How many attacks does a creature with multiple
natural weapons get while it’s grappling? How many
grapple checks can it make in a round?
Under normal circumstances, a creature can can attack with
only one of its natural weapons while grappling (and it takes a
–4 penalty on such attacks; PH 156). A grappling dire bear can
attack with either a claw or its bite.
The rake special attack gives the creature “two additional
claw attacks that it can use only against a grappled foe” (and
which don’t take the normal –4 penalty to such attacks; MM
314).
A creature that chooses to make grapple checks in place of
attacks—that is, to damage its opponent, escape from the
grapple, move, pin its opponent, or use its opponent’s
weapon—is allowed one grapple check for every attack that its
base attack bonus would allow (even if it doesn’t normally
make multiple attacks in this manner). These attacks deal
damage as an unarmed strike made by a creature of that size
(1d3 for Medium, 1d4 for Large, 1d6 for Huge, and so forth,
plus its Strength modifier).
A creature with BAB +0 to +5 can make one grapple check
in place of an attack, BAB +6 to +10 two, BAB +11 to +15
three, and BAB +16 to +20 four. The dire bear, for example,
can make two grapple checks in place of attacks, thanks to its
base attack bonus of +9: one using its full BAB and the second
using its BAB –5.
FAQ
