Forum

Aliens can only do signature attacks. Some of the signature attacks are a special kind of grapple. An alien grapple follow special rules as listed in the specific signature attack, but unless specified otherwise, it is still a grapple. The "special" with an alien grapple is the effect of the grapple, not that it is a grapple.

I’ll take it. Would you allow other PCs to help with someone who is grappled by a xeno? Using one of their actions in combat of course.

Aliens can only do signature attacks. Some of the signature attacks are a special kind of grapple. An alien grapple follow special rules as listed in the specific signature attack, but unless specified otherwise, it is still a grapple. The "special" with an alien grapple is the effect of the grapple, not that it is a grapple.

I’ll take it. Would you allow other PCs to help with someone who is grappled by a xeno? Using one of their actions in combat of course.

If a PC is grappled by a stalker (or scout or drone) with result #4 (ready to kill), then any friendly character that has an action before the stalker's next initiative can help the poor fellow to break free and of course the grappled PC himself also must have an action to spend before the stalker's next initiative.

When it comes to the facehugger's grapple attack (#4), they do a grapple and if we read the description the grapple in order to have an effect needs to be in effect over the PCs turn (especially the arm tangle (3-4)), but the signature attack doesn't list a base dice for the break grapple action, like it does for the stalker. Here either assume that the facehugger is to weak so any success with the break grapple action will suffice or use 6 base dice for the facehugger (as in signature attack #5). If anyone stands next to the happy couple, they can help to break them free, if they get the time to do it before the facehugger's next initiative.

I haven't read all signature attacks in the book, but the other signature attacks I have seen have effects that happen immediately and doesn't involve grappling over several rounds.

Aliens can only do signature attacks. Some of the signature attacks are a special kind of grapple. An alien grapple follow special rules as listed in the specific signature attack, but unless specified otherwise, it is still a grapple. The "special" with an alien grapple is the effect of the grapple, not that it is a grapple.

I’ll take it. Would you allow other PCs to help with someone who is grappled by a xeno? Using one of their actions in combat of course.

If a PC is grappled by a stalker (or scout or drone) with result #4 (ready to kill), then any friendly character that has an action before the stalker's next initiative can help the poor fellow to break free and of course the grappled PC himself also must have an action to spend before the stalker's next initiative.

Are the friendly characters able to help on their own initiative? I was thinking it was a helping thing. If it's the grappled characters turn, the only thing they can do is try and break free and if friendly PCs are allowed to help they can add +1 for each helper, at a cost of a slow action(rules state that in combat helping costs the same action as the one being helped). 

The helping player states that he is helping someone just before the dice are rolled. The rules (p89) states that this break the initiative, meaning that the helping character is doing his action at the same time as the helped character does, giving him bonus to his skill roll.

The helping character must (obviously) have the type action available in the round in order for him to help.

The helping player states that he is helping someone just before the dice are rolled. The rules (p89) states that this break the initiative, meaning that the helping character is doing his action at the same time as the helped character does, giving him bonus to his skill roll.

The helping character must (obviously) have the type action available in the round in order for him to help.

What about a character helping on their own initiative to try and break a grapple? Let's say another pc is out of range to assist with the grappled player on that players initiative, but on their initiative they use a run action to get with in engaged range and then a slow action to break grapple? Would that be allowed? There isn't a stand alone action called "break free" that lists conditions for its use.

The helping player states that he is helping someone just before the dice are rolled. The rules (p89) states that this break the initiative, meaning that the helping character is doing his action at the same time as the helped character does, giving him bonus to his skill roll.

The helping character must (obviously) have the type action available in the round in order for him to help.

What about a character helping on their own initiative to try and break a grapple? Let's say another pc is out of range to assist with the grappled player on that players initiative, but on their initiative they use a run action to get with in engaged range and then a slow action to break grapple? Would that be allowed? There isn't a stand alone action called "break free" that lists conditions for its use.

According to the rules, only the grappled character can do the break grapple action. If all participants would be human, then one way could for the third part to attack (with unarmed) the grappler, hopefully to get a stunt, using that stunt to grapple the grappler. But this is not allowed on aliens (you are only allowed to grapple humans and synthetics). 

