RAI and realistic sense, as you literally squeeze it through jagged teeth and are still crushing it inside your stomach.
Diego Rossi
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Swallow Whole (Ex) If a creature with this special attack begins its turn with an opponent grappled in its mouth (see Grab), it can attempt a new combat maneuver check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage.
Where it says that is a grapple check? It is a combat maneuver. Stop.
"Attempting to pin" isn't a grapple check, it is one of the possible results of a grapple check.| AwesomenessDog |
It says grapple several other times in the rule, and you already have to be in a grapple. Anyone can and should assume it means a grapple check especially since it says "as though attempting to pin". You would also likely add any grapple bonuses to the check because even though it doesn't painstakingly restate it (in a ability that only exists for grapple monsters), which means you should also add any grapple rider effects like a constrict.
| Majuba |
Swallowing Whole is definitely a grapple combat maneuver, but I agree with Diego that you don't Constrict when doing so. Call it specific over general, or just being kind to the poor sucker who just got eaten - bite + constrict one round, then bite + constrict + swallow damage (on the creature's turn) is pretty darn harsh.