[3.5] Defense against grapple?

[Critical]

Hey, we all know about the Ring of Freedom of Movement, but is there any cheaper defense against it for a non-caster? Discuss.

[Grumman]

Contact poison?

[PhoenixRivers]

There's a feat in CompWarrior: Close Quarters Fighting.

No matter what, any grapple attempt provokes an AoO. This is regardless of improved grab, improved grapple, or the like.

If you hit and damage, add your damage to your roll to resist (if they have Imp Grab or Imp Grapple).

If they don't, then the grapple auto fails when you hit.

[Volthawk]

Being a better grappler than them, so you can escape?

[Jack_Simth]

Hey, we all know about the Ring of Freedom of Movement, but is there any cheaper defense against it for a non-caster? Discuss.

High touch AC.
High BAB.
Improved Grapple.
High Strength.
Ranks in Escape Artist.
Hiding well enough that they can't find you in the first place.
A Cape of the Monteback (or other teleportation items).

What build are you looking at?

[PhoenixRivers]

Anklet of Translocation (MIC) is particularly nice. 1400gp makes it a steal, and 2/day teleport as a swift action (10 feet) is enough to get you out of a grapple, and still let you full attack, or withdraw.

[aivanther]

Don't armor spikes do damage in a grapple? If so, where a couple of them then

Benign Transposition (no somatic components) between you and the druid's dire bear.

[Runestar]

There's a feat in CompWarrior: Close Quarters Fighting.

No matter what, any grapple attempt provokes an AoO. This is regardless of improved grab, improved grapple, or the like.

If you hit and damage, add your damage to your roll to resist (if they have Imp Grab or Imp Grapple).

If they don't, then the grapple auto fails when you hit.

Note that via a literal reading of the rules, you can't make the AoO if the foe is out of reach, and many foes whose grapple attempts are auto-success anyways tend to have excellent reach (combining high bab, large+ size and obscene str scores).

So no harm provoking AoOs if you know the player can't retaliate as he does not threaten the monster.

[PhoenixRivers]

Note that via a literal reading of the rules, you can't make the AoO if the foe is out of reach, and many foes whose grapple attempts are auto-success anyways tend to have excellent reach (combining high bab, large+ size and obscene str scores).

So no harm provoking AoOs if you know the player can't retaliate as he does not threaten the monster.

Correct. In order to TAKE the AoO, you still must be eligible to take an AoO vs your target. If the target has total concealment, cover relative to you, or is out of your melee reach, you may not make AoO's against him.

That said? There are ways to get in. Tumble, translocation, Maneuvers that deny AoO's, or utilization of cover or concealment.

[Telonius]

Vampirism.
Being a Mind Flayer.
Potion of Gaseous Form.
Slick armor.
Having a Rogue in the party.

[Critical]

No build in particular, just curious.
Also, I've found a pretty cool item for such purpose, called Anklet of Translocation - Teleport 10ft as a swift action, just for 1,400 gold!

[Volthawk]

No build in particular, just curious.
Also, I've found a pretty cool item for such purpose, called Anklet of Translocation - Teleport 10ft as a swift action, just for 1,400 gold!

You know it's already been mentioned, right?

[Critical]

You know it's already been mentioned, right?

Ouch. Ninja'd!

[Killer Angel]

Ring of blinking works fine. It's not cheap (neither too much costly), but it has so many uses and advantages, that avoiding grapple is only the ice on the cake.

[Amphetryon]

Abrupt Jaunt works reasonably well for those that qualify.

Edit: Non-caster. Drat. Oh, well, I'm sure someone can finagle a way to get it without caster levels.

[Person_Man]

Swarm subtype.

There's also Combat Stability (PHBII). If you have Combat Focus (pre-req, gives you a Will Save bonus) and one other Combat Focus feat, then Combat Stability grants you a +8 to resist Grapple/Bull Rush/Trip/etc checks. When combined with decent Str, you should be highly resistant to all special attacks.

[jpreem]

Being on fire.

[marjan]

Shield Ward (PHBII) gives you shield's bonus to AC to resist grapple, bull rush etc.

[Douglas]

The Leaping Flame maneuver from ToB works pretty well. Oh, you grappled me? That's an attack. *teleport as immediate action* My turn to full attack you now.

Just make sure you wait for the last grapple action or you'll just get grabbed again.

[Lysander]

Running away.

[Tar Palantir]

Third Eye Freedom is a cheap 1/day, 1 round Freedom of Movement. I'm pretty sure there's a similar item that works 3/day, but I'm AFB at the moment.

[Aharon]

Some 1st level truenamer utterance that copies the effect of Freedom of Movement for 1 round.
Research your own Truename for 1/2*HD*1000 gp
Buy Wand of said utterance for 750 gp
Buy Schema of Metamagic Item (Persistent Spell) for 6000 gp.

Cheaper than the ring, but dispellable.

[Lysander]

Anything that boosts your strength or dexterity can also help you in a grapple. A Belt of Giant's Strength for instance is fairly cheap and a strength bonus is useful for a lot of things besides grappling.

[Thrawn183]

There's also the stone dragon stance that gives you bonuses to resisting things like bull rushes and trip attempts.

[Abd al-Azrad]

Turn into a swarm. I don't really care how you do it, I've just always wanted to pull that against an enemy. I suspect it breaks your 'no-caster' rule, but...

BSF: "Gotcha!"
Me: "Or is it I, who have 'got' you?" *melt into a swarm of death scarabs*
BSF: "Oh no! My skin!"

Class-ay.

[Sinfire Titan]

Play a Totemist. Or Druid. Hard to beat them in a Grapple.

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

Swarm subtype.

You would say that wouldn't you?

Being on fire.

Be a jade phoenix mage. Exploding solves everything.

[strider24seven]

"Give a man fire, and you warm him for a day.
Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life."

Anyway, be a Black Blood Cultist. And have natural weapons. And have levels in Warshaper.

"Oh, you grappled me?
Try to pin me? Oh, you failed? Looks like I get...
FULL ATTACK, SUCKA!!!
Now it's my turn..."

[sofawall]

Being on fire.

Especially if the one grappling you is a ninja.

[strider24seven]

Especially if the one grappling you is a ninja.

But then the only defense is to be a pirate.