Gelatinous Cube and Grappling/Engulfing [closed]

Question

These two issues direct result from a singular creature with which I don't think the rules are being followed correctly.

1. If a gelatinous cube grapples me with its pseudopod, and then engulfs me on the next turn, must I break free of both the engulfment and the grapple? That is, am I still grappled after I am engulfed or does the one replace the other?

This is how it was explained to me, that I would have to make an unskilled STR check (DC 14) to escape the engulfment of the gelatinous cube, and make an athletics or acrobatics check against the gelatinous cube's athletics check to escape the grapple. I clarified that what I was being told was that I had to roll to get out of both, which would take my action each turn and thus take at least two turns to accomplish.

2. What should be the correct scaling of ability scores when you increase the size to gargantuan? (If there is a guide for that) The DM has created from 5e rules and books, a gargantuan gelatinous cube.

I am waiting to get more stats, but the gist was that due to the size increase, the STR modifier was +16 on an athletics roll. This seems far too powerful, especially when combined with item 1 where I have to escape both being engulfed, and the grapple.

Otherwise, I can break the engulf with decent odds, but I cannot distance myself to avoid being engulfed the next turn as I will still be in the grappled state.

For reference, player level is currently level 9 during this encounter.

Here's why I thought the situation didn't line up with the rules:

• Grapple applies only when in reach of another creature. If I'm inside the creature, it cannot reach me with a pseudopod appendage. "The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect"

• The cube doesn't have the grapple function because it already has the engulf function. To stack them makes it very time consuming to counter. Creatures that swallow things are stated to release their grapple when it is consumed. To me, the logic is once engulfed, the grapple ends. Which seems to track with other creatures that take a player into their body.

• Strength mod of +16 means its strength is 42+ and that's 1.5 times stronger than CR30 Tarrasque (+10 STR mod)

• The pseudopod function is an attack, a temporary shape that reaches out and strikes a creature. To say that it can grapple alters the way the creature behaves so that it can not just temporarily lash out with part of its body, but maintain that pseudopod over multiple turns to keep the grapple condition on the creature.

Answer 1

Grappling:

Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check, a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use).

Since a gelatinous cube does not have hands, it can not grapple. The pseudopod is an attack, not a substitute for hands. So rules as written, it can not grapple.

A DM could rule otherwise or use some home-brewed version of the large ooze, since they are the rules arbiter of the game. Since you find that ruling unfair, speak with your DM and explain your opinion - you could perhaps justify your opinion with the excerpt above from the players handbook. Personally, I think it makes much more sense thematically (and by rules as written) for the ooze to restrict movement by using the Engulf ability, not by grappling.

Answer 2

First, any creature can use any action from the Player's Handbook that is available to it (MM p.10).

When a monster takes its action, it can choose from the options in the Actions section of its stat block or use one of the actions available to all creatures, such as the Dash or Hide action, as described in the Player's Handbook.

So it can take the Attack action and substitute a grapple attempt if it meets the requirements for a grapple (PHB p. 195).

Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an attack roll: ...

But the Gelatinous Cube doesn't have a hand, it has a pseudopod. Your DM has to decide if a pseudopod is sufficiently hand-like to meet the requirement. Based on the description, I wouldn't think so but, crucially, I am not your DM!

Notwithstanding, the Strength mod on a Gelatinous Cube is +2, not +16. Your chances of breaking (or initially avoiding) a grapple with it should be pretty good. This would be a sub-optimal choice of action for the cube.

As to if the pseudopod and grapple continue once you have been enveloped, we really have noting to go on so your DM's ruling is law.