In your example, you would run so you are engaged to the grappling alien and then you help the grappled with his break grapple, giving him +1.

The helping player states that he is helping someone just before the dice are rolled. The rules (p89) states that this break the initiative, meaning that the helping character is doing his action at the same time as the helped character does, giving him bonus to his skill roll.

The helping character must (obviously) have the type action available in the round in order for him to help.

What about a character helping on their own initiative to try and break a grapple? Let's say another pc is out of range to assist with the grappled player on that players initiative, but on their initiative they use a run action to get with in engaged range and then a slow action to break grapple? Would that be allowed? There isn't a stand alone action called "break free" that lists conditions for its use.

According to the rules, only the grappled character can do the break grapple action. If all participants would be human, then one way could for the third part to attack (with unarmed) the grappler, hopefully to get a stunt, using that stunt to grapple the grappler. But this is not allowed on aliens (you are only allowed to grapple humans and synthetics). 

In your example, you would run so you are engaged to the grappling alien and then you help the grappled with his break grapple, giving him +1.

Or the other pc shoots it and risks acid damage on the grappled character(assuming they know about such things lol). Or a flame thrower, though there aren’t any rules for collateral damage with weapons but as GM, I’d absolutely have the pc take fire damage from that.

What about a character helping on their own initiative to try and break a grapple? Let's say another pc is out of range to assist with the grappled player on that players initiative, but on their initiative they use a run action to get with in engaged range and then a slow action to break grapple? Would that be allowed? There isn't a stand alone action called "break free" that lists conditions for its use.

According to the rules, only the grappled character can do the break grapple action. If all participants would be human, then one way could for the third part to attack (with unarmed) the grappler, hopefully to get a stunt, using that stunt to grapple the grappler. But this is not allowed on aliens (you are only allowed to grapple humans and synthetics). 

In your example, you would run so you are engaged to the grappling alien and then you help the grappled with his break grapple, giving him +1.

Or the other pc shoots it and risks acid damage on the grappled character(assuming they know about such things lol). Or a flame thrower, though there aren’t any rules for collateral damage with weapons but as GM, I’d absolutely have the pc take fire damage from that.

When it comes to shooting a target involved in a grapple, I usually let them hit the wrong target if they miss, as a consequence.

According to the rules, only the grappled character can do the break grapple action. If all participants would be human, then one way could for the third part to attack (with unarmed) the grappler, hopefully to get a stunt, using that stunt to grapple the grappler. But this is not allowed on aliens (you are only allowed to grapple humans and synthetics). 

In your example, you would run so you are engaged to the grappling alien and then you help the grappled with his break grapple, giving him +1.

Or the other pc shoots it and risks acid damage on the grappled character(assuming they know about such things lol). Or a flame thrower, though there aren’t any rules for collateral damage with weapons but as GM, I’d absolutely have the pc take fire damage from that.

When it comes to shooting a target involved in a grapple, I usually let them hit the wrong target if they miss, as a consequence.

And just use the weapons base damage? What about the incinerator? Even if the attacking roll was successful on the enemy there’s no way everyone in range isn’t taking some damage, maybe not the weapons base damage but maybe they all take half the fire intensity?

Or the other pc shoots it and risks acid damage on the grappled character(assuming they know about such things lol). Or a flame thrower, though there aren’t any rules for collateral damage with weapons but as GM, I’d absolutely have the pc take fire damage from that.

When it comes to shooting a target involved in a grapple, I usually let them hit the wrong target if they miss, as a consequence.

And just use the weapons base damage? What about the incinerator? Even if the attacking roll was successful on the enemy there’s no way everyone in range isn’t taking some damage, maybe not the weapons base damage but maybe they all take half the fire intensity?

All misses that accidentally hits something else do weapon damage only.

"Area effect" weapons will always have some GM discretion to it. In this case I would let the alien take whatever damage it should take (weapon damage + stunt damage) and the target for any potential collateral damage would take weapon damage (only).