How to counter grapple?

[smarti]

Yesterday we played and one of our melees was almost killed by a lurker (eventually saved cause our mage polymorphed him into a dire lion with a +17 to grapple) - but anyway, I was wondering what tricks there are for a melee to escape grapple - especially lets say for a halfling or do you have to accepts that getting eaten is your lot in such a situation?

[molten_dragon]

Well, it doesn't help once you get grappled, but one of the best options for preventing a grapple in the first place is the close quarters fighting feat from complete warrior (I think).

[Eloel]

This (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/freedomOfMovement.htm) helps. Get it in item, scroll, wand or caster friend form.

[Elric VIII]

Well, what level are you guys? Judging by the Dire Lion, I'd assume at least 8.



First of all, don't forget to recalculate the grapple bonus for the character's BAB. Animals have a medium BAB, so if the subject of the polymorph had full BAB, his grapple bonus would be higher.


Freedom of movement pretty much invalidates grapple completely.


Heart of Water (CM) is a 3rd level spell with hour/level duration that can be discharged for a FoM.


Enlarge Person gives a +5 to grapple (+4 for large +1 for the Str bonus).


Grease cast on your allies' armors will give a +10 circumstance bonus to resist or escape a grapple.

[Kerilstrasz]

well lets see tha basic mechanics without feats or anything..
if the grapler has not have improved grapple a succesfull hit from the
AoO stops the grapple immediatelly...
lets assume that the AoO misses or he has the feat...
StR classes can make an opposed grapple check each turn as an atk action to
effectively stop being graplled and move 5' away
Dex classes can use Escape Artist checks with Dc the opponents grapple check.
For casters.. hmm... call for help? or cast a spell with no somatic compons
with a succesfull concetration check (DC 20+spell lvl)
is that helpfull? :)

[smarti]

yea, we are lvl 8, feat, escape artist and the freedom of movement sounds good - gotta look into that ;)

thanks

[Boci]

Anklet of translocation allows to telepork 10ft, but it has a verbal component so it won't work once a pin is established.

[Ranting Fool]

I agree with the advice given so far :smallbiggrin:

Close-Quarters Fighting, feat, needs BAB +3, from comp Warrior. Allows person being grappled to get an AoO even if they have improved Grapple (Good vs creatures that have good grapple but not the feat as Hit = Fail. With the feat any damage done is added to defenders grapple check)

Cleaver Wrestling: also Comp Warrior, gives bonus Vs Large creatures and bigger

[Eldariel]

Items or Close-Quarters Fighting are both decent. And keeping enemies further away via. AoOs or just plain killing 'em first. Generally, the long-term solution is Ring of Freedom of Movement, though that's a tad beyond level 8 WBL. Short-term solutions include instant teleport items such as Anklets of Translocation or Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker.

[Malachei]

Cast Evard's Black Tentacles and grapple them first :)

[Greyfeld85]

Items that grant teleportation are the most obvious, and most useful, before you have the WBL for a Ring of Freedom.

That said, I've always been a huge fan of Benign Transposition. It's only situationally useful against grappling, but the shenanigans you can pull with it are priceless.

"What? You thought you were grappling the Wizard? Ohhh, I thought you said you were grappling the Druid's GIANT CROCODILE."

[Righteous Doggy]

"What? You thought you were grappling the Wizard? Ohhh, I thought you said you were grappling the Druid's GIANT CROCODILE."

Never know what npcs are secretly crocodile hunters.
Also, in psionics theres Titan's Grip, and a pair of gloves that cast it 3/day. Its +8 to grapple, however the cost of it is rather ridiculous if its just defensive needs.

[Ravens_cry]

One, put full ranks in Escape Artist and get skill boosting items, they're cheap. Two, get an item of Grease, a +10 circumstance bonus, which stacks with a Masterwork item of Escape Artist.
A tub of lard would be an adequate fluffing.
You should be more slippery than a buttered seal for much less cost than an item of Freedom of Movement.

[Soulean]

Close quarters fighting - you get an AoO but if they have improved grapple/grab then you get a bonus to your grapple equal to damage dealt. Doesn't auto stop grapple for most things that are trying to grab you.

Somewhere is a feat that gives you a bonus to grapple for being smaller then the guy trying to grapple you. No idea where its from but the bonus is the same as how much you get from being bigger so it cancels out the size bonus. Possible I am being confused by Cleaver Wrestling that Ranting Fool pointed out.

Easy Escape skill trick does the same as above if you have 8 escape artist. Probably once per encounter.

Travel devotion (complete champion) 1/day teleport as a swift action once per round for 10 rounds. Think its up to your speed. If you have turn attempts you can spend one to use it again. Don't think its a command word so gets out of pin as well.

[Greyfeld85]

Never know what npcs are secretly crocodile hunters.
Also, in psionics theres Titan's Grip, and a pair of gloves that cast it 3/day. Its +8 to grapple, however the cost of it is rather ridiculous if its just defensive needs.

I didn't say it was perfect, I said it was funny.

Especially when you consider that Benign Transposition is a 1st-level spell. And it has some great utility in and outside of combat.

A while back, the barbarian in our party spent two rounds trying to get unstuck from some sort of tanglefoot-like trap while in the middle of combat, and just couldn't come up with the roll he needed on his strength check. One casting of Benign Transposition later, and my Beguiler took his place, letting him charge into battle while I hung around the back, casting uninterrupted like usual, despite being stuck in place.

It works especially great in conjunction with familiars and tight crawl spaces, and getting characters without special modes of transportation into areas they wouldn't normally be able to get into (as long as there's one willing participant who can).

As a 1st level spell, it's just really fun to play with, and has a lot of utility.

[Slipperychicken]

Shadow Cloak (DotU, ~4400gp). 3/day immediate action teleport. Get out of the grapple, none of this "rolling" nonsense.

Abrupt Jaunt (ACF, in Immediate Magic PHB2) is pretty broken, same as Shadow Cloak only Int mod/day. Have to be a Conjuration specialist Wizard to use it though.

Any of the Shadow Hand "Jaunt" maneuvers (which teleport you around) work too, although you have to wait for your turn to use them.