I was running an adventure the other night and one of the party members used a Wand of Paralysis to paralyze a "Lonely" from MTF. At the time they paralyzed the "Lonely" it had one of the part grappled and within 5ft of the "Lonely", so it was taking psychic damage from the passive feature Psychic Leech after the Sorrowful Embrace. So... when a creature becomes paralyzed it is impacted physically, but mentally it is still functional, then would the passive feature Psychic Leech still continue to work? Or a more general question ...if a creature becomes paralyzed would any psychic attack that does not require a physical action still function? Maybe treat it like spell concentration?
So the can't use any abilities which would inflict damage.
Not strictly accurate. They can't use any abilities that require actions or reactions to use. Like DxJxC points out, Psychic Leech does not require an action nor reaction, so it still works.
The psychic leech effect doesn’t require an action or reaction to activate, but it does require the targeted creatures to be within 5ft of the Lonely. Part of the debilitation of being paralyzed is that since the creature is also incapacitated, they now automatically fail grapple and shove contests. Each creature grappled can now easily bypass the DC 15 to escape the Lonely regardless of their strength athletes bonus if they spent one attack on a contest on their own turn to push the creature 5ft away. This doesn’t break the grapple, but it does create enough space that the psychic leech is no longer useable. If positioned properly one player could push the Lonely 5ft away from the both of the players that may be grappled. Since the players are only grappled but not restrained, they may attack with impunity, or choose to take advantage of the paralyzed conditions to deal massive damage and save the last attack to push the lonely away.
Your statement has me slightly confused... I had imagined a paralyzed creature who had been involved in a grapple prior, would end up relaxing its "grip" on the opponent and thus end the grapple, freeing the opponent. Therefore, the opponent would not need to take an action to contest the grapple... Does that sound reasonable?
But are you also saying that because of the "Lonely" attack mode with the opponent being harpooned, that they would have to take an action to free themselves or just move themselves away from the "Lonely" to avoid the Psychic Leech? Or attack if they chose and then afterwards address moving away and free themselves from the harpoon without issue?
A creature becoming paralyzed doesn’t automatically end a grapple though I can see why a DM would rule as such.
PARALYZED A paralyzed creature i s incapacitated (see the condi tion) and can't move or speak. • The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. • Attack rolls against the creature have advantage. • Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
INCAPACITATED • An incapacitated creature can't take actions or reactions.
errata for PHB. Grappling (p. 195). Before “If you succeed” in the second paragraph, the following sentence has been added: “You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated.” Shoving a Creature (p. 196). In the last sentence of the second paragraph, “If you win the contest,” has been changed to “You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated. If you succeed,”
that being said I skipped over the grappled condition which has an important clause:
GRAPPLED • A grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed. • The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition). • The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the thunderwave spell.
it’s the incapacitated condition that automatically ends the grapple. This was more complicated and yet more simple than I thought.
Being paralyzed does not impact your ability to maintain a grapple at all. So you still have to use your action to attempt to free yourself from the lonely (and might fail).
Paralyzed may not, but the incapacitation from being paralyzed does according to the grappled condition description, correct? Or do I have that wrong? And then the opponent is free?
Being paralyzed does not impact your ability to maintain a grapple at all. So you still have to use your action to attempt to free yourself from the lonely (and might fail).
Paralyzed may not, but the incapacitation from being paralyzed does according to the grappled condition description, correct? Or do I have that wrong? And then the opponent is free?
Good Day,
I was running an adventure the other night and one of the party members used a Wand of Paralysis to paralyze a "Lonely" from MTF. At the time they paralyzed the "Lonely" it had one of the part grappled and within 5ft of the "Lonely", so it was taking psychic damage from the passive feature Psychic Leech after the Sorrowful Embrace. So... when a creature becomes paralyzed it is impacted physically, but mentally it is still functional, then would the passive feature Psychic Leech still continue to work? Or a more general question ...if a creature becomes paralyzed would any psychic attack that does not require a physical action still function? Maybe treat it like spell concentration?
Thanks in advance.
As per the conditions, a paralyzed character is also incapacitated. This means that they can't take any actions or reactions.
So the can't use any abilities which would inflict damage. They are still fully susceptible to damage from other creatures though.
Since psychic leech does not require an action or reaction, it still activates.
Not strictly accurate. They can't use any abilities that require actions or reactions to use. Like DxJxC points out, Psychic Leech does not require an action nor reaction, so it still works.
The psychic leech effect doesn’t require an action or reaction to activate, but it does require the targeted creatures to be within 5ft of the Lonely. Part of the debilitation of being paralyzed is that since the creature is also incapacitated, they now automatically fail grapple and shove contests. Each creature grappled can now easily bypass the DC 15 to escape the Lonely regardless of their strength athletes bonus if they spent one attack on a contest on their own turn to push the creature 5ft away. This doesn’t break the grapple, but it does create enough space that the psychic leech is no longer useable. If positioned properly one player could push the Lonely 5ft away from the both of the players that may be grappled. Since the players are only grappled but not restrained, they may attack with impunity, or choose to take advantage of the paralyzed conditions to deal massive damage and save the last attack to push the lonely away.
Bobbybaker,
Your statement has me slightly confused... I had imagined a paralyzed creature who had been involved in a grapple prior, would end up relaxing its "grip" on the opponent and thus end the grapple, freeing the opponent. Therefore, the opponent would not need to take an action to contest the grapple... Does that sound reasonable?
But are you also saying that because of the "Lonely" attack mode with the opponent being harpooned, that they would have to take an action to free themselves or just move themselves away from the "Lonely" to avoid the Psychic Leech? Or attack if they chose and then afterwards address moving away and free themselves from the harpoon without issue?
Thanks.
Being paralyzed does not impact your ability to maintain a grapple at all. So you still have to use your action to free yourself from the lonely.
[Edit]You do automatically succeed to escape when you do.
A creature becoming paralyzed doesn’t automatically end a grapple though I can see why a DM would rule as such.
PARALYZED
A paralyzed creature i s incapacitated (see the condi
tion) and can't move or speak.
• The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.
• Any attack that hits the creature is a critical hit if the
attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
INCAPACITATED
• An incapacitated creature can't take actions or reactions.
errata for PHB.
Grappling (p. 195). Before “If you succeed” in the second paragraph, the following sentence has been added: “You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated.”
Shoving a Creature (p. 196). In the last sentence of the second paragraph, “If you win the contest,” has been changed to “You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated. If you succeed,”
that being said I skipped over the grappled condition which has an important clause:
GRAPPLED
• A grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition).
• The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the thunderwave spell.
it’s the incapacitated condition that automatically ends the grapple. This was more complicated and yet more simple than I thought.
Paralyzed may not, but the incapacitation from being paralyzed does according to the grappled condition description, correct? Or do I have that wrong? And then the opponent is free?
I missed that. I edited my post thanks.
After being away from D&D for 35 years, I am still getting used to the changes in 5e, so I also want to thank you all for your patience.
DxJxC... glad to help or at least bring something to the forefront that may help.
Again... thank you all!