Grappling to cast multiple spells in a round?

[Fendalus]

I was reading over the grapple rules earlier today, and I noticed something odd. After you initiate a grapple, you replace your normal action options with the grapple action options. Cutting out the parts that aren't relevant, here's the two sections that got my interest:


When you are grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), you can perform any of the following actions. Some of these actions take the place of an attack (rather than being a standard action or a move action). If your base attack bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these actions in place of each of your attacks, but at successively lower base attack bonuses. (emphasis mine)

and


You can attempt to cast a spell while grappling or even while pinned (see below), provided its casting time is no more than 1 standard action, it has no somatic component, and you have in hand any material components or focuses you might need. Any spell that requires precise and careful action is impossible to cast while grappling or being pinned. If the spell is one that you can cast while grappling, you must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level) or lose the spell. You don’t have to make a successful grapple check to cast the spell.

The Cast a Spell action does not add a limit on the number of time you can use that action, it just lists the limits on the spell's qualities. If this works how I think it works, it means that if you can get a BAB of +16 (4 attacks from bast attack bonus) you can cast 4 spells a round in a grapple, provided those spells individually take 1 standard action or less to cast, have no somatic components, and either have no material components or one you have in hand. By the time you have +16 BAB, a DC 29 concentration check should be easy. You don't even need to win the grapple.

Is this reasoning wrong (I hope it is), or is a grapple actually a good place for a wizard that wants that many spells per round?

[Gavinfoxx]

An attack action which takes place as part of a full attack due to BAB is a dramatically concept than the actions which a spellcaster takes to cast their spells.

Besides, if you want to abuse the action economy of a spellcaster, there are already better and less risky ways of doing so than grappling. SEVERAL spellcaster options let you take turns all the time, whenever you want, and have incredibly large number of actions to do your schtick.

[AmberVael]

You're overlooking a key section of the quote, as well as other parts of the grapple rules.


When you are grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), you can perform any of the following actions. Some of these actions take the place of an attack (rather than being a standard action or a move action). If your base attack bonus allows you multiple attacks, you can attempt one of these actions in place of each of your attacks, but at successively lower base attack bonuses.

Those actions that may take the place of an attack are specifically stated, like Escape from Grapple, or Damage Your Opponent.

[Fendalus]

An attack action which takes place as part of a full attack due to BAB is a dramatically concept than the actions which a spellcaster takes to cast their spells.

Besides, if you want to abuse the action economy of a spellcaster, there are already better and less risky ways of doing so than grappling.

But the grapple rules here DO seem to link the concepts of the number of attacks in a full attack due to BAB and the actions you get to cast spells.

As to the danger of a grapple, that is a problem. Of course, anything built for this is doing to be a gish by it's vary nature (getting 16BAB on just wizard levels being impossible), so grapple is a lot less threatening. Could always grapple your familiar.

[Fendalus]

You're overlooking a key section of the quote, as well as other parts of the grapple rules.



Those actions that may take the place of an attack are specifically stated, like Escape from Grapple, or Damage Your Opponent.

Ah, thank you for pointing that out. That does prevent casting multiple spells in the grapple.

Now I feel foolish for not reading the other grapple options well enough to notice that.

[Xtomjames]

Not to mention, except for quickened spells and specific spells that take less time to cast than a standard action, you can only cast a single spell per round by RAW. This is regardless of if you're grappled or not.