Thicket of Grapples

[Endarire]

Thicket of Blades is typically used to trip people.  I know grappling tends to be suboptimal, but the idea of "Thicket of Grapples" came to me today.

What are y'all's thoughts?

[Nunkuruji]

Problem is once you're grappling, you're no longer threatening the squares around you.

The way around this is to have Improved Grab

The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a -20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other opponents.

Multigrab, Greater Multigrab to remove the penalties, of course.

Not sure if you could squeeze Black Blood into a build for the gravy grapple damage or not.

[Ithamar]

Actually you are not required to maintain the hold while grappling.  So if you have big unarmed strike damage, it becomes a great way to hit high AC things, but that might be weak.

Make a touch attack -> win the grapple -> deal unarmed strike -> release

Kind of like a mundane wraithstrike.

If you combine with the Mancatcher weapon from Complete Warrior, you can do it with reach even.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Mancatcher weapon

DnD officially now has everything

[Amechra]

Damn, now I want to combo a Mancatcher with Grappling Blast; it's like a non-sucky version of Hideous Blow!