This is from Greg Stafford's updated Grapple rules:


The character attempting a grapple must drop weapon and shield, then grab his opponent and immobilize him.
and later...

A dagger is the only weapon that can be used by a grappled person. He must have been armed with it before being grappled. The grappler continues to use his STR. The reflexive modifiers apply.

First of all, how the heck do you get a dagger before a Grapple when you have to drop any held weapon before you can start? Is this a Catch 22?

It seems to me that I would most likely want to use Grapple in order to tackle someone and finish them off with a good ol' shank with my dagger. Is this saying that a player uses makes an opposed STR vs. STR check? Or is it Dagger skill vs. STR check, seeing as the grappled character is trying to hold back the dagger from his chest, like in most action movies? Or does the grappled character still use their weapon skill check like in initial grapple resolution?

Someone help me out here. I'd like to get some Saxon raiders trying to pull my players off their horses and maybe jump on them with a dagger, or vice versa!

Thought I'd post the complete Grapple rules here from the Errata section on Greg's Pendragon page, just to give a little context.



Grapple
Grapple is a Maneuver, not a skill. This is simplified from the rule book.
Characters in Arthurian literature often throw down their weapons and grapple an opponent in dramatic fashion. This maneuver simulates such tactics.
Grapple is normally used in armed combat, either when every other weapon is broken, or when stalemate has set in between two knights with excellent weapon skills, and neither can easily hurt the other. Grappling is a risky but viable option in such instances.
Armor has no effect on the skill. If both opponents are mounted there is no effect. If the grappler is mounted and his foe afoot, the grappler has no modifier for being mounted since it?s difficult to bend over and grab. Furthermore, the foot man does not have a -5 modifier, since the grappler is bending down. If the grappler is afoot and the foe mounted, then the normal +5/-5 modifiers apply.
The Grappler uses his DEX skill in an opposed resolution. The character attempting a grapple must drop weapon and shield, then grab his opponent and immobilize him. This is dangerous, but the reward for success may be a quick finish to a fight.
A winning Grapple indicates that the grappler has seized and immobilized his opponent. Imagine he?s got his arms wrapped around the victim, or is holding both his wrists. This occurs whether the opponent is using a weapon skill or also using Grapple. A partial success does the loser no good. If the grappler loses the resolution against an opponent using a weapon, he is hit normally. Ties indicate stalemate, even if the opponent is using a sword; go on to the next round. This is an exception to the rule that a sword breaks any other weapon on a tied roll. A fumbled Grapple indicates the would-be grappler falls down, and off his horse if mounted, taking normal falling damage.
With grappling success, if the grappler is horsed, assume that the victim has been pulled from his own horse and is being held tight. If both are on foot, the victim is held tight.
On the following round the grappler can keep the victim immobilized, or to throw him to the ground. No roll is needed to throw the victim to the ground. The victim cannot resist, and takes 1d6 damage from the fall and is sprawled on the ground. As usual, armor does not protect against this type of damage. If thrown from horseback, he also takes the normal 1d6 for the height of the fall for a total of 2d6.
To simply hold the struggling victim requires an opposed STR vs. STR contest, but with reflexive modifiers of +10/-10 for grappler and opponent. Success for the victim indicates he breaks the hold. If the grappler wins and also has a critical success, then he also pulls the helmet off the victim.
A dagger is the only weapon that can be used by a grappled person. He must have been armed with it before being grappled. The grappler continues to use his STR. The reflexive modifiers apply.

This is from Greg Stafford's updated Grapple rules:


The character attempting a grapple must drop weapon and shield, then grab his opponent and immobilize him.
and later...

A dagger is the only weapon that can be used by a grappled person. He must have been armed with it before being grappled. The grappler continues to use his STR. The reflexive modifiers apply.

First of all, how the heck do you get a dagger before a Grapple when you have to drop any held weapon before you can start? Is this a Catch 22?


There is no catch 22. The person attempting the grapple must drop weapon and shield. The person BEING grappled can only use a dagger as a weapon.

Ah yes, I didn't read the text right. Well that's disappointing. I'll have to make houserules I guess... starting now.

Here is my first draft of houserules concerning Grappling:

RULE #1: A Dagger is the only weapon that does not need to be dropped in order to attempt a Grapple. However, if the Grapple is a means of tournament/duel/contest resolution, wielding a dagger in a Grapple is likely prohibited or seen as dishonorable (at most costing 1 point of Honor). The provoker of the Grapple who wields a Dagger gains a -5/+5 reflexive modifier for him and his victim (respectively) to all rolls concerning the Grapple (including the attempt to start a Grapple). This represents that your hand wielding the Dagger is less effective in grappling. Effectively this lessens the reflexive modifier for the STR vs. STR contest to +5/-5 in favor of the grappler.

RULE #2: A partial success for the loser in the initial opposed check (DEX vs. weapon) renders both targets on the ground but otherwise in a successful Grapple. This illustrates how the provoker of the Grapple was forced to dodge/tackle his opponent to complete the Grapple. Since the victim is already on the ground, the following round, the grappler may stand up without provoking an attack or check. If the victim wins a STR vs. STR contest, he breaks the hold and may stand up without provoking an attack or check.

RULE #3: As an alternative to throwing the victim of the Grapple, the grappler can attack his victim with a fist or his Dagger. This is resolved using a Dagger/STR vs. STR contest with the appropriate reflexive modifiers (+10/-10 for brawling, +5/-5 for Dagger). (Note that this damage -- unlike the damage for throwing the victim -- does NOT ignore armor).

Let me know what you think. If nothing else, GMs can use this more deadly version of Grappling with Reckless and/or Cruel enemies, such as the Saxons. I think this will spice up combat against savage foes a bit more 8).