{"id":3131,"date":"2023-11-08T22:40:19","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T05:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/?p=3131"},"modified":"2025-05-23T12:56:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T19:56:44","slug":"dd-5e-rules-grappling-and-restraint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/2023\/11\/dd-5e-rules-grappling-and-restraint.html","title":{"rendered":"D&#038;D 5e\/5.5e Rules &#8211; Grappling and Restraint!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2984\" src=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-300x196.webp\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-300x196.webp 300w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-650x425.webp 650w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-768x502.webp 768w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules-1200x784.webp 1200w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Know-the-rules.webp 1300w\" alt=\"Know the Rules\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" \/><em><a href=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/2022\/09\/dd-5e-rules-a-prologue.html\">Part of an ongoing series of <strong>5e (2014)<\/strong> Rules notes.<\/a>\u00a0 <span style=\"color: #800000;\">Notes on <strong>5.5e (2024)<\/strong> rules are included below.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Questions about this pop up sooner or later in every campaign, as it&#8217;s an area that 5e either does fine or poorly, depending on which online forum you go to or\u00a0 specific question you examine.<\/p>\n<p>So what happens when instead of bashing each other with hunks of steel or eldritch energies, you get up-close and personal<\/p>\n<h1>You can attack to Grapple<\/h1>\n<p>This is discussed on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.5esrd.com\/gamemastering\/combat\/#:~:text=Grappling,smaller%20than%20you.\">PHB 195<\/a>. Essentially you use one of your Attacks to make a skill contest:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Attacker<\/span>: roll <i>Strength (Athletics)<\/i><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Defender<\/span>: roll <i>Strength (Athletics)<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0<i>Dexterity (Acrobatics)<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In other words, Grapplers need to be a lot better at that skill, or be pretty darned strong.<\/p>\n<p>If you win, the target is Grappled (technically, has the <em>Grappled<\/em> condition, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.5esrd.com\/gamemastering\/conditions\/#Grappled:~:text=Grappled,talent%20or%20ability.\">PHB 290<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Which, honestly, doesn&#8217;t do much.\u00a0 It basically reduces Speed to 0, even if the target has other features that increase its speed beyond base.<\/p>\n<p>But a grappled target can still punch grappler, stab them, etc. They are more restrained by being within 5&#8242; of their grappler (which gives them Disadvantage on spell attacks or ranged attacks), but melee attacks are just fine.<\/p>\n<p>Grappling does keep the grappled target from running away until help arrives <i>or<\/i> until the target breaks the Grapple. They can try that by\u00a0 taking their Action to roll <i>Strength (Athletics)<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0<i>Dexterity (Acrobatics)<\/i> vs the grappler&#8217;s <i>Strength (Athletics) <\/i>again<i>.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<p>The grappler can also slowly (half speed) <strong>drag<\/strong> a grappled target with them &#8212; or continue attacking them at close range (with no particular advantage, and with the same disadvantages).<\/p>\n<p>Note:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When you have Grappled someone, you are not yourself considered Grappled.<\/li>\n<li>When you have Grappled someone, you are using up one hand (the other hand is considered free for attacks, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Aside from breaking free of the Grapple through a contest, it can also be broken by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The grappler being Incapacitated.<\/li>\n<li>An effect knocking the grappled target out of the reach of the grappler or the Grappling effect, e.g., being knocked away by a <em>Thunderwave.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Note there is a\u00a0<em>Grappler<\/em> feat you can take. This gives you Advantage on attack rolls against someone you are grappling, and the opportunity to pin (restrain) someone (through another grapple check).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">5.5e handles this <a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/dungeonsanddragonsfan.com\/dnd-grappling-rules\/\">a little more simply<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-4197\" src=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo.png\" alt=\"dnd 5.5\/2024\" width=\"215\" height=\"310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo.png 215w, https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/dnd-55-2024-logo-208x300.png 208w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 215px) 85vw, 215px\" \/><\/a>Grappling is part of the Unarmed Strike category, but instead of doing damage on a hit, and rather than an <em>Athletics\/Acrobatics<\/em> contest (5.5e hates contests), the target has to make a Strength or Dexterity save vs a DC of (8 + attacker&#8217;s STR mod + attacker&#8217;s Proficiency Bonus). It&#8217;s simpler dice rolling, though the attacker will need to provide some numbers to make it work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Once grappled, a player can keep the grapple, attack the target (with a hand not in use), move the target, or release.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">The target can escape by using their action for a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check vs. that same DC.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">The <a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dndbeyond.com\/sources\/dnd\/br-2024\/rules-glossary#GrappledCondition\">Grappled condition<\/a> in 5.5e adds to it:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Grappled creatures have Disadvantage to attack rolls against anyone other than their grappler.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000;\">If you move someone you have grappled, instead of halving your speed, each foot costs an extra foot of speed &#8212; similar to difficult terrain, which means it stacks with it. (This doesn&#8217;t apply when the Grappler is two sizes or more larger than the Grappled.)