D&D 5E Honey, I shrunk the fighter! (grapple question)

[Phion]

I was having a playtest fight using a level 6 half orc rune knight fighter vs a giant ape (yes I am that sad and bored) with the Rune knight fighter focusing on the good ol ground and pound by using giants might to become large enough to perform the shove and grapple actions as well as advantage on strength checks.

Of course after 10 rounds a question came into my head when my character went back to normal size and still technically grappling the ape and that is would my fighter still be grappling the huge ape? Of course I would use my bonus action to use the feature again, but for that brief moment that my character went back to a smaller size category would the grapple automatically be broken?

So far in my mind I am leaning into more that the grapple would be lost and another grapple check would have to be made, but I can also see an argument for the fact the rune knight would still have his grip on the creature before returning to a large creature again. What are your thoughts?

 

[NotAYakk]

I like using houserules that permit you to grapple a creature larger than the rules say you, but you don't end up immobilizing them. You have climbed onto them.

This lets you "grapple" (climb onto) a dragon, and when it flies away you can keep fighting it. It can get you off using the same mechanics as a usual grapple (so the dragon flies up into the sky and knocks you off, that can hurt).

Using that, I'd argue the knight switching from grappling -- holding still -- to grappling -- holding on -- when they shrink. And then when they grow, they switch to holding still automatically.

 

[Phion]

I like you grapple a creature larger than the rules say you, but you don't end up immobilizing them. You have climbed onto them.

This lets you "grapple" (climb onto) a dragon, and when it flies away you can keep fighting it. It can get you off using the same mechanics as a usual grapple (so the dragon flies up into the sky and knocks you off, that can hurt).

Using that, I'd argue the knight switching from grappling -- holding still -- to grappling -- holding on -- when they shrink. And then when they grow, they switch to holding still automatically.

Wouldn't a flying creature be held prone because their movement becomes 0 due to grapple?

 

[NotAYakk]

Wouldn't a flying creature be held prone because their movement becomes 0 due to grapple?

So, there is a limit you can only grapple creatures 1 size larger than yourself.

If you modify the rules as follows, from:

The target of your grapple must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an Attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you succeed, you subject the target to the Grappled condition (see Conditions ). The condition specifies the things that end it, and you can release the target whenever you like (no action required).

to

The target of your grapple must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an Attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you succeed, you subject the target to the Grappled condition (see Conditions ) if they are no more than one size larger than you; otherwise, you are holding on, and whenever they move you move as well. The condition specifies the things that end it, and you can release the target whenever you like (no action required); knocking a creature off who is holding on uses the same rules as ending grappled.

strikethrough removed and bold added.

Everything else makes sense.

Basically, reuse grapple rules for jumping onto the back of a dragon and riding it against its will.

If you do this, then grappling converts to holding on if you are smaller in a continuous manner. If you are no more than 1 sized smaller, the creature's speed is 0. Otherwise, the creature is free to move, but brings you along with it.

This, explicitly, is not RAW, but a reasonable modification to it that allows for a standard fantasy-fighting trope, and happens to answer the your problem in a nice way as well.

 

[Phion]

Aaaah yes, apologise I didn't quite connect the dots and what you said makes sense; hopefully other DM's will agree!

Another thing that comes to my mind in relation to your dragon riding grapple example, if I turn into a large creature while grappled would you agree it would make sense for the dragon to plummet to the ground? I would imagine a DM may argue against this as my character would not have the benefit of planting feet into the ground to pin a creature.