Critical Grapple [Archive] - Wizards Community

Critical Grapple [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ganny.Harper
08-04-06, 09:22 PM If you roll a critical success and confirm it with a grapple check (or the touch attack) do you double the damage dealt by the grapple? Lika a normal unarmed strike.
Voldar_Mecorthio
08-04-06, 10:24 PM Sounds reasonable. Yeah, that's a valid rule.
Archmage Atrus
08-04-06, 11:05 PM Hm. Speaking mechanically, I would be inclined to say "no" simply because it raises too many questions.

Do you have to critically succeed on the touch attack, on the grapple check, or both?

If you critically succeed on the touch attack, shouldn't you logically get critical damage on every succesful grapple check since that one? (Since the touch determines the location, at least in theory, of where you're grappling, a critical touch would be something like the neck area of a humanoid, so repeated grapple checks would logically be you repeatedly strangling him.) (This, by the way, would be overpowered.)

If you have to critically succeed on the grapple check, well, it doesn't make sense. Because it's a check, not an attack roll or a save, which are the only two things you can critical at by the RAW. What if the opponent critical checks and you don't, but your total still beats his? Vice versa?

Etc.

Leaving the grapple check a grapple check (IE, can't critical) makes things smoother. Although I wouldn't necessarily be adverse to ruling that a person who critically touches gets the first natural unarmed damage doubled on his first succesful grapple check.
cmrscorpio
08-04-06, 11:46 PM If you roll a critical success and confirm it with a grapple check (or the touch attack) do you double the damage dealt by the grapple? Lika a normal unarmed strike.

The way I interpret your question: No.

The touch attack roll to initiate a grapple does no damage, so it cannot deal critical damage.

Grappling to damage your opponent is an opposed check, not an attack so it cannot deal critical damage

You *can* make an attack while in a grapple, but only with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weapon and even then only at a -4 penalty. This attack can be a critical.
BopLouie
08-05-06, 05:15 AM No.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ganny.Harper 08-04-06, 09:22 PM	If you roll a critical success and confirm it with a grapple check (or the touch attack) do you double the damage dealt by the grapple? Lika a normal unarmed strike.
Voldar_Mecorthio 08-04-06, 10:24 PM	Sounds reasonable. Yeah, that's a valid rule.
Archmage Atrus 08-04-06, 11:05 PM	Hm. Speaking mechanically, I would be inclined to say "no" simply because it raises too many questions. Do you have to critically succeed on the touch attack, on the grapple check, or both? If you critically succeed on the touch attack, shouldn't you logically get critical damage on every succesful grapple check since that one? (Since the touch determines the location, at least in theory, of where you're grappling, a critical touch would be something like the neck area of a humanoid, so repeated grapple checks would logically be you repeatedly strangling him.) (This, by the way, would be overpowered.) If you have to critically succeed on the grapple check, well, it doesn't make sense. Because it's a check, not an attack roll or a save, which are the only two things you can critical at by the RAW. What if the opponent critical checks and you don't, but your total still beats his? Vice versa? Etc. Leaving the grapple check a grapple check (IE, can't critical) makes things smoother. Although I wouldn't necessarily be adverse to ruling that a person who critically touches gets the first natural unarmed damage doubled on his first succesful grapple check.
cmrscorpio 08-04-06, 11:46 PM	If you roll a critical success and confirm it with a grapple check (or the touch attack) do you double the damage dealt by the grapple? Lika a normal unarmed strike. The way I interpret your question: No. The touch attack roll to initiate a grapple does no damage, so it cannot deal critical damage. Grappling to damage your opponent is an opposed check, not an attack so it cannot deal critical damage You can make an attack while in a grapple, but only with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weapon and even then only at a -4 penalty. This attack can be a critical.
BopLouie 08-05-06, 05:15 AM	No.