D&D 5E GRAPPLING, FEAT AND DEX

[GAMERSAVATAR]

Just putting out some ideas before i start my campaign,

1: grappler feat, just add a stat increase +1 Str or Dex

2: dex based grapplers, based on some RL martial arts fight methods, you don't need to be the hulk to grapple. but maybe an option for Monks, Fighters, Rangers? still use athletic on Dex, or open it up to acrobatics?

looking for feedback especial on item 2, any flaws that throw game balance way to off.. on number one, i figure the stat + should help the feat out.

 

[Awesome Adam]

Grappling is done with the Athletics skill, not just strength. A skilled but weaker opponent can defeat a stronger unskilled opponent, as is.

Also, Dex monkeys already have the edge in ranged combat and AC, they don't need a boost to grappling as well.

 

[spectacle]

There's a reason wrestling and judo are both separated into weight classes for competitions; strength is the main factor, skill and speed mainly come into play when finding the best fighter among competitors with similar strenght.

 

[n00b f00]

What they said. Someone who was a pretty good wrestler in high school 10 years can likely break the limbs of a larger stronger man who doesn't expect or know how to counter him fairly easily.

But that's why we have athletics and if you're really frisky expertise. Mechanically dex is so strong already, they can already use their slipperyness to pop out of the grip of an ogre. If you know let them them drag around an ogre in each arm with 8 strength.

That is taking away one of the last advantages of the strength stat not related directly to dealing damage.

 

[Bayonet]

There's a reason wrestling and judo are both separated into weight classes for competitions; strength is the main factor, skill and speed mainly come into play when finding the best fighter among competitors with similar strenght.

Agreed. Dex is important for grappling, but pinging grappling off the Athletics skill really keeps the game balanced, so it's a decent trade off.

As an aside, I house ruled the Grappling feat slightly to appease my inner grappling nerd. My players who take the Grappler feat have the ability to deal 1d4+str when executing a throw or takedown (Shoving, or pinning from a standing grapple). My reasoning is that a trained grappler slamming someone headfirst into the ground is likely to cause as much damage as an experienced brawler punching a guy in the face.

 

[Solandros]

Why not houserule that the feat allows them to initiate a grapple with dex, but then need strength/acrobatics to maintain the grapple. That way you simulate the 'slipperyness' and agile movements of a dex heavy char getting into a grapple without making it overpowered or screwing over str based grapplers. Maybe make it so they need the feat to do this to make it more potent?

 

[Bardbarian]

I play a Dex based grappler now in AL play. Its really fine although a bit harder than a strength based one. Most of the power of a grapple comes from the athletics skill itself which many enemies aren't trained in and have to usually use raw str or dex to oppose. Last night I grapples a Fire giant into submission with a 13 str and no expertise. The key is using your resources as a group. Our Warlock hexed it for str and our wizard Enlarged me so I could engage it. I then Dragged it through Our cleric's Spiritual Guardians While the Barb chased it with a hammer. It worked fine and we all felt we contributed to the victory. Next level I will have expertise making it even easier. If you had allowed me Dex to grapple it would have been trivial in addition to my high initiative from Dex and Step of the wind, I would have most enemies grappled before they act.

I do like the addition of damage when proning a target to the feat. I havent bothered with the feat because its virtually useless and restrain actually makes the grapple worse.