D&D 5E Grappling Questions

[Caliban]

The exhaustion from frenzy will really cramp your grappling for the rest of the day though, disadvantage on all ability checks isn't that big a deal for traditional melee warriors, but it's crippling for a grappler.

It's a very powerful build for one fight per day

True, although it can be ameliorated somewhat by using Greater Restoration at higher levels (probably not worth it, but it's an option). Another option is the dwarven Battlerager Barbarian - they get a bonus action attack when raging (only 1d4+str but still), advantage on athletics when raging, and they do 3 points of damage on a successful grapple check.

 

[Kalshane]

QFT. Grappling is not magic - all it does it stop a foe from moving. While grappled you can attack, talk, cast spells, use items, and so on.

When grappled, you can drop prone. This might be a benefit if the grappler has lots of friends with ranged weapons. You can't, however, stand up again until the grapple ends.



You can work it out (but it is a bit tedious). The number of Hit Dice determines it's level, you can then refer to the table in the PHB to get the proficiency bonus. You could also look at the attack bonus, though those numbers are sometimes a bit more complex.

E.g. Bugbear (DM Basic Rules v0.5 page 13).
Its Hit Points are 5d8+5 which means it is a level 5 medium creature with a CON bonus of +1. Proficiency Bonus will be +3.
Its Attack Bonus is +4. Subtracting the STR bonus of +2 gives a Proficiency Bonus of +2.
So, +2 or +3, which is correct? The one from Hit Dice is correct, as the Attack Bonus is modified by the creatures Challenge Rating.

Some monsters have Athletics proficiency (there are 5 in the DM's Basic Rules). If they don't, their grapple escape is the highest of STR and DEX mod.

Proficiency bonus is tied to CR. This is listed in the monster creation rules in the DMG.

It's also easy enough to work back from whatever skills or saves the creature is proficient in (though some creatures get Expertise in certain skills, such as Goblins and Stealth). Attacks are harder because some monsters use Strength for their natural attacks, others use Dex and some get unmentioned bonuses (Carrion Crawler) or penalties (Ghoul bite attack).

I do agree that the number of monsters with Athletics or Acrobatics proficiency is sorely lacking. I make a habit of any "named" enemy having proficiency in one or the other unless it wouldn't make sense. (The feeble old necromancer probably isn't a trained athlete or acrobat.)

 

[DouglasCole]

I do agree that the number of monsters with Athletics or Acrobatics proficiency is sorely lacking. I make a habit of any "named" enemy having proficiency in one or the other unless it wouldn't make sense. (The feeble old necromancer probably isn't a trained athlete or acrobat.)

One thing I did in the Dragon Heresy "Book of Foes" section (5e OGL project under development) is to go in and add an explicit grappling attack to every monster that should have one, and Athletics proficiency where I thought it appropriate. Of course, Dragon Heresy will use a version of the Dungeon Grappling rules mentioned above, but still - having it listed as "Grapple. Melee Attack, +7 to hit, 1d8+3 control damage." is handy and quick.