D&D 5E When to use Shove and Grapple

[designbot]

There is no "official" errata on this, but Mike Mearls has explained on Twitter that a shove or grapple cannot be used as part of a monster's Multiattack.

"Multiattack" is a specific action that many monsters can use instead of a standard "Attack" action. It is described on page 11 of the Monster Manual:

A creature that can make multiple attacks on its turn has the Multiattack ability. A creature can't use Multiattack when making an opportunity attack, which must be a single melee attack.

For monsters, a "multiattack" is not using the Attack action, it is using the Multiattack action.

When players gain abilities that allow them to make multiple attacks, they are usually described as part of the standard Attack action or a bonus action, and they are not called a "multiattack". The only non-monster appearance of the term "multiattack" is the heading of a section describing an 11th-level feature of the Ranger's Hunter archetype on page 93.

As page 195 of the Player's Handbook states regarding grappling:

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.

And regarding shoving:

Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature…

You can't grapple or shove as an opportunity attack, because an opportunity attack uses your reaction—not the Attack action.

It's confusing, but in the language of the 5e rules, making a melee attack means something quite distinct from using the Attack action.

 

[hejtmane]

Tavern brawler or shield master for the win

 

[Shiroiken]

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.

I could see allowing it for OA, but the big problem for me would be the Polearm Master Reaction attack. You cost the enemy half it's speed... or it just can't attack you (unless it also has Reach).

 

[Sunseeker]

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.

I agree, as long as what the player is attempting is roughly equitable to an attack I let players replace the attack. Adds some good variety.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

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.

This is a great idea.

 

[mellored]

I could see allowing it for OA, but the big problem for me would be the Polearm Master Reaction attack. You cost the enemy half it's speed... or it just can't attack you (unless it also has Reach).

Costing someone 1/2 their speed instead of damaging them seems fine to me.

 

[Lehrbuch]

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

For Bonus attacks it depends on precisely what the source of the Bonus Action says it can be used for.

For example, the Bonus Action attack granted by Two-Weapon Fighting could not be substituted with Shove or Grapple, as it says that the Bonus Action attack is made "with a different light melee weapon that you’re holding in the other hand." (Basic PHB, page 74). Making a Shove or Grapple would not be making an attack with the "light melee weapon that you’re holding in the other hand".

To be honest, I can't think of a Bonus Action source that is free enough with its wording to allow it to be used as a Shove or Grapple. On the other hand, there are some features that provide "additional actions" that could be a Shove or Grapple. For example, the fighter's Action Surge.

Opportunity Attacks are a bit trickier. On the one hand, Opportunity Attacks allow you to take a melee attack. Shove and Grapple are both described as "special melee attacks". On the other hand, Shove and Grapple are both described as if they are options available only when you use the Attack Action. I think that a strict reading of RAW would not allow Shoves and Grapples to be used as Opportunity Attacks. However, I can't see any problem allowing it as a ruling.

 

[Shendorion]

If I was running a campaign I'd allow opportunity attacks to be grapples per the feat replacement above, just because it's a more interesting narrative option than smacking someone on their way to hit your friend. I don't mind the overlap with Sentinel - both feats would still have value on the battlefield.

 

[Hriston]

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,

Not in the case of Multiattack. As others have pointed out, creatures taking the Multiattack action are not taking the Attack action, which is a requirement of making a Grapple or Shove attack.

but what about Bonus Action Attacks like the ones from the Polearm Master Feat or Two-Weapon Fighting?

You can Shove with these, but not Grapple. Grapple requires a free hand, so you can't do it with a weapon in your off-hand or the butt-end of a pole arm. Shove doesn't require a free hand, and since both of these bonus action attacks are triggered by the use of the Attack action, you can substitute a Shove.

Also can you change your Opportunity Attacks (which would make you far more sticky then just dealing damage)?

No, when you make an opportunity attack you aren't using the Attack action, so you can't substitute a Grapple or Shove for the melee attack.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I could see allowing it for OA, but the big problem for me would be the Polearm Master Reaction attack. You cost the enemy half it's speed... or it just can't attack you (unless it also has Reach).

I think that could be solved by requiring that the reaction attack granted by the Polearm Mastery feat be taken with the polearm.

The feat is called HPolearm Mastery" not "Grabbing Someone With Your Hand Mastery".