D&D 5E The Grappler's Manual (2.0) - Grappling in 5th Edition


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Afaik Zoltar does not belong to the WotC crew, yet his answers are taken into account even by them.

About your comment regarding character progressions and grappling, I assume most characters need some form of progression time. The barbarian might be great for grappling out of the box because of his rage, true. But do not forget some classes really have to climb some lvls first before they reach a certain potential, like the Eldritch Knight.

I am currently playing a goliath Eldritch Knight lvl 5, who is not really suited for grappling yet. He does well however as a sword and board fighter. I picked the Shield Master feat at lvl 4 and will soon gain Tavern Brawler at lvl 6. I will multiclass into one lvl of rogue at lvl 7 to acquire expertise in Athletics and Perception and by lvl 9 I will fetch War Caster along the Enlarge and Blur spells. While I will definately not get advantage on strength checks as often as a barbarian with his rages (not until lvl 14, when my combined total of lvl 2 and 3 spellslots will match his amount of rages per day), my Eldritch Knight might be a formidable grappler on occasions as well as still being able to sword and board against those enemies, which can't be proned or grappled at all, or when grappling would be an unadvisable tactic.

Also, Action Surge, Stone's Endurance and Second Wind once per rest saved his life (and with it his companion's) quite numerous times. The Shield Master's effect on dex saves already had it's uses, not to mention the countless bonus action attempts shoving/proning monsters. We also have a bear totem barbarian in our party. Damage wise he seem to outclass me at first glance, but in order to gain advantage by himself he needs to be reckless. I needn't take that risk and with Shield Master profiting heavily from an expertised athletics skill as well things can only get better. Even with his resist all but psychic feat his damage mitigation does not compare to mine yet.
 
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I think Bladelock (Warlock) is likely under rated in the guide when combined with Tavern Brawler. It gets you access to Hex, and with Taven Brawler you should be able to use your pact weapon to initiate a grapple. It is still not top tier, but you can max strength first as a blade lock and avoid spells with saves, so the stats don't put you to far behind, and you have a better Hex than people picking it up via feats.
 

I want to report a major finding I have had with my Bladesinger grappler. The Manual here is wrong - Enlarge is NOT a good grappling spell. It is mediocre at best. Enhance Ability is far better for the simple reason that Enlarge is a 1 minute duration.

Here's the explanation: It's a rare combat that you can convince the other players and DM to let you somehow get a spell set up JUST BEFORE the combat starts. It requires that you are basically able to either ambush the enemies or you can see or hear them coming. So already that's 50% of the time at best, probably lower. Then there's the logistics: "Okay we want to ambush these guys, I need to have enlarge going. So that means casting a spell far enough away that they can't hear me chanting, but close enough that I can attack them before a significant portion of my tiny 1 minute duration has elapsed. Plus I'm now WAY easier to spot because I'm large, so the DM and/or players will probably resent everything I'm doing, rather than thanking me for being such a useful part of the team. Arg." Alternatively, you can spend the WHOLE FIRST ROUND getting set up to even begin to contribute to combat by casting Enlarge and moving into position. But there's a reason grapplers needs high movement and good initiative: they need to lock things down AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Taking the whole first round to cast a spell basically means you've missed your chance to contribute to any battle other than a long, grueling one. You'd be better off just attacking.

Contrast this with a Bard or Druid that has Enhance Ability: I grapple EVERY COMBAT with those characters (except against oozes and ghosts), and it is undeniably powerful and fun. Enormous difference. What about Huge or larger creatures? Well, I try to collect Potions of Enlarge for those special occasions. Which are WAY BETTER than the Enlarge spell, by the way, because they last for 1d4 hours (plus don't require concentration, but that's beside the point).

In summary: Is Enlarge a useful grappling spell? Yes. Is it better than Enhance Ability? Not by a LONG SHOT. And certainly inferior to Barbarian Rage as well. So not only do I recommend downgrading the spell, but also any classes or builds that require it, particularly the Wizard. Which is a shame, because the Bladesinger does have some very nice features that recommend it for a grappling build. But that's another post.

DISCLAIMER: While I have discovered our august OP is off on the topic of the Enlarge spell, he is brilliant on many many other topics about grappling. So I don't mean to seem ungrateful or overly critical. In fact, I can never thank him enough for introducing me to this wonderful way to engage with 5e. My 5 grappling characters and I all offer our sincerest thanks.
 
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Enhance Ability trades the increased damage and loosened restrictions of Enlarge for a longer duration. You just happen to prefer duration over the added benefits of Enlarge.

They both have the same rating. Way I see it, Enlarge just barely pulls ahead because it has a unique effect if you don't have a campaign where potions of growth are accessible, which the guide kinda assumes, while Enhance Ability has a fairly common effect.
 

Enhance Ability trades the increased damage and loosened restrictions of Enlarge for a longer duration. You just happen to prefer duration over the added benefits of Enlarge.

They both have the same rating. Way I see it, Enlarge just barely pulls ahead because it has a unique effect if you don't have a campaign where potions of growth are accessible, which the guide kinda assumes, while Enhance Ability has a fairly common effect.
Colder, you're missing the point. This Manual is about building a character who grapples. If you value the underwhelming 1d4 extra damage and don't care about successfully grappling and shoving on a consistent basis, then you are not building a grappling character.

