Grab

Sometimes you just gotta put someone on hold. Those trained in the wrestling arts or those skilled at hand-to-hand fighting are very good at these maneuvers. It can be beneficial to incapacitate an enemy or pry something from their fingers.

Starting a Grab

Attempting a Grab takes 4 AP, and an attacker must roll their normal Hand-to-hand Attack Roll. Defenders must roll a Defense Roll as they normally would. If the attacker is successful, he or she can opt to forgo damage, but either way, the defender is considered pinned, and rendered basically immobile. The attacker is free to release the Grab at any time if so desired.

Note that while in a Grab, the attacker and the defender adds neither Agility nor Dodge to their defense rolls, nor can they parry.

If the defender was casting a spell that required the use of their arms at the time of the pin, the spell is lost but the Magic Points are kept.

After the pin has been established, the attacker can do any of the following (either on the same turn if there's enough AP left, or on later turns)

• Squeeze – 4 AP. The attacker tightens the Grab and deals crushing damage using a normal hand-to-hand attack roll (as noted above, the defender adds neither Agility nor Dodge on the defense).
• Throw – 4 AP. The attacker and defender roll opposed Athletics checks (the defender can optionally roll an Escape check). If the defender wins, he or she breaks out of the hold. If the attacker wins, the defender is thrown by that many feet.
• Move – You can pick up the defender and drag or carry him or her along with you. The attack and defender roll opposed Athletics checks (the defender can optionally roll an Escape check). The AP cost is normal for moving.
• Pry – 2 AP. You can try to pry something out of the defender's hands or equipment. Make opposed Athletics checks. If the defender wins, he or she keeps the item. If the attacker wins, the item is taken from the defender.
• Choke – 4 AP. The attacker constricts the defender's airways, making it impossible to breathe. The attacker makes a normal hand-to-hand attack roll (as noted above, the defender adds neither Agility nor Dodge on the defense). If the attack is successful, no damage is applied, but the defender is considered to be suffocating, and will slide one step down the Knock-out Track. Unlike other forces which push a character down the knock-out track, if the defender breaks free of the pin before falling unconscious, the penalties accrued from being choked immediately vanish.

Escaping a Grab

For 2 AP on his or her turn, a defender can try to break out of the pin. Either a Athletics check or an Escape check can be used for this purpose. If the defending character inflicts damage against the attacker while in the Grab, he or she can add the amount of damage done to his or her next Athletics or Escape check.

If the defender doesn't require the use of gestures to cast spells (say, the character has Focus Casting and the item is in hand), he or she can cast normally. Personal-area damage spells such as Full Metal Jacket or Immolate work nicely in this situation.