Grappling: Actions while pinned

[Tiberius]

If You’re Pinned by an Opponent

When an opponent has pinned you, you are held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. While you’re pinned, you take a -4 penalty to your AC against opponents other than the one pinning you. At your opponent’s option, you may also be unable to speak. On your turn, you can try to escape the pin by making an opposed grapple check in place of an attack. You can make an Escape Artist check in place of your grapple check if you want, but this requires a standard action. If you win, you escape the pin, but you’re still grappling.

I have a grappler character in my game, and we had a bit of a dispute last session regarding pinning. He had grappled a druid with an active Produce Flame and successfully pinned him. The druid's turn came up and, after reading the above, was inclined to rule that in the absence of a glossary term regarding immobile (and due to the fact that the creature is not helpless), the druid would only be restricted from moving the grapple with an opposed grapple check, and could apply the touch spell currently in effect. He disagreed, and we quickly came to the agreement that since it was a touch spell, the druid could use it, but otherwise probably couldn't, and that we would check the rules in the interim. I'm looking for verbage one way or another detailing exactly what is meant by "held immobile", and what actions it prevents.

I'm inclined to allow attacks by touch spells and natural weapons, at the very least, due to the fact that the quoted text indicates that you can attempt to break the pin with an attack action, but does not specify that you must do so in order to otherwise act. Is there clear text one way or the other? Thanks!

 

[werk]

I've always played that when you are pinned you really can't do anything other than try to break the pin.

He can prevent you from speaking, at his option, and you are immobile (unable to move)...so how are you going to cast a spell or make an attack?

 

[Goblyn]

In the scenario described, I would rule that not only does the spell affect the grappler, but no attack roll is needed because it's a touch attack. The spell is already cast (if I understand your meaning of 'active' correctly) so there's no concern over 'casting while grappled'. All that remains is a melee touch attack and to be grappled, one is necesarily touching the opponent(of course, touch attacks auto-hitting a grappled target is prolly a house rule). So I'd rule the same way you did, in the given situation.

 

[werk]

In the scenario described, I would rule that not only does the spell affect the grappler, but no attack roll is needed because it's a touch attack. The spell is already cast (if I understand your meaning of 'active' correctly) so there's no concern over 'casting while grappled'. All that remains is a melee touch attack and to be grappled, one is necesarily touching the opponent(of course, touch attacks auto-hitting a grappled target is prolly a house rule). So I'd rule the same way you did, in the given situation.

"In addition to providing illumination, the flames can be hurled or used to touch enemies. You can strike an opponent with a melee touch attack, dealing fire damage..."

He can burn an opponent if he can strike using a melee touch attack.

Where do you find support for "grappled = automatically successful melee touch attacks"?

I understand your ruling, I just don't understand where you are getting support for it.

 

[Goblyn]

When an opponent has pinned you, you are held immobile (but not helpless) for 1 round. While you’re pinned, you take a -4 penalty to your AC against opponents other than the one pinning you. At your opponent’s option, you may also be unable to speak. On your turn, you can try to escape the pin by making an opposed grapple check in place of an attack. You can make an Escape Artist check in place of your grapple check if you want, but this requires a standard action. If you win, you escape the pin, but you’re still grappling.

That's the entire entry for being pinned right there; the bold part implies to me that the attack is possible. You're right, about the autohit, however. I think it is a house rule I've played with so long(since 2nd actually) that I mistakenly thought it was RAW.

The attack can be made as per RAW, AFAICT.

 

[werk]

AFAICT.

That's pretty much where I am now. It's either saying that instead of any actions or attacks you MUST make an opposed grapple check and was poor word usage, or it is implying that you can still attack as normal while grappled/pinned, despite being immobile.

Can anyone that has unfettered internet access check the glossary on the WotC site to see if there is any entry for immobile?

 

[Tiberius]

That's pretty much where I am now. It's either saying that instead of any actions or attacks you MUST make an opposed grapple check and was poor word usage, or it is implying that you can still attack as normal while grappled/pinned, despite being immobile.

Can anyone that has unfettered internet access check the glossary on the WotC site to see if there is any entry for immobile?

There isn't such an entry in the PH's glossary, which prompted this question in the first place. Is the WotC site glossary more expansive?

 

[werk]

Is the WotC site glossary more expansive?

Yes. Or at least, some entries have been reworded.


But I don't see it in there either.

 

[werk]

I found a Rules of the Game (I know, everyone loves those) that says: "You cannot take any other actions except to make an opposed grapple check to escape the pin in place of an attack." It says that after discussing speaking, casting spells, or using spell like abilities.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050315a <full article.
All About Grappling (Part Three)
By Skip Williams

 

[frankthedm]

The grapple rules are a pretty horific shut down for most NPCs not built to grapple. Your player was reading them right. You even negate a foe's touch attacks and armor spikes if you pin them.

+1 human bane armor spikes are one of the best weapons in those games where the DM prefers NPC foes instead of a diverse palette of monsters.