Constrict - how does it work exactly?

[Kafana]

How many times does an ooze's constrict go off in a round? It makes a hit and deals damage, then wins the grapple, does it constrict (deal additional damage)? The monster grappling with the ooze fails it's grapple check on it's round, does he get constrict damage again? This would mean that the ooze can potentially hit three times in one round.

Also, once it constricts does the ooze only resort to a grapple check (and an attack if the creature manages to break free (if the ooze fails that grapple check)) during it's turn?

What happens if the ooze is supposed to split, but is currently constricting someone? Will that set the creature free?


P.S. I hate grapple.

[gr8artist]

In PF, I believe constrict happens each time you succeed a check. That's the initial grapple, plus each other grapple on your turn. NOT when the creature fails to escape. If it succeeds a grapple on its next turn, it picks one normal grapple perk (move, pin/consume, damage, etc) plus dealing constrict damage.
So, if it has grab and constrict, it goes as follows

Atk roll - hit (atk damage) - grapple - succeed - constrict damage
Attempt escape - fail
Grapple - succeed - constrict damage plus effects of grapple (usually damage with natural weapon or armor spikes)
Attempt escape - succeed
Back to step 1

I assume the grapple continues post split if the ooze is large enough.

[Urpriest]

Here's what the Rules Compendium has to say:


Constrict
A creature that has this extraordinary special attack can crush
an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, after making
a successful grapple check to deal damage. The amount of
damage is given in the creature’s entry. If the creature also
has the improved grab ability, it deals damage from the
constrict attack in addition to damage dealt by the weapon
used to grab.

With that clarification, the ooze only deals its constrict damage when it makes a "grapple check to deal damage", which is something it only does on its turn. It doesn't happen when it first establishes a hold, only on later grapple checks.

The number of such checks is dictated by BAB. For example, an Ochre Jelly can deal damage once a turn, while a Black Pudding can do it twice a turn, and an Elder Black Pudding can do it four times (in each case, at progressively lower grapple bonuses). It's unclear whether the ones that have multiple grapple checks get to make any of them on the turn they get a hold, I can't seem to find any direct support for either position.

An ooze's constrict is a little weird, since it's equal to slam damage. I can't tell if the idea was to only have the ooze deal slam damage on a successful grapple check, or to deal double slam damage from constrict plus improved grab, but if it was the former then there's no reason for it to have constrict because improved grab already does that, so I'd advise using the latter.

Split is ambiguous...I'd say that Split creates two entirely new creatures, with none of the conditions (including grappling) of the original, but I don't have rules support for that.

[gr8artist]

Oops, my bad. Thought that was the "Pathfinder" tag, not the "DM Help" tag.