D&D 5E When to use Shove and Grapple

[Baumi]

My group had a small Rules Discussion and we thought to ask the collective Wisdom of ENWorld.

When can you substitute an Attack for a Shove or Grapple?

It's clear that you can change your normal Attacks (even part of Multi-Attack) to them, but what about Bonus Action Attacks like the ones from the Polearm Master Feat or Two-Weapon Fighting? Also can you change your Opportunity Attacks (which would make you far more sticky then just dealing damage)?

 

[spartanah]

phb says it is a part of your attack action... not bonus attack, not reaction...

phb (195)
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.

Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee
attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or
push it away from you.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

No. Sorry. Obly when using the attack action. Not even on an opportunity attack.

 

[Pickles III]

Also multi-attack does not allow strictly shoves & grapples though most DMs would probably waive that.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Also multi-attack does not allow strictly shoves & grapples though most DMs would probably waive that.

Pretty sure official clarification was that it does, actually.

 

[Pickles III]

Pretty sure official clarification was that it does, actually.

That would be sensible - it was originally the other way via twitter or something.

 

[Baumi]

Thanks for the answers! It seems that there is a clear consens about not being able to convert Bonus and Opportunity Actions.

About Multi-Attack ... why was this unclear? Shove and Grapple include the sentense "If you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack Action, this attack replaces one of them.". Which seems very straight forward to me.

 

[Pickles III]

Because multi attack is an action of its own type not an attack action.

I am sure it was originally ruled thus but per Ruin Explorer it has been reversed which is sensible.

I should not have mentioned it as it was always a counter intuitive dumb rules lawyery ruling.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I've considered house ruling that when players take the Grappler feat, they can substitute the third ability (which based on errata no longer applies) to allow a player to use grappler in place of an attack when making an attack of opportunity. Otherwise, you can only use it during your attack action by RAW.

 

[mellored]

I allow people to shove/grapple on any attack, not just attack actions.

It makes plenty of sense to me to attempt to grab or trip someone who provokes an OA, rather then just hit them.