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Grappling
Seizing an opponent in a clinch or pinning him down requires a grapple attack using ([Strength or Dexterity] + Martial Arts). The manuever has Speed 6, Accuracy +0 and Rate 1, but inflicts no damage in and of itself. It can be dodged or parried normally, or the target can elect to resist with a reflexive grapple attempt of his own. If the defender attempts to dodge or parry, and the attack hits, the attacker gains control of the Clinch and the defender becomes Inactive. If the defender responds with a grapple of his own, however, then both targets roll their grapple as a Resisted Action and whomsoever achieves the greater number of success achieves control of the Clinch (and can immediately take a Control Option) while the other becomes Inactive.
On the Grappler's first action after establishing a clinch, both Grappler and Grappler immediately roll their ([Strength or Dexterity] + Martial Arts) in a resisted roll to determine who is in control of the grapple. Whoever wins this roll can take one of the following control options, while the loser becomes Inactive.
Control Options in a Clinch
- Bound: After taking two Hold options in a row, you can take a Bound action to hogtie your opponent or otherwise put him into restraints. You can then leave the grapple safe in the knowledge that your Opponent won't be getting anywhere (without a stunt, charm or other magical effect anyway).
- Break: You can escape from the Grapple, or release your opponent. If your opponent took a Cover or Slam action last turn, or a Jump-based Move, you can give him a -1 external penalty on the roll to control the grapple by declaring that you intend to break the hold as opposed to another action.
- Cover: You use your opponent as living cover, allowing you to use your Martial Arts Parry DV against other attackers. Another person has a +0 Defense Rating if your opponent doesn't mind hitting your target, and +2 otherwise. An attack against you hits your cover if it has fewer than half your Parry DV (or full DV, if the opponent doesn't care if he hits your cover or not).
- Crush: You inflict piercing bashing damage equal to Strength plus the remaining successes from the roll to control the grapple.
- Hold: Your opponent gains a -1 external penalty on his next roll to gain control of the clinch. After taking two consecutive Hold options, additional Hold actions you take give your opponent an external penalty equal to your Strength, but only if you continue to take nothing but Hold actions.
- Move: You can take a Move action, and take your opponent with you, though you'll only manage half your normal movement distance unless the Storyteller rules you strong enough to effectively carry your opponent around without difficulty. If you are that strong, you may opt to instead take a Jump Action, but you may never use a Dash action when using this option. This is the only way to move while in a clinch.
- Slam: You can use your opponent as a living Martial Arts weapon. The exact statistics are up to the ST. You can use your opponent as cover as well, but the Defense Rating is only -2/+0 instead of as listed under Cover, since you don't have as much control over your opponent.
- Throw: Toss your opponent a number of Yards equal to your Strength (possibly resulting in a knockback dramatic effect as appropriate, and always prompting an immediate knockdown check to avoid being prone), or hurl the opponent into the ground (automatically leaving him prone).
- Wrench: You inflict a single die of lethal damage to your opponent, regardless of soak or hardness. This is very painful.
No one in a clinch can use their DV's (but see the Cover option above), without a charm that explicitly allows such. Flow Like Blood, for instance. Many Charms are not usable in a Clinch, unless they're Reflexive, a Supplemental effect that can apply to the roll to maintain the Clinch, or are otherwise designed to work with the Grapple Rules in some fashion. A charm designed to provide a new Clinch Option, for instance, is a Simple Charm.
Attempts to "dogpile" on a single opponent are resolved using limited teamwork; roll the highest ([Strength or Dexterity] + Martial Arts) amongst leader's group, and add one die per each additional grappler with at least one dot in Martial Arts. This bonus cannot exceed the Martial Arts score of the leader.
Grapple-based Errata
- Flow Like Blood (page 227). This charm allows you to use your Dodge DV while in a Clinch, and exempts you from being hit while being used as Cover. If this Charm wasn't active when the grapple started, you can activate it as a Control Option if you're in control of the Clinch.
(also on the main Errata page)
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