Topic: Grapples (and basics thereof)

[Old Man]

** For shoots and giggles, cross-posting from HARP to RM2 to see how folk would do it w those rules (and I may adapt for HARP) ..

Hi all,

Grappling, a couple of questions:
(1) Attacker has grappled an opponent (aka critical indicates a "hold") - What does the Attacker need to do, in following rounds, to maintain the hold? What bonus, if any, does he get to attack (if necessary) a held foe?
(2) Defender is grappled (received a "hold" result) - What does the Defender need to do to break the hold? What minus if any, does he get for being held?
Assume RMC only (Character, Arms and Spell).

Regards,
Old Man

[Marrethiel]

My first instinct is to have contested Moving Maneuvers. IRL once you have someone grappled it is pretty hard to break out. So I would give at least -30 or 3 column shifts on the table for the defender. Then further modify by what skills are being used, so Brawling or Martial Sweeps might be +10 while Acrobatics -10.
Grappling has always been one of those things that RPG's seem to struggle with. Once you have someone pinned (hold) you have effectively won the battle as you can snap a joint at any time.
I guess that other side of that coin, in a fantasy world with magic healing, you might be able to sacrifice a broken joint to get out of the grapple.

EDIT: If the crit says two rounds, then I wouldn't allow a MM until after that period.

[Old Man]

Marrethiel,

Thanks for the suggestion. I've ended up doing something similar - using Opposed STR checks (per a suggest in a HARP thread on Gryphon "pins") where the Defender has the minus for both being stunned and the critical (which in this case is a -100, so he isn't going anywhere) and the Attacker maintains the hold unless he/she fumbles.

Regards,
Old Man

[Marrethiel]

Sounds fair enough, I would still prefer a skill which is developable over a stat which isn't (okay, I know that they are in HARP but you know what I mean).