D&D 5E [Question] Grappling

[Ahglock]

I primarily DM. And I'm trying to ease up on grappling. I overused it in the first campaign. Though having the dragon tunnel through the flying ice castle bottom to pop up grapple the fighter, drag him under ground through the bottom of the castle and drop them to their almost death(made 3 death saves) was awesome. I really do like it for terrain based encounters. I'd like it better for water ones if people couldn't hold their breath forever. But fire, aerial, climbing and water are fun ways to seperate party members and or cause additional damage.

My only issue is multi attack is one attack action so monsters don't have 2+ attack actions so grappling gets weaker and weaker as the campaign goes on. Giving up your only attack is one thing. Giving up 5 attacks for one grapple is another.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I primarily DM. And I'm trying to ease up on grappling. I overused it in the first campaign. Though having the dragon tunnel through the flying ice castle bottom to pop up grapple the fighter, drag him under ground through the bottom of the castle and drop them to their almost death(made 3 death saves) was awesome. I really do like it for terrain based encounters. I'd like it better for water ones if people couldn't hold their breath forever. But fire, aerial, climbing and water are fun ways to seperate party members and or cause additional damage.

My only issue is multi attack is one attack action so monsters don't have 2+ attack actions so grappling gets weaker and weaker as the campaign goes on. Giving up your only attack is one thing. Giving up 5 attacks for one grapple is another.

Fortunately, as DM, you're well within your rights to customize monsters, including giving an implicit "multi-grapple" option to any monster with a Multiattack option, or to modify its Multiattack so that grapples are allowed. Since it doesn't affect PCs directly, you don't even have to inform your players about the "house rule" any more than you would if you made trollish regeneration blocked by cold instead of fire.

And it doesn't even affect CR.

 

[Ahglock]

Fortunately, as DM, you're well within your rights to customize monsters, including giving an implicit "multi-grapple" option to any monster with a Multiattack option, or to modify its Multiattack so that grapples are allowed. Since it doesn't affect PCs directly, you don't even have to inform your players about the "house rule" any more than you would if you made trollish regeneration blocked by cold instead of fire.

And it doesn't even affect CR.

As I've got more comfortable with the rules I have been modifying monsters. I haven't done it for grappling yet as I said I'm easing up. This is our 2nd 5e campaign and I used it a lot in the first one. Got to keep it fresh. It's many months off but I get to play in the next campaign. I can't wait.

 

[Gaming_Unplugged]

My only issue is multi attack is one attack action so monsters don't have 2+ attack actions so grappling gets weaker and weaker as the campaign goes on. Giving up your only attack is one thing. Giving up 5 attacks for one grapple is another.

How is "multiattack" not usable with the Grapple mechanics?

If you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

Multiattack are by the very definition the ability "to make multiple attacks." I'm confused as to why you rule it this way.

 

[Ahglock]

How is "multiattack" not usable with the Grapple mechanics?



Multiattack are by the very definition the ability "to make multiple attacks." I'm confused as to why you rule it this way.

I didn't initially. The sage did. Multi attack is one attack. I try to play by RAW as best as I can in my first campaign to get a feel for how they rules work. I modify things as I get a better understanding of what the impact will be.

 

[Rhenny]

I primarily DM. And I'm trying to ease up on grappling. I overused it in the first campaign. Though having the dragon tunnel through the flying ice castle bottom to pop up grapple the fighter, drag him under ground through the bottom of the castle and drop them to their almost death(made 3 death saves) was awesome. I really do like it for terrain based encounters. I'd like it better for water ones if people couldn't hold their breath forever. But fire, aerial, climbing and water are fun ways to seperate party members and or cause additional damage.

My only issue is multi attack is one attack action so monsters don't have 2+ attack actions so grappling gets weaker and weaker as the campaign goes on. Giving up your only attack is one thing. Giving up 5 attacks for one grapple is another.

Yeah...I don't like that rule either. I think it is fine to give up one attack for a chance to grapple. Better fighters should not be penalized by RAW. Grapple is limited in nature anyway since a PC can really only grapple one (maybe two if they are adjacent because it would be cool if you could grab two foes and then bash their heads together...lol). I'd go with "rule of cool" over RAW in this case.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

As I've got more comfortable with the rules I have been modifying monsters. I haven't done it for grappling yet as I said I'm easing up. This is our 2nd 5e campaign and I used it a lot in the first one. Got to keep it fresh. It's many months off but I get to play in the next campaign. I can't wait.

Tangent: I was recently reviewing the DMG rules for "the gods must be crazy" with no permanent DM, improv-style "anyone can spend a plot point to become the DM and introduce new content." That might be a fun way to play, for players who have internalized the norms of good DM behavior (no quantum ogres, etc.). The big benefit is that everyone gets to play, but you don't fall afoul of the Czege Principle.

 

[Plaguescarred]

A monster with Multiattack cannot use one of its attack to grapple instead because he doesn't use the Attack action in the first place that's why.

PHB195 Grappling: When you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, you can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

 

[Plaguescarred]

Question to you all, can a spellcaster cast v,s,m spells while grappled? How about when prone and pinned?

RAW you can still attack or cast spells while grappled or restrained while pinned.

 

[Gaming_Unplugged]

I didn't initially. The sage did. Multi attack is one attack. I try to play by RAW as best as I can in my first campaign to get a feel for how they rules work. I modify things as I get a better understanding of what the impact will be.

Really? Wow. I haven't read this. It doesn't seem to be written that way in the book. Thanks for pointing this out.