What are some options to break out of the Executioner's Garrote Strangle?

Question

Last night we were having a Battle Royale. Everyone had characters and we were fighting to the death. It was a good time. But we did end up having about a 20 minute argument on the Garrote Strangle. I had got another character in the strangle with my Executioner. He tried to attack me with a power that would push me off and failed. He then claimed he could use a "move action" to oppose my grab and break free. I said that sounded like two standard actions to me. But I was outnumbered. So they let him make an opposed check and he broke free. This does not seem right to me, but maybe I'm wrong. Does anyone have any opinions?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, (or fortunately) your group was correct.

Page 243 of the Rules Compendium reads:

Escape

A creature can attempt to escape when it is grabbed. Other immobilizing effects might also let a creature try to escape.

Escape a Grab or Immobolizing Effect

• Action: Move action.
• Acrobatics or Athletics Check: The creature makes either an Acrobatics or an Athletics check. Normally, the immobilzing efect specifies the DC for the check. If not DC is specified, an Acrobatics check is aooposed by the Reflex of the immmobilzing creator or effect, and an AThletics check is opposied by its Fortitude.
• Against Multiple Grabbers: If the creature is trying to escape an is grabbed by more than one source at once, the creatures makes a single check against the highest of the grab DCs. The DEC increase by 2 for each grabber beyond the first, to a maximum increase of 8.
• Success: If the check succeeds, the immobilizing effect ends on the creature, which can then shift 1 square.