A grappling character needs to have advantage on Strength checks. Spending the first round to get that advantage is questionable at best; you could instead just attempt to grapple twice in the first two rounds. And attempting to grapple without advantage (ESPECIALLY if you do not have expertise) is generally not a great idea. So Enlarge is a mediocre GRAPPLING spell. It's a decent spell overall because it is versatile and fun. But as a cornerstone for locking down opponents, throwing them off ledges, and all the other fun grappling options? Barely passable.
 

Unless, of course, you want to do it to something huge, which is the biggest draw of the spell. And like I said earlier, you can't just assume potions of growth will be able to solve that problem.
 

Unless, of course, you want to do it to something huge, which is the biggest draw of the spell. And like I said earlier, you can't just assume potions of growth will be able to solve that problem.
A valid point. My Fighter/Bard will likely pick up the spell when he gets to Fighter 5/Bard 6. But just as an emergency spell against something big that would be very useful to grapple; most of the time, Enhance Ability will continue to serve.

Look at it this way: My Wizard grappler gets to usefully grapple in like 1/5 of combats on a good day. My other grapplers are usefully grappling in 2/3 combats. Some of those 1/3 combats feature huge enemies, sure. But on balance you're a more useful grappler more of the time with Enhance Ability.

Also note that the Druid grappler can take on the larger enemies with Enhance Ability by changing into a grapple-bear, so it's really only Bards and Barbarians that lack the ability to tackle the big guys.
 

Goken100, I have recently been attempting to construct an oddball Paladin/Bard grappler. Since Bard doesn't get Enlarge and I don't know if I'm taking bard all the way to level 6 for magical secrets, it's made me think a lot about the virtue of Enhance Ability, and I have to agree with you. Being able to cast it early and have it up for an hour is real useful. And I have some more evidence to back you up on how Enhance Ability is more useful than you'd think.

The common argument for Enlarge being useful is it increase the range of sizes of things that you can grapple. Well, p271 of the DMG describes a rule called "Climb onto a Bigger Creature." This basically allows you to use all your same bonuses you'd get for building a grappler to instead climb all over a larger enemy Shadow of the Colossus style. Sure you don't lock down the enemy as much as if you'd actually grappled them, but you get advantage against them and become a huge nuisance, thereby keeping large creatures from just completely nullifying the usefulness of your build simply by existing. You might even be able to argue with the DM that if you're hanging onto a specific part of them, it becomes harder for them to use that part. Like you might be able to impose disadvantage on an attacking limb by clinging to it specifically, or cling to a leg to slow their movement. This is of course all DM discretion, but the fact that the DMG gives some specific rules for climbing on enemies makes it a pretty good argument for a grappler to make in their favor. And if the DM plays ball, Enlarge becomes less useful because you still have some grappler-specific options against much larger creatures. Its a pretty flavorful thing to do, as well.
 

Grappler's Magic Item Guide (Uncommons)

Magic Items and Grappling
We don't always play in campaigns or with DMs that give us the freedom or flexibility to choose which magic items we encounter or can choose for our characters in 5e. But some mystery and randomness in magic items is fun and probably for the best. But these items nonetheless have a huge impact on your character's efficacy and capabilities. And in some cases, they can unlock entire builds that wouldn't be otherwise possible. So let's take a look at how they stack up. I’m only listing items that are either specifically useful to a grappler or that should be mentioned because they're less good than you might think.

UNCOMMON
Bag of Holding
A very popular item, it is frankly overrated. Many problems that can be solved with a Bag of Holding can also be solved with a little elbow grease and the purchase of a pack mule. That said, depending on your DM, it may be useful to keep the effective weight of your equipment to a minimum to insure you are not overburdened when dragging one or two opponents around the ring... err, battlefield. The Bag of Holding can accomplish that, so is not a bad choice for a grappler.

Boots of Striding and Springing
A case could be made that these should actually be Green, as they are a must-have for a jumping build (IE Powerbomb Suplex). But even if it's not your specialty, jumping three times the normal distance is pretty amazing for a grappler. And perhaps more importantly, not having your speed reduced when you’re encumbered is a pretty big deal; if a DM ever runs the numbers on how much a large creature realistically weighs, he’s probably not going to let you drag it very far (seriously, look up a horse’s average weight). So unless your feet are busy with something better (*cough*, *wings*), these are a good item to pick up.

Broom of Flying
You may hear this item recommended as an attractive alternative to the Winged Boots, as it lets you fly and does not require attunement. Don't believe the hype. It can carry a maximum of 400 pounds; we are bulky grapplers! Half the time we'll exceed that with our own weight plus armor, let alone after grabbing a new friend to play with. To add insult to injury, its speed goes down from 50 to 30 if it has over 200 pounds on it (unlike the Winged Boots, which move at your speed and so can benefit from speed increases from features and spells). So really only useful for flying TO a target, not for anything after that. Still, getting those hard-to-reach bad guys off a perch and throwing them to your friends can be fun. So if you don't mind keeping an extra club in the bag for a niche situation, it's a viable option.

