Why do monster grapple abilities require a strength saving throw to escape?

[Lines]

Every monster with an inbuilt grapple check I've seen has, instead of it being opposed by an athletics or acrobatics check, a DC required from a strength saving throw to escape. Does that mean acrobatics is basically useless for escaping monsters with grapples in their profiles? And athletics, which normally determines grapple checks, won't help you at all against a monster with a grapple ability?

[RickAllison]

Every monster with an inbuilt grapple check I've seen has, instead of it being opposed by an athletics or acrobatics check, a DC required from a strength saving throw to escape. Does that mean acrobatics is basically useless for escaping monsters with grapples in their profiles? And athletics, which normally determines grapple checks, won't help you at all against a monster with a grapple ability?

Incorrect. They have a DC required to escape, but the escape check is still Athletics/Acrobatics.


GRAPPLE RULES FOR MONSTERS
Many monsters have special attacks that allow them to
quickly grapple prey. When a monster hits with such an
attack, it doesn't need to make an additional ability check to
determine whether the grapple succeeds, unless the attack
says otherwise.
A creature grappled by the monster can use its action to try
to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics)
or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the escape DC in the
monster's stat block. If no escape DC is given, assume the
DC is 10 +the monster's Strength (Athletics) modifier.

[Lines]

Incorrect. They have a DC required to escape, but the escape check is still Athletics/Acrobatics.

Sweet! Thank you, unsure how I missed that.

[RickAllison]

Sweet! Thank you, unsure how I missed that.

Because it's at the beginning of the book where nobody bothers to look since it primarily covers how to read the statblocks :smallwink:

[Lines]

Because it's at the beginning of the book where nobody bothers to look since it primarily covers how to read the statblocks :smallwink:

Nah, I checked over there, I was searching for a section marked grappling or similar and didn't check the sidebar =P

[RickAllison]

Nah, I checked over there, I was searching for a section marked grappling or similar and didn't check the sidebar =P

Ahhh, yeah, it's tucked away in the corner. They use a similar formula for several other places as well. Mimicry uses the same formula, but with deception!