D&D 5E Shifting Form and Grapple

[Hawk Diesel]

I tweeted [MENTION=4036]Jeremy[/MENTION]ECrawford for clarification on this, but thought I'd throw this to the boards as well. A sea sorcerer (level 14) gets grappled. Does shifting form allow them to escape? What if they are placed in manacles? Are there any forms or restraint that would work?

Personally, I would rule that this makes sense, especially since the flavor and the idea behind it seems to be that your body can shift and move (even become?) like water.

Is there perhaps a better way to word this ability? I think for a level 14 ability, and in comparison to other level 14 sorcerer abilities, it seems reasonable in terms of power.

 

[Shiroiken]

I think it depends on what's restraining the shapeshifter and what they change into. In this specific situation, water would be impossible to hold onto, so it should allow the sorcerer to slip free of any bonds.

 

[Kabouter Games]

I'd rule that static restraints would fail, but that if the sorceror was actively grappled the grapple status would remain until broken by RAW. In other words, if she's in manacles, she could slip free, but if she was grappled by another creature, she would have to break the grapple in a skill-check or ability-score contest. Manacles can't keep trying to hold on to the slippery sorceror, but a creature can.

Regards,

Bob

www.r-p-davis.com

 

[Satyrn]

I'd rule that static restraints would fail, but that if the sorceror was actively grappled the grapple status would remain until broken by RAW. In other words, if she's in manacles, she could slip free, but if she was grappled by another creature, she would have to break the grapple in a skill-check or ability-score contest. Manacles can't keep trying to hold on to the slippery sorceror, but a creature can.

Regards,

Bob

www.r-p-davis.com

I'd go with something very much like that, probably giving the sorcerer advantage on her roll to escape the grapple with the ability.

 

[Satyrn]

And I feel I should add I'd do the same if it was a low level feature.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Personally, it's such a high level ability that I would allow it to break grapple. It seems similar to the Freedom of Movement spell's problem. You can spend 5' of movement to break a grapple, but being grappled you don't have any movement to spend.