Cloak of Protection
This is just basically one of the best uncommon items, and grapplers in particular are going to make themselves targets for enemies’ ire. Increasing AC and all saves with one item is a good win.

Gauntlets of Ogre Power
Most grapplers are planning on getting to 20 Strength when they get enough ability score increases through leveling, so why bother getting an item that sets your strength at 19? One reason is if you find this item at lower level, it'll get you to 18 faster. Another possibility is that you have a particulary MAD grappling build (I'm looking at you, Druid/Monk) and you would like to make Strength a dump stat but still be able grapple without resorting to turning into an animal every time. Finally, you could take it and just hope that some day you'll be able to upgrade to a Belt of Giant Strength, and thus concentrate on feats or other ability increases as you level.

Headband of Intellect
This item is similar to the Gauntlets of Ogre Power in that it can unlock an otherwise unwieldy MAD (Multiple Ability Score - dependent) grappling build. It is green because it really only applies to Wizards. A grappling Wizard is going to want a high Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, AND Intelligence. And there just aren't enough ability points to go around without a little help.

Instrument of the Bard*
This item doesn’t have a whole lot to do with grappling, other than Bards being one of the best grappling classes and a key part of many multi-class builds. This item is AMAZING for any and all Bards. A bunch of free spells plus the targets of your charms are at disadvantage. If you have any Bard levels, and especially if you have any intention of reaching level 5 Bard, try to get one of these. Then cast Hypnotic Pattern. You’re welcome. Note the asterisk because there are actually different varieties of this weapon at various rarities; generally speaking the rarer ones have better spells, but they’re all great and they all give the same encounter-killing charm disadvantage.

Pearl of Power

This item (and similar but more rare items) that can increase the number of spell slots available to a character can be fantastic assets to one type of grappler in particular: multi-class spellcasters. You will be relying on Enhance Ability or Enlarge for your advantage with one of those builds, and this item will allow you to cast that vital spell one extra time a day. A pure spell-casting character like a pure Bard, on the other hand, will have adequate spells slots and probably not need the help as much.

Ring of Jumping
This is in every way inferior to the Boots of Striding and Springing. It gives you 3x the jumping distance just like the boots, but costs a bonus action to activate and does not have the amazing extra feature of not being encumbered. But assuming this is the only option, it’s still a decent option if you want to get hoppy with your foes.

Ring of Swimming
Mobility is important for a grappler, but in an average adventurer’s career there will likely only be a handful of underwater encounters. Your mileage may vary, but generally this shouldn’t be a priority.

Shield +1
For the shield-bearing grapplers out there, there’s no reason not to grab one of these since increasing AC for a grappler is always a priority.

Sentinel Shield
Arguably better than a +1 Shield for a grappler is the Sentinel shield, which gives you advantage on Initiative and Perception. The main benefit for the grappler is the initiative, because you want to make sure you have a chance to keep those enemies away from your friends, make their attacks suffer disadvantage, and grant your applies advantage. All that requires you go first.

Stone of Good Luck
This is one of the only magic items that actually makes you better at what you DO: grappling! Plus it gives +1 to all saving throws, which is also amazing and very welcome for any grapple. Get it, use it, love it.

Weapon +1
Attacking with a weapon is not what a grappler is built for. You might want to have a magic weapon ready for after you have an opponent locked down and it’s time to pound or for those annoying battles against ghosts and their ilk. But this should not be a priority magic item for a grappler.

Weapon of Warning
These items are a great choice for a grappler for the same reason as the Sentinel shield: advantage on initiative. But even better than the shield, these don’t have to be held and give you the benefit for having a magic weapon for those times when you want to resort to doing damage.

Winged Boots
These bad boys are at the top of everyone’s list of uncommon items that might be too good. But you haven’t seen them truly shine until you’ve seen a grappler put them on and go nuts on the enemy. These can take a mediocre grappling build (particularly one with low HP and/or AC) and make it VERY viable. The main capability that is unlocked with these is the grab-and-drop style of build, but the creative possibilities are endless. A few options to consider:

  • Want to make two enemies take damage and go prone with only a single grapple? Grab one of them, fly up 10 feet (moving at half speed of course), and drop him on his buddy.
  • Turn off the boots and drop WITH your target from the air! Activate Slow Fall, Feather Fall, or reactivate the boots at the last second (possibly with an Acrobatics check to time it right) to prevent your grappled opponent from gaining the protective benefit. Now you’ve got a grappled and prone opponent who’s taken damage and all you’ve done is used a grapple and some movement.
  • Drop your opponent onto the ground, then Super Hero Fall right onto their prone face for an attack with advantage! Try to convince your DM that the falling damage from your own fall should be added to the hit’s damage, assuming it lands. (You yourself take falling damage and go prone but what can I say... it's murder on the knees.)
Maneuvers like these are going to be subject to a lot of variation from DM to DM, so you might want to talk with her in advance about how she’ll adjudicate these sorts of things. In any case, always choose Boots of Flying first if you can (and if you don’t mind eye rolls from the rest of the table while you abuse the crap out of your fancy footwear).
 
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