GrumpyGamer
First Post
Precision Attack is also an amazing maneuver as it allows you to turn those near misses into hits. Depending on how much damage you do it is often the most useful way to use your superiority dice.
Riposte...
Riposte has actually been THE reason to pick up Battle Master. Besides the Battlerager has nothing to fill out his reaction, unlike a high level Berserker or Bear barb.
A grappled and proned adversary does not normally require precision strike. On his turn he can choose use his action in full to escape from your grapple (due to rage you have advantage on the contesting role), or he can choose to attack you with disadvantage. If he does the first and is successful, at least you have stalled for time and are able to regrapple/reprone him again on your consecutive round. If he failed, he lost a full round.
Now if he choose the latter, he will attack you with disadvantage. And chanced not too bad that he misses with his attack. Riposte will then give you an extra attack on his turn with advantage and an extra d6/d8 damage, which will have a great impact on your damage/round.
So how is Precision Strike more helpful for a grappler?
I suggest you consult the Art of War Fighter guide, to get a view on the battle master maneuvers, since you can't really follow my arguments.
Premise: Riposte gives Battle Master Fighters the largest bump to their DPR.
Premise: The Art of War Fighter Guide rates Riposte very highly.
Implied Premise: DPR is the most important part of playing any character.
Conclusion: Riposte is the best maneuver for a character taking the Martial Adept feat.