Mobilize ! Lockdown Octopus!

[prototype00]

So, I’m planning on being a Tank for the party with my Barbarian 1/Druid x character, and the giant octopus seems to be a potent combination of control and survivability. A couple of questions:

1. Say a moon Druid is fighting the Tarrasque. When he hits big T with his tentacles, is it auto grappled and restrained? I believe that RAW he is?

2. Can enemies without reach attack you when you are 15 ft away, by striking the tentacles?

Anyone have experience with this? How well (If so) does it work?

Edit: Oh, should have said, this isn’t for an aquatic campaign. How well does all this work on terra firma?

[Danielqueue1]

gonna have to look up 1 later, but for number 2,

Sage advice has said that if you are grappling a creature, then you are considered in range for melee attacks for that creature.

[strangebloke]

1. Pretty sure, yeah, if that's what the text says. There are a few abilities like that. There's often a constraint though, like, "same size category or smaller."

2. Technically, no, you're not in range, but I don't think that's a ruling any DM would support.

3. IIRC octopi have like minutes in air before they start having problems so in combat you're fine.

[prototype00]

gonna have to look up 1 later, but for number 2,

Sage advice has said that if you are grappling a creature, then you are considered in range for melee attacks for that creature.

Ah, very good to know. It’s not a massive deal, and other players are probably sighing in relief.


1. Pretty sure, yeah, if that's what the text says. There are a few abilities like that. There's often a constraint though, like, "same size category or smaller."

Ah, no such wording at all for the Giant Octopus. Excellent. Time to grapple me an Astral Dreadnought.


2. Technically, no, you're not in range, but I don't think that's a ruling any DM would support.

Indeed, Crawford has ruled it so!


3. IIRC octopi have like minutes in air before they start having problems so in combat you're fine.

Giant Octopi actually have a whole bloody hour to squeeze things to death.

[Kenny Snoggins]

So, I’m planning on being a Tank for the party with my Barbarian 1/Druid x character, and the giant octopus seems to be a potent combination of control and survivability. A couple of questions:

1. Say a moon Druid is fighting the Tarrasque. When he hits big T with his tentacles, is it auto grappled and restrained? I believe that RAW he is?

Edit: Oh, should have said, this isn’t for an aquatic campaign. How well does all this work on terra firma?

I'm not super-familiar with giant octopi and I get you are making a point here, but wouldn't you literally have to roll a nat 20 to hit the tarrasque with the tentacle attack in the first place?

[Potato_Priest]

This sounds like a lot of fun (although you should fully expect your DM to hate you. I've never had one that appreciated my grappling fetish.) I hope you enjoy it!

[prototype00]

I'm not super-familiar with giant octopi and I get you are making a point here, but wouldn't you literally have to roll a nat 20 to hit the tarrasque with the tentacle attack in the first place?

Ah, indeed you are correct. The lack of proficiency bonus will hurt.


This sounds like a lot of fun (although you should fully expect your DM to hate you. I've never had one that appreciated my grappling fetish.) I hope you enjoy it!

Heh, for a level 5 character it’s quite a good trick when beast forms start to lose their shine.

[Aaron Underhand]

One of our party's first encounters was a giant octopus, and since then the Druid has made great use of that form. Particularly good for pulling flying things down from the roof.

Great fun when the Druid summons two then becomes a third.

Move 10 is a limiting factor, longstrider helps, as does fly...

And bless and advantage to get the hits in

[MrStabby]

Now I need to find a plot reason to add flying giant octopodes to my campaign!

[prototype00]

Query: other places I have asked say that the size rules for grappling apply to this. Is there a Sage Advice that sorts this out?

[JackPhoenix]

General grapple rules still apply, unless the ability has specific exception. "Same size or smaller" mentioned before would be a specific exception.

So you need some way to enlarge yourself. Not that Tarrasque wouldn't just destroy the octopus back (it autohits on anything but 1, and can easily kill the octopus in one turn, then eat the druid), he's also got 15' or better reach on (some) of its attacks.

[prototype00]

General grapple rules still apply, unless the ability has specific exception. "Same size or smaller" mentioned before would be a specific exception.

So you need some way to enlarge yourself. Not that Tarrasque wouldn't just destroy the octopus back (it autohits on anything but 1, and can easily kill the octopus in one turn, then eat the druid), he's also got 15' or better reach on (some) of its attacks.

Ah well, I’ll just have to settle for squeezing the life out of Frost Giants then.