Power Attack/natural weapons/grapple? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Power Attack/natural weapons/grapple? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mr_Platypus
03-19-07, 03:34 PM Hello,

we have a bear in our party who has natural weapons (teeth), Power Attack, improved unarmed combat and improved grapple. He likes to grapple an opponent, then Power Attack/bite them. Does this work? Since he only needs to win a grapple check to do damage with his natural weapons, the -X penalty to the attack roll when Power Attacking is obviated.
Egres
03-19-07, 03:39 PM we have a bear in our party who has natural weapons (teeth)
I think you meant (bite).

He likes to grapple an opponent, then Power Attack/bite them. Does this work? Since he only needs to win a grapple check to do damage with his natural weapons, the -X penalty to the attack roll when Power Attacking is obviated.
Power Attack requires an attack roll, while a grapple check isn't an attack roll.

Besides that, a grapple check allows hims to deal damage as an unarmed strike, not a natural weapon.
jameswilliamogle
03-19-07, 03:44 PM Hello,

we have a bear in our party who has natural weapons (teeth), Power Attack, improved unarmed combat and improved grapple. He likes to grapple an opponent, then Power Attack/bite them. Does this work? Since he only needs to win a grapple check to do damage with his natural weapons, the -X penalty to the attack roll when Power Attacking is obviated.He can bite them and apply PA damage, but he needs to use the "attack" option under "while grappling"; he can't add bite nor PA damage if he's using the "damage an opponent" option w/o an attack roll.

You can't do damage w/ natural weapons during a grapple w/o the "attack" option: you can only do damage w/ unarmed strike using the grapple for damage option. "Unarmed Strike" damage does not include PA damage, even if he never made an unarmed strike w/o it in his life. Furthermore, any bonuses the character has on Unarmed Strikes other than damage won't apply, either, as it deals damage "as an unarmed strike": its not technically an unarmed strike.

This is all under both the Grapple section under the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#grapple), PHB, and is being covered in a "Rules of the Game" article on the main page. The SRD is particularly useful for finding out peculiar game rules issues for this, as that version has a built in search option. Good luck!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mr_Platypus 03-19-07, 03:34 PM	Hello, we have a bear in our party who has natural weapons (teeth), Power Attack, improved unarmed combat and improved grapple. He likes to grapple an opponent, then Power Attack/bite them. Does this work? Since he only needs to win a grapple check to do damage with his natural weapons, the -X penalty to the attack roll when Power Attacking is obviated.
Egres 03-19-07, 03:39 PM	we have a bear in our party who has natural weapons (teeth) I think you meant (bite). He likes to grapple an opponent, then Power Attack/bite them. Does this work? Since he only needs to win a grapple check to do damage with his natural weapons, the -X penalty to the attack roll when Power Attacking is obviated. Power Attack requires an attack roll, while a grapple check isn't an attack roll. Besides that, a grapple check allows hims to deal damage as an unarmed strike, not a natural weapon.
jameswilliamogle 03-19-07, 03:44 PM	Hello, we have a bear in our party who has natural weapons (teeth), Power Attack, improved unarmed combat and improved grapple. He likes to grapple an opponent, then Power Attack/bite them. Does this work? Since he only needs to win a grapple check to do damage with his natural weapons, the -X penalty to the attack roll when Power Attacking is obviated.He can bite them and apply PA damage, but he needs to use the "attack" option under "while grappling"; he can't add bite nor PA damage if he's using the "damage an opponent" option w/o an attack roll. You can't do damage w/ natural weapons during a grapple w/o the "attack" option: you can only do damage w/ unarmed strike using the grapple for damage option. "Unarmed Strike" damage does not include PA damage, even if he never made an unarmed strike w/o it in his life. Furthermore, any bonuses the character has on Unarmed Strikes other than damage won't apply, either, as it deals damage "as an unarmed strike": its not technically an unarmed strike. This is all under both the Grapple section under the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#grapple), PHB, and is being covered in a "Rules of the Game" article on the main page. The SRD is particularly useful for finding out peculiar game rules issues for this, as that version has a built in search option. Good luck!