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Once Grappled, someone can use a Utilize and <a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dndbeyond.com\/equipment\/487-manacles\">a pair of manacles<\/a> to bind a Small\/Medium Grappled (or Incapacitated, or Restrained) creature on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against DC 13.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">The <a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dndbeyond.com\/feats\/1789147-grappler\"><em>Grappler<\/em> feat<\/a> is also rewritten. Once per turn if you hit with an Unarmed Strike, you can both do damage <em>and<\/em>\u00a0try to Grapple them. You have Advantage to attack creatures you have grappled, and you can move them around at normal speed (if your size or smaller). (It also gives you +1 ASI for Strength or Dexterity.)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What if more than one person at a time is Grappling you?<\/h2>\n<p>While executing a Grapple takes one Attack (of however many you have within your Attack action), <a href=\"https:\/\/rpg.stackexchange.com\/a\/78802\/67995\">escaping a Grapple takes an entire Action<\/a>. If more than one person has you Grappled, you can only escape one Grapple per turn &#8230; which means tag-teaming Grapplers can seriously cause you a problem.<\/p>\n<h1>Monster and Spell Grapples and Restraints<\/h1>\n<p>This is where things get a little tricky. Or more straightforward. You decide. The <em>Grappled<\/em> and <em>Restrained<\/em> conditions are quite separate, but come up a lot in spell and monster attacks: e.g., a Giant Octopus you\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Grappled<\/span> with its tentacles; a <em>Web<\/em> spell causes the <u>Restrained<\/u>\u00a0condition (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.5esrd.com\/gamemastering\/conditions\/#Grappled:~:text=reduced%20by%20one.-,Restrained,The%20creature%20has%20disadvantage%20on%20Dexterity%20saving%20throws.,-Scouted%20(specific%20to\">PHB 292<\/a>).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Just like with a Grapple, a Restrained creature\u2019s speed becomes 0, and it can\u2019t use any bonus to its speed.<\/li>\n<li>Attack rolls against the Restrained\u00a0 target have Advantage, and the their attack rolls have Disadvantage.<\/li>\n<li>The Restrained target also has Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">(<strong>5.5e<\/strong> does the same thing with its <a style=\"color: #800000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dndbeyond.com\/sources\/dnd\/br-2024\/rules-glossary#RestrainedCondition\">Restrained condition<\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>(Note that the <a href=\"http:\/\/dnd5e.wikidot.com\/feat:grappler\"><em>Grappler<\/em> feat<\/a> lets the grappler get Advantage on the Grappled target &#8212; but, more interestingly, it lets a grappler roll a second Grapple attack, which, if it succeeds, means both the grappler and the grappled target are both <em>Restrained<\/em>. Which actually seems kinda sucky.)<\/p>\n<h1>So, Dave, how do I do something useful with this?<\/h1>\n<p>Grappling by itself is kind of limited in what it can do. But with a little work, it can make an effective attack.\u00a0 So\u00a0 how do you grab an opponent and actually <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">subdue<\/span> him.<\/p>\n<p>The vast consensus I&#8217;ve read on this is\u00a0<b>Grapple\u00a0<\/b>them (so they can&#8217;t get away) and then do a\u00a0<b>Shove\u00a0<\/b>attack (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.5esrd.com\/gamemastering\/combat\/#:~:text=for%20improvising%20others.-,Shoving%20a%20Creature,the%20target%20prone%20or%20push%20it%205%20feet%20away%20from%20you.,-Cover\">PHB 195<\/a>, same Ability checks as the Grapple) to knock them Prone &#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&#8230;\u00a0 at which point they get the <em>Prone<\/em> condition&#8217;s effects (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.5esrd.com\/gamemastering\/conditions\/#Grappled:~:text=the%20possessing%20creature.-,Prone,5%20feet%20of%20the%20creature.%20Otherwise%2C%20the%20attack%20roll%20has%20disadvantage.,-Relaxation\">PHB 292<\/a>), and as Prone:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>they can only crawl (but not if they&#8217;re <em>Grappled<\/em> and at speed 0!)<\/li>\n<li>or they can get up (but not if they&#8217;re <em>Grappled<\/em> and at speed 0!)<\/li>\n<li>they are at a Disadvantage to attack <em>(Prone!)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>attacks on them have Advantage <em>(Prone!)<\/em><\/li>\n<li>&#8230; and they probably have to use their whole Action to try to desperately break the Grapple.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.enworld.org\/threads\/the-grapplers-manual-2-0-grappling-in-5th-edition.468737\/\">People have created whole builds around this<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Are you, the attacker, also Prone at that point? A good question. Consensus seems to be &#8220;No, but describe what you are doing to your DM.&#8221; I&#8217;d think of it as the arm twist behind the guy on the ground; you&#8217;re enough on your feet that you are not considered Prone, and can defend attacks normally (albeit with one hand), etc.<\/p>\n<p>Given that, as long as you maintain this, you can continue attacking the <em>Grappled+Prone<\/em> guy <i>and<\/i> other folk can attack them, too, with Advantage, and that should distract them from attacking you back (as they desperately try to break the Grapple).<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Consensus is that Grappling is much better (when by the players) in <strong>5.5e (2024)<\/strong> than 5e. Monks, especially, are seen as natural beneficiaries of this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Grappling and Restraint sound similar, but aren&#8217;t. How do you make them work for you?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[48,44,78],"tags":[47,50],"class_list":["post-3131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-onedd","category-dd","category-dd-5e-rules","tag-dnd5e","tag-rules"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3131"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4270,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3131\/revisions\/4270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/heroes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}