D&D (2024) One D&D Grappling

[NotAYakk]

Prior to this change, grapple was junk except for grapple optimized PCs.

On grapple optimized PCs, it was crazy good. You bypassed saves, legendary resists, and got to add twice your proficiency to your attack and defence checks. The enemy eventually ended up prone, granting advantage to all of your allies attacks and disadvantage on all of its attacks. To break out, it had to burn its action.

On a high-CR enemy, you trade 2 attacks for it having a chance to break out as an action, and not a good chance, plus crippling the foe.

It was bad enough that 5e monsters had to start designing themselves to avoid the problem (having get out of grapple cards), and PC size had to be limited (as one defence for monsters was simply being too big to grapple). Once players could reach huge, they could grapple anything; so that had to be limited to T4 high-investment builds.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I am not sure if it was said before, but after a few weeks of thinking about it, I really endorse the new grapple rules.

I think I said it in a different thread, but I really want to stress how interesting a strength based fighter with a versatile weapon without a shield is:

They can now use grapple or shove on an opportunity attack if the enemy tries to walk to the squishies. In the case of a grab, they can still attack with their now one handed weapon. In the case of a shove, they can attack with two hands.

This is an option that neither sword and board, a two handed weapon or a dex based fighter has. This change alone will increase the stickiness of strength based characters without the help of a feat or class feature.

And actually, when I started playing 5e, I actually thought you could use grab on an opportunity attack, but then noticed I was wrong.

I really hope this rule will stick.

 

[darjr]

In play the rules were OK. Except one thing, at the end of a targets turn if a target breaks the grapple, it’s the end of their turn and now can’t move.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

In play the rules were OK. Except one thing, at the end of a targets turn if a target breaks the grapple, it’s the end of their turn and now can’t move.

I would regard that as a feature not a bug. Grapples are sticky by design. The opportunity cost is that. unless you are a Tavern Brawler or a Monk you are doing less damage if you spend attacks on grapple or shove.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

In play the rules were OK. Except one thing, at the end of a targets turn if a target breaks the grapple, it’s the end of their turn and now can’t move.

That's simple - you can still use your action to escape a grapple. All you have to do is attack the guy who has you grappled with an unarmed strike, and if you succeed, shove them 5 feet away. Then just walk away.

 

[darjr]

That's simple - you can still use your action to escape a grapple. All you have to do is attack the guy who has you grappled with an unarmed strike, and if you succeed, shove them 5 feet away. Then just walk away.

Oh! Nice!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Oh! Nice!

I imagine that I will fluff it as a counter-throw when someone grabs my character!

 

[darjr]

I imagine that I will fluff it as a counter-throw when someone grabs my character!

I love that.

 

[Yaarel]

Grappling is something that should be simple.

A hit instead "holds on" (namely, grapples). Who is moving who depends on size. If a person is medium size and grabs a tiny creature, then the person moves normally. If the medium size person grabs a huge elephant, then the person is holding on tightly while "riding" the unwilling elephant. It is the elephant that is moving normally.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Grappling is something that should be simple.

A hit instead "holds on" (namely, grapples). Who is moving who depends on size. If a person is medium size and grabs a tiny creature, then the person moves normally. If the medium size person grabs a huge elephant, then the person is holding on tightly while "riding" the unwilling elephant. It is the elephant that is moving normally.

I think that's taken care of with the size restrictions. (And riding an elephant doesn't require grappling it, rules-wise, though I'm sure a DM could choose to do it that way.)