D&D 5E Grappling Rune Knight

[Salthorae]

Base size: medium
Giant size: Large
Enlarge: HUGE

This way you could even grapple Gargantuan creatures.

Yeah agreed no stacking of advantage.

Evil grin... because of the way it’s currently worded

Base size: small
Giant size: large
Enlarge: HUGE

Bring on that army of halfling Rune knights with their Gnome wizards enlarging them!!

 

[tglassy]

Oh, sure. I never said they wouldn't stack for damage. But sources of advantage never stack into rolling more d20s with a few notable exceptions (such as Elven Accuracy) which grant additional d20s as part of their descriptions.

The size issue would help though, allowing you to grapple even larger targets!

Base size: medium
Giant size: Large
Enlarge: HUGE

This way you could even grapple Gargantuan creatures.

That’s it, my next goal is to grapple/restrain a Tarrasque.

 

[BookBarbarian]

This does seem to read you can add the d4 damage to melee attacks you make while grappling, but since unarmed strikes are not melee attacks (they are melee weapon attacks), the wording becomes debatable (big surprise, huh? ).

I think Unarmed strikes are absolutely Melee Attacks. You can tell this because they are not Ranged Attacks.

I think you might be confusing the fact that they are not Weapon Attacks (which is not surprising because the language is super confusing).

Melee Attack = attack that isn't a ranged attack - could be unarmed strike
Weapon attack = Attack with an Weapon - is certainly not an unarmed strike IMHO
Melee Weapon Attack = A specific game term which really means a Melee non-spell Attack - unarmed strikes qualify for this due to the specific game rule for unarmed strikes

Ugh, This should be easier to parse.

Edit: Still it's better to Grapple and then beat the target with a Martial 1 handed weapon.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think you are really looking at (assuming STR 16):

normal damage: d8 (unarmed strike) +3
add Frost rune: d8 + 4 (10 minutes)/ grapple: d4 +4
add Giant Size: d8 + d6 + 3 (10 rounds)/ grapple: d4+3
add both: d8 + d6 + 4/ grapple: d4 +3

making unarmed strikes against a grappled target while frost runed and giant size: d8+d6+d4+4

the last depends a bit on interpretation, but as a DM I would allow the extra d4, it won't break anything.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think Unarmed strikes are absolutely Melee Attacks. You can tell this because they are not Ranged Attacks.

I think you might be confusing the fact that they are not Weapon Attacks (which is not surprising because the language is super confusing).

Melee Attack = attack that isn't a ranged attack - could be unarmed strike
Weapon attack = Attack with an Weapon - is certainly not an unarmed strike IMHO
Melee Weapon Attack = A specific game term which really means a Melee non-spell Attack - unarmed strikes qualify for this due to the specific game rule for unarmed strikes

Ugh, This should be easier to parse.

Edit: Still it's better to Grapple and then beat the target with a Martial 1 handed weapon.

Yeah, it gets totally confusing because the official stance is Unarmed Strikes are melee weapon attacks but are not weapons (so spells, etc. won't work with them).

The melee attack clause is because grapples are "special" melee attacks. IOW, you can continue to grapple and deal the d4 damage while grappling. This works well for creatures with good ACs where grappling will likely be more successful than attack rolls.

 

[DND_Reborn]

That’s it, my next goal is to grapple/restrain a Tarrasque.

While it wouldn't help a ton, adding Tavern Brawler so you could initiate the grapple as a bonus action after a successful unarmed strike would be cool, too.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I would consider Duergar as they have the racial Enlarge spell so they can get to huge all by themselves.

Although, You would lose out on Athletics expertise unless you dip Rogue, Bard, or now UA Ranger.

 

[Istbor]

Yeah, it gets totally confusing because the official stance is Unarmed Strikes are melee weapon attacks but are not weapons (so spells, etc. won't work with them).

The melee attack clause is because grapples are "special" melee attacks. IOW, you can continue to grapple and deal the d4 damage while grappling. This works well for creatures with good ACs where grappling will likely be more successful than attack rolls.

Makes simple sense to me.

Yes, I am stabbing you with my shortsword, but because I have my arm around your neck, I am also squeezing that neck dealing additional d4.

All that happens on the same turn. And now, you can easily replace that shortsword with just punches or knees, or kicks, or a headbutt. Pretty awesome.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Is attacking with a grappled creature an improvised attack or an unarmed strike?

Improvised weapon.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Is attacking with a grappled creature an improvised attack or an unarmed strike?

If you mean trying to pick up and move the grappled creature (swinging them) into another target, it would be an improvised weapon. However, as a DM I would say you have to be pretty strong to move them depending on the weight of the creature you have grappled.