D&D 5E How To Do A Human Shield Grapple

[Xeviat]

The grappled person adds +4 to AC. If an attack misses the grappler by 4 or less, it hits the grappled person.

But what if the person you're using as a shield has higher AC than you? Then the attack can never hurt them because only attacks that miss you can target them, and those would miss them.

The random chance to target avoids this issue.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

lots of great ideas.

I like the AC bonus/disadvantage to the triggering attack/cover, and if the attack misses because of the defense boost, it hits the grapplee.

 

[Oofta]

But what if the person you're using as a shield has higher AC than you? Then the attack can never hurt them because only attacks that miss you can target them, and those would miss them.

The random chance to target avoids this issue.

Back when we used similar rules for firing into melee, the attacker would roll a second time to see if they hit the secondary target.

That way we took into account the new target's AC.

 

[Oofta]

... duplicate...

 

[doctorbadwolf]

A second attack roll might make sense, though it would slow things down.

 

[Oofta]

A second attack roll might make sense, though it would slow things down.

A little bit. But since I use the same rule for the bad guys, it added some fun tension now and then.

 

[CleverNickName]

The way I'd rule it:

If you are grappled with a creature and are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to cause the attack to target the grappled creature instead. The grappled creature is allowed an opposed Strength (Athletics) check to prevent this.

 

[Xeviat]

Back when we used similar rules for firing into melee, the attacker would roll a second time to see if they hit the secondary target.

That way we took into account the new target's AC.

That works for me.

I wish there was a nice way to use the advantage/disadvantage 2d20 mechanic, but without specifying which die was for which (which is easy to do on Roll20 or with die colors), it's functionally the same thing.

 

[Xeviat]

The way I'd rule it:

If you are grappled with a creature and are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to cause the attack to target the grappled creature instead. The grappled creature is allowed an opposed Strength (Athletics) check to prevent this.

I don't want it to generally cost a reaction or any other action. Hasn't anyone thrown something at one sibling and hit the other sibling by mistake?

No? Just me?

 

[CleverNickName]

I don't want it to generally cost a reaction or any other action. Hasn't anyone thrown something at one sibling and hit the other sibling by mistake?

No? Just me?

Sure, that's fine too. I'd probably just have that happen automatically if the attack roll is a natural-1, but that's not the only way to do it.