2024 Players Handbook Grappling
The 2024 Player's Handbook brings a number of changes to the way grappling works, including feats and other build features that use grappling. In this article, we explore how this often overlooked martial character controls the battlefield, and how that has changed with D&D's latest additions.
Responding to change: an overview
Grappling has become part of unarmed strike action. Physical fitness (athletic ability) checks are no longer required. The target must make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw or be grappled. If grappled, it has disadvantage against all targets except grapplers.
Grapple action explanation
Grappling is no longer a specific action, as it was in the 2014 Player's Handbook. When making an unarmed attack, you can now choose between damage, grapple, or shove options. To successfully perform a grapple in D&D 5e, you must follow these rules:
You must make an unarmed attack and select the grapple option. The target must then succeed on a Strength or Dexterity (your choice) saving throw with a difficulty equal to your Strength modifier and proficiency bonus. The target must be no more than one size larger than you. Your character cannot grapple with an opponent larger than one or more size categories. This means that medium-sized characters can grapple large creatures, but anything larger is off-limits. You need at least one free hand. Hands must be free to grapple. If your hands are full, you won't be able to grapple the creature properly.
If the target fails a strength saving throw, it becomes grappled, described below.
D&D 5e assembled state
The D&D Free Rules say the following about grappling states:
assembled
Speed 0. Velocity is 0 and cannot be increased. Attacks affected. Attack rolls against targets other than grapplers have disadvantage. Movable. The grappler can drag or carry you as it moves, but each foot of movement costs an extra foot unless you are Tiny or at least two sizes smaller.
D&D Free Rules – Rules Glossary
All in all, grappling is not a big deal in D&D 5e. You can attack the grappler normally, and other creatures have no advantage in attacking you and are not incapacitated other than having 0 speed.
That being said, not being able to move may seem like a less dire situation, but it can become more dangerous if you use some of the tactics described in the next section.
grappling tips
The power of the grapple lies in its ability to restrict an opponent's movement and prepare them for a follow-up attack. However, it's not just about strength. It also concerns strategic applications. Here are some tips for using grappling effectively in D&D 5e.
use additional attacks
Grappling only uses one attack when multiple attacks are accessible via the Extra Attack class feature. This allows you to grapple the enemy with your first attack and continue attacking normally after a successful subsequent attack.
Creatures that are easy to assemble
Grabbing an enemy allows you to manipulate the enemy's position on the battlefield, thereby creating tactical opportunities for your allies. The most useful (and therefore common) application of this is tackling prone creatures. If a grappled creature's speed reaches 0, it will no longer be able to stand up. This allows you and your party to beat down grappled enemies.
topple and grapple
Strength-oriented builds like Fighters and Barbarians can easily use Topple's Mastery trait to ground creatures and grapple them in the same turn once they reach level 5, giving them access to additional attacks. . You can also use Unarmed Strike's Shove option if you did not select the Topple property.
increase size
Grow/shrink spells or another class feature (such as the Rune Knight's giant power) allow your character to grapple with larger creatures. Is the adult dragon about to fly away? Make your body bigger and grab it so it can't escape.
Create a Grappler Build in D&D 5e
If you want to build a character adept at calling enemies to the mat, you should prioritize strength and constitution to get the durability and power you need. Fighters, Barbarians, Paladins, and especially the 2024 Player's Handbook's emphasis on strength (or dexterity for monks) makes monks a great choice for fighting-based characters. Other aspects to consider are:
Perfect background for grappling
The Sailor background provides the Tavern Brawler feat, but it loses some of its potency from the 2024 Player's Handbook Grappler build. Still, it increases damage from unarmed attacks and can be combined with the Grappler for additional damage. It's also a good idea to choose a background that increases your strength (or dexterity in the case of monks) and perhaps constitution, as grappled enemies are likely to focus their attacks on you.
Best species for grappling
Certain species have unique racial traits that favor fighting builds.
dwarf: Dwarf races provide additional hit points. This is suitable for grappler builds.
goliath: Provides large form characteristics. This allows you to increase your size to Large as a bonus action, allowing you to tackle more things. You can also get Hill's Tumble. This allows you to know your opponent's Prone, making it a great target for grappling.
human: You'll be able to get the Tavern Brawler Origin feat if you don't already have the background.
Best classes and subclasses for grappling
Any strength-based class will make a decent grappler, but if you want to build around this special action, take a look at the options below.
Battle Master Fighters are especially effective with grappling, as they offer maneuvers such as trip attacks that can be used in conjunction with grappling. Rune Knight Fighter can increase in size with the Giant Mite ability, allowing him to grapple with larger creatures. Barbarians are naturally adept at hand-to-hand combat due to their enhanced strength abilities. The Barbarian's Battlerager subclass can also enhance its grappling prowess by dealing additional damage to the grappling creature. Monks can now use Unarmed Strike's Grapple option and use Dexterity instead of Strength. This is a surprising increase in utility, especially now that you can now perform an unarmed attack as a bonus action every turn (or you can also use Flurry of Blows to make two unarmed attacks).
Best feet for grapple builds
There are several feats in the 2024 Player's Handbook that provide bonuses to your grappling abilities. In the 2024 Player's Handbook, Fighting Styles are now specialties, giving you more options.
Grappler Increases your Strength or Dexterity score, allows you to use damage and grapple options when making unarmed attacks, gives you advantage on attack rolls against grappled creatures, and allows grappled creatures to If they are the same size, they can be dragged without slowing down. smaller.
unarmed combat Your unarmed strike damage increases to 1d6 (1d8 if your other hand is free), and you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to creatures grabbed by you at the start of your turn.
bar brawler Unarmed attacks now deal 1d4 more damage. Combining it with a grappler also increases damage, but not as much as in unarmed combat.
Grappler equipment
Remember to always keep your hands free when starting a grapple. You don't have to worry too much, though, as you can retract your weapon as a free action. Additionally, certain magical items, such as the Gauntlet of Ogre Power or the Belt of Giant Strength, can provide valuable boosts to your Strength score.
Escape from a grapple in 5e
If you find yourself on the wrong side of a grapple, there are several ways to escape unscathed.
Use a Contested Check to Escape: In the 2024 Player's Handbook, you can escape from a grapple by making a Strength or Dexterity saving throw against the creature's save DC. Teleport Out: For the small cost of a bonus action and a level 2 spell slot, you can easily misty step out of a grapple. Blow your opponent away: Spells like Thunderwave force your opponent to move, thereby breaking their control. Incapacitate your opponent: You're not much use as a grappler if your opponent is stunned. From sleep spells to monk stun attacks, there are many ways to incapacitate your enemies. Boon of Speed Epic Feat: This epic feat allows you to take a disengage action as a bonus action and also ends the grappled state.
work on one's decisions
Grappling in 5e is a deceptively simple mechanic that adds depth to combat in D&D. Used correctly, it can be a game-changer that can change the course of a battle and provide strategic opportunities for the entire party. The next time you find yourself in a heated fight, don't hesitate to grab your opponent, drag him to the mat, lay down some old ground, and slam him down.
