Condition — Restrained
Restrained: Off-Guard, Immobilized, can't attack (only Escape). More severe than Grabbed. From crit Grapple, nets, or constriction. Escape or Freedom of Movement to break free.
You are fully bound or trapped — more restrictive than Grabbed.
Mechanical Effects:
- You are Off-Guard (-2 circumstance penalty to AC)
- You are Immobilized (can't use move-trait actions)
- You can't use any actions with the attack trait except Escape
- You must succeed on a DC 5 flat check for actions with the manipulate trait
- You are limited to Escape, purely mental actions, and actions without attack/move/manipulate traits
How Applied:
- Critical Success on Grapple (upgrades Grabbed to Restrained)
- Nets, chains, webs, entangle spells
- Some monster abilities (constrict, engulf)
How Removed:
- Escape action (Acrobatics or Athletics vs. the restraining creature's/DC)
- The restrainer releasing you
- Destroying the restraint (cutting a net, breaking chains)
- Freedom of movement
Restrained vs. Grabbed:
| Aspect | Grabbed | Restrained |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Guard | Yes | Yes |
| Immobilized | Yes | Yes |
| Manipulate flat check | DC 5 | DC 5 |
| Can Attack | Yes | No (Escape only) |
The key difference: Restrained prevents attacks entirely (except Escape), while Grabbed still allows attacking.
Tactical Impact: Restrained is extremely severe. The target cannot fight back at all — they can only try to Escape. This makes Critical Success on Grapple devastating. Invest in Athletics to upgrade grabs to restraints.
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