Grappling in D&D 2024 (5.5e)

How it works and making an optimised grappler build.

How does grappling work?

Attempting a grapple

You can attempt a grapple by making an unarmed strike against a creature and choosing the grapple option (there’s also options for damaging or shoving too). The target makes a strength or dexterity saving throw (it chooses) with the DC being 8 plus your strength modifier and proficiency bonus.

To attempt a grapple, you must have one free hand and can only grapple one creature at a time. While grappling you can’t use your grappling hand for anything else unless you end the grapple.

PHB 2024: p367, 377 (see grappling and unarmed strikes)

Effects of being grappled

When grappled, a creature is hampered by 3 effects:

• Movement speed becomes 0 and can’t increase.
• Have disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than the grappler.
• Grappler can drag or carry you, but every foot of movement costs an extra foot unless you’re tiny or 2+ sizes smaller.

PHB 2024: p367 (see grappled [condition])

Escaping a grapple

A grappled creature can attempt to escape a grapple by using an action. They then make an acrobatics or athletics check against the grapple’s escape DC (note that avoiding and ending a grapple are different as one is a saving throw and the other is an ability check).

Other things can end a grapple like the grappler choosing to end it, the grappler having the incapacitated condition or the grappler becoming out of range of the target.

What are the benefits of grappling?

But why bother grappling? Well, there are a few useful reasons to grapple:

• Prevents enemies moving away.
• Pushes the target to attack their grappler rather than other party members.
• Requires less action economy to initiate than to escape (1 attack Vs 1 action).
• If the grappled character is prone, they can be forced to remain prone (as their speed is 0 so can’t stand up). This enables continued advantage on attacks against them and disadvantage on their attacks
• Using shove can knock a target prone as can the topple weapon mastery and a bunch of other abilities
• You can move the grappled creature into area of effects like spike growth or spirit guardians

Building a grappler

There are a bunch of things to consider in building a grappler and options you might want to grab:

• Grappling well requires a high strength, this means it mostly only works well on strength builds (so fighters, barbarians, paladins etc).
• The exception here is the monk which can use dexterity for grappling due to their martial arts feature.
• An unarmed build can be a good option for a grappler as your hands will be free and if you build for it, you can still deal some decent damage.
• Other builds can work though, even those using both hands as it only requires a free action to stow a weapon or shield.
• If you build a grappler around unarmed strikes, some feats will help you out. Grappler will allow you to grapple as well as making the damage option of an unarmed strike. It also lets you have advantage on attacks against a creature you’re grappling and you aren’t slowed when moving with a grappled creature.
• Tavern brawler will let you push when making an attack. It also ups your unarmed attack damage to 1d4 and you can reroll 1s for unarmed strike damage.
• The unarmed fighting style feat will bring your unarmed damage up to 1d6/1d8 and add extra damage when grappling a creature.
• Paladins can now use smites with unarmed strikes so an unarmed build is now an option for them.
• The more attacks you have, the better, as this gives you more opportunities to attempt a grapple (or shove) and do more damage.

All of this means that grapple builds favour fighters and monks most but can still be a good option for the likes of barbarians, paladins and rangers. Other classes will really struggle to work well for a grapple build (not that they can’t grapple, but they will struggle to do so effectively or build around it).

Example grappler builds

Versatile grappler – Fighter

This is a low feat build that’s fairly versatile and easy to build for a sort of grapple-lite approach. If you don’t want to commit too heavily to a grapple build, but want the flexibility to have it in your wheelhouse, then this is a good option.

Ability scores: Focus on strength followed by constitution for the extra resilience.

Species: Goliath (Hill Giant). By being a Goliath, you can become large, meaning you can grapple huge creatures. Taking the Hill Giant ancestry means you can automatically knock prone when you deal damage a few times each long rest which is super useful for a grapple build.

Weapon: Use a trident for the topple weapon mastery. It’s versatile too so you can deal 1d10 damage until you make a grapple, and then shift down to 1d8. It’s also thrown so can be used as a ranged option when needed.

Armor: You’ll want to focus on strength and constitution here. Medium armor is an option as you can invest in dexterity to 14 quite easily too. If you don’t want to invest in dexterity (maybe because you need intelligence if you’re an eldritch knight) then heavy armor can be used instead. A shield is an option. You’ll be limited to 1d8 trident damage but you can easily put the shield away when you decide to make a grapple.

Feats: None needed

Subclass: Any

Brawler – Fighter

This build goes fully into a grapple fighter by building for unarmed combat. Fighters get more ability score increases than any other class and more attacks other than monks, this means we can invest in feats and still get ability scores where we need them.

Ability scores: Focus on strength followed by constitution for the extra resilience.

Species: Goliath (Hill Giant). By being a Goliath, you can become large, meaning you can grapple huge creatures. Again, taking the Hill Giant ancestry means you can automatically knock prone when you deal damage a few times each long rest which is super useful for a grapple build.

Weapon: Grab thrown weapons like tridents for a ranged option, but primarily, you’ll be using your fists for unarmed strikes. You might want to use a trident to topple too. You can use shove, but you won’t do damage at the same time.

Armor: Medium armor can work if you’re investing a bit into dexterity, or take heavy armor. You can grab a shield, but it will decrease your damage output a bit, but the trade off can be very much worth it for the increased AC.

Feats: Tavern brawler, unarmed fighting style and grappler. You’ll need these to get your unarmed strikes to a decent damage level (specifically unarmed fighting style) and ensure you can be attempting grapples while dealing damage. Tavern brawler is the least important of these, but push is useful, as is rerolling 1s.

Subclass: Champion, mainly so you get an extra fighting style as you won’t always be making unarmed strikes.

Quick grappler – Monk

For a build that can make more grapple attempts than any other, the monk is your best option. They’re also your best option as an unarmed build with the highest damage of any other unarmed class.

One other advantage of this build is that stunning blow will cause your target to automatically fail any strength or dexterity saving throws, including a grapple. They lack an easy method for knocking enemies prone making the Hill Giant ancestry for the Goliath even more important (or helpful allies). Failing all that, there’s still shove, but it does mean you drop an attempt at damaging the target.

One option here too is to take a flying species like a Dragonborn or an Aasimar. This allows you to grapple a creature, fly upward, then drop them for extra damage. I’ve opted for a Goliath build below because the grapple does end when dropping, but it could be an approach for higher damage. This works better on the high speed monk who can fly further for more damage.

Ability scores: Dexterity then wisdom and constitution.

Species: Goliath (Hill Giant). Grow large to grapple huge creatures and use Hill Giant to knock prone.

Weapon: You’ll mostly be fighting unarmed with this build, but grab some finesse thrown weapons for ranged attacks. Daggers work here.

Armor: None. Monks are best using their unarmored defense.

Feat: Grappler for damage and grapples with the same attack and a few other upgrades. You don’t need tavern brawler for this build, but it can be useful if you want a push option too.

Subclass: Any. Warrior of shadows can use darkness to impose disadvantage on their target, warrior of mercy can cause poisoned to the grappled creature to cause disadvantage against you too and warrior of the open hand can knock prone when making attacks. The warrior of elements can technically grapple with extended reach (15ft) but it’s debatable whether that’s sustained once the unarmed strikes has ended. Personally I’d say that this isn’t sustained as the duration of the extended reach as this seems to be just when making the unarmed strike.

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Have you played a grappler? What builds have you used? Let me know in the comments below.

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