Mixing Grabs with and without Exert

[Drolyt]

If I understand correctly you can use grab based maneuvers multiple times to grab more limbs, for example using martial grab twice to grab both arms and both legs. Also if I understand correctly the grabbed character would then only need one phase to try to escape from all the grabs. But what happens if you use multiple grabs that don't have the same strength? For example, a judoka uses the joint lock manuever multiple times to grab all 4 of the opponents limbs then uses shime (choke hold) in an effort to end the fight. But joint lock gets +10 strength and any extra damage classes to hold on while shime doesn't. How does this work?

[Steve Long]

In the case of a character using a single Grab to Grab multiple limbs, as discussed on HSMA 98 that’s either multiple uses of a single Grab over several Phases and involving multiple Attack Rolls, or it’s a Multiple Attack with Grab to get more than the standard number of limbs. In either case, the standard (and easiest) way for the GM to resolve the issue of breaking out is to consider all the limbs to be Grabbed by “one Grab,” requiring one successful roll to break out of. GMs who want more complication are welcome to treat each limb separately, but I think that’s more detail than most of us want in our games.

 

In the case of a single character using two distinct Grab-based Maneuvers on a single target, how to handle that is up to the GM. Choices are: use the highest of the Maneuvers’ STR ratings; average the Maneuvers’ STR ratings; or treat each Grab as a separate thing to break out of, as discussed above. Personally I’d probably use the second method, but in the case of Grabs that have different related effects (such as your Martial Grab + Choke Hold example), I might prefer the individual method. YMMV and all that.