D&D 5E Grapple in 5e

[Mistwell]

No attack roll = not an attack. The PHB is very plain about this.

Magic missile isn't an attack?

 

[jaelis]

No attack roll = not an attack. The PHB is very plain about this.

The PHB says

When you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, you can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple.

So it actually says specifically that you are making an attack here. Shoving uses the same language.

 

[jaelis]

Magic missile isn't an attack?

Magic missile is not an attack, and neither is fireball. But sanctuary pops if you target a creature with a harmful spell, and MM and fireball both count as that.

 

[Mistwell]

Magic missile is not an attack, and neither is fireball. But sanctuary pops if you target a creature with a harmful spell, and MM and fireball both count as that.

"Harmfull"

 

[abirdcall]

Magic missile is not an attack, and neither is fireball. But sanctuary pops if you target a creature with a harmful spell, and MM and fireball both count as that.

I suggest you read Magic Missile again. Nowhere in the description for it is it denoted as being 'harmful'.

 

[werecorpse]

Well sanctuary says "casts a spell that affects an enemy creature" so you can magic missile your friends.

Also invisibility ends when a target attacks - so if you reckon grapple isn't an attack you can grapple people while invisible.

I call shenanigans on invisible grapplers and the like.

Thanks for the mostly helpful responses. I can see grapple being a frequently used tactic. I am surprised how few monsters have athletics - seems a bit weak. But nerfed monsters is a thought for another thread topic.

 

[jaelis]

I suggest you read Magic Missile again. Nowhere in the description for it is it denoted as being 'harmful'.

If you don't think dealing damage is harmful, that's up to you (if you're the DM). But the rules do imply damage is harm in many places. For instance:
"Each weapon, spell, and harmful monster ability specifies the damage it deals,"
"Different attacks, damaging spells, and other harmful effects deal different types of damage,"
"Usually, a successful save means that a creature suffers no harm, or reduced harm, from an effect,"
and the harm spell itself.

Anyway, like werecorpse indicated, I did misread sanctuary, it doesn't matter if the spell is harmful, sanctuary ends if you cast any spell affecting an enemy. It prevents harmful effects from targeting you, so it's a question of whether you can be targeted by MM while the spell is active.

Not that this is relevant to the grapple question...

 

[Mistwell]

How is grapple not an attack? It used the attack action, it says it's a special attack, sure seems like an attack to me.

 

[ExploderWizard]

How is grapple not an attack? It used the attack action, it says it's a special attack, sure seems like an attack to me.

Grapple is an attack it just doesn't use a standard attack roll. If it wasn't an attack then it wouldn't require the attack action.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Magic missile isn't an attack?

Correct. So if it weren't for the second clause, you could Magic Missile a target under Sanctuary.

You can't target the warded creature with an "attack or harmful spell." But you could grapple it, or push it, or pour oil on the ground and light it on fire. It doesn't make you invincible, it just forecloses the most direct options for hurting you.