Grapple 5e (Updated for the 2024 Rules)

By Mike Bernier

Published on January 15, 2025

Master the art of grappling in D&D 5e and set your opponents up for a TKO!

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Looking for the legacy version of this article based on the 2014 rules? Click here.

Grappling in the 2024 Player’s Handbook

In the 2024 Player’s Handbook, a number of change have been made to the way that grappling works, including to the feats and other build features that use grappling. In this article, we’ll investigate this oft-overlooked method for martial characters to control the battlefield, and how it’s changed in D&D’s newest addition!

Grappling Changes: A Quick Overview

  • Grapple is now a part of the Unarmed Strike action.
  • No more Strength (Athletics) check. Target must make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw or be Grappled.
  • Grapple save DC is 8 + Strength (or Dexterity if you’re a Monk) modifier + Proficiency Bonus
  • When grappled, now you have Disadvantage against all targets other than the grappler.

The Grapple Action, Explained

Grappling is no longer a specific action, as it was in the 2014 Player’s Handbook. Now, when you make an Unarmed Strike, you can choose from the Damage, Grapple, or Shove options. To successfully execute a Grapple in D&D 5e, you need to adhere to the following rules:

  1. You must make an Unarmed Strike and choose the Grapple option. Then, the target must succeed in a Strength or Dexterity (their choice) saving throw with DC equal to 8 plus your Strength modifier plus Proficiency Bonus.
  2. The target must be no more than one size larger than you. Your character can’t grapple an opponent that is more than one size category larger. That means a Medium-sized character can grapple up to a Large-sized creature, but anything larger is off-limits.
  3. You need to have at least one free hand. To grapple, you must have a hand free. You can’t successfully grapple a creature if your hands are occupied.
  4. The grappled target must remain within your reach. You can drag the grappled creature with you, but if they are forced out of your reach, like with a Thunderwave spell, the grapple automatically ends.

If your target fails their Strength saving throw, they gain the Grappled condition, which we discuss below.

The Grappled Condition in D&D 5e

The D&D Free Rules has this to say about the Grappled condition:

Grappled

  • Speed 0. Your Speed is 0 and can’t increase.
  • Attacks Affected. You have Disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than the grappler.
  • Movable. The grappler can drag or carry you when it moves, but every foot of movement costs it 1 extra foot unless you are Tiny or two or more sizes smaller than it.

D&D Free Rules – Rules Glossary

All in all, being grappled isn’t a huge deal in D&D 5e. You can still attack your grappler normally, other creatures don’t have Advantage on attacks against you, and you aren’t incapacitated in any way other than your Speed being 0.

That said, while not being able to move may not seem like a dire situation, it can be made more dangerous using some tactics that we discuss in the next section.

Grappling Tips

The power of a grapple lies in its ability to limit opponents’ movement and set them up for follow-up attacks. Here are some tips for using grappling effectively in D&D 5e:

Use Extra Attacks

Grappling only uses one attack if you gain access to multiple attacks via the Extra Attack class feature. This can allow you to attempt to grapple an enemy using your first attack and continue to attack them normally once you’ve succeeded with subsequent attacks.

Grapple Prone Creatures

Grappling an enemy allows you to manipulate their positioning on the battlefield, thereby setting up tactical opportunities for your allies. The most useful (and thereby common) application for this is grappling a creature with the Prone condition. Seeing as a Grappled creature’s Speed is reduced to 0, they won’t be able to stand up. This allows you and your party to gain Advantage on Melee attacks the Prone and Grappled creature until they can break the grapple.

Topple and Grapple

A martial like a Fighter or Barbarian can easily use the Topple mastery property to get a creature on the ground and Grapple them in the same turn once they hit level 5 and gain access to the Extra Attack feature. They can also use the Shove option from Unarmed Strike if they didn’t pick up the Topple property.

Enlarge Your Size

Using the Enlarge/Reduce spell or a different class or species feature (like the Rune Knight’s Giant’s Might and Goliath’s Large Form) can allow your character to grapple larger creatures. Is that adult dragon trying to fly off? Increase your size and grapple it to ensure it can’t escape!

Creating a Grappler Build in D&D 5e

When it comes to building a character proficient in bringing enemies to the mat, you’ll want to prioritize certain ability scores for the necessary durability and power. Fighters, Barbarians, Paladins, and, in the 2024 Player’s Handbook especially, Monks are excellent choices for grapple-based characters due to their Strength-(or Dexterity in the Monk’s case)-based focus. Here are some other aspects to consider:

Best Backgrounds for Grappling

The Sailor background provides the Tavern Brawler feat, which has lost some of its potency for grappler builds in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Still, it increases the damage done by Unarmed Strikes, which can be combined with the Grappler feat for some extra damage. You’ll also want to choose a background that boosts your Strength (or Dexterity if you’re a Monk) and probably Constitution, as your grappled opponents will likely focus their attacks on you.

Best Species for Grappling

Certain species have inherent racial traits that can be beneficial for a grappling build:

  • Dwarf: The Dwarf race provides extra Hit Points, which is good for grappler builds to have.
  • Goliath: Provides the Large Form trait, which allows you to increase your size to Large as a Bonus Action, allowing you to grapple more things. You can also pick up Hill’s Tumble, which allows yout to know your opponents Prone, making them perfect grapple targets.
  • Human: Allows you to pick up the Tavern Brawler Origin feat, if you haven’t already with your background.

Best Classes and Subclasses for Grappling

Any Strength-based class will make a decent grappler but if you want to center your build around this special action, take a look at the options below:

  • The Battle Master Fighter can be particularly effective at grappling as it provides maneuvers like Trip Attack which can be used in conjunction with grapple.
  • Rune Knight Fighters can increase their size with the Giant’s Might feature, allowing them to grapple larger creatures.
  • Barbarians, with their boosted Strength ability, are naturally adept at grappling, though Rage no longer boosts their grappling proficiency because the mechanic no longer involves Strength checks.
  • Monks now get to use all aspects of their Unarmed Strike with their Dexterity instead of Strength, including the Grapple option. This is an amazing boost to utility, especially because they can now make an Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action every turn (or even use Flurry of Blows to make two Unarmed Strikes).

Best Feats for Grapple Builds

There are only a couple of feats in the 2024 Player’s handbook that provide bonuses to your grappling capabilities. In the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Fighting Styles are now feats, which increases our selection:

  • Grappler increases your Strength or Dexterity score, allows you to use the Damage and Grapple options when you make an Unarmed Strike, gives you Advantage on attack rolls against Grappled creatures, and allows you to drag grappled creatures without a Speed reduction if they are your size or smaller.
  • Unarmed Fighting boosts your Unarmed Strike damage to 1d6 (or 1d8 if your other hand is free) and allows you to deal 1d4 Bludgeoning damage to a creature Grappled by you at the start of your turns.
  • Tavern Brawler increases the damage you deal with Unarmed Strikes to 1d4, which can also boost your damage when combined with Grappler, but not as much as Unarmed Fighting.

Equipment for Grapplers

Always remember to keep a hand free to initiate a grapple. But, seeing as you can stow a weapon as a free action, you don’t need to worry too much. Also, certain magical items like Gauntlets of Ogre Power or a Belt of Giant Strength can provide valuable boosts to your Strength score.

Escaping Grapples in 5e

If you find yourself on the wrong side of a grapple, there are a couple of ways you can escape unscathed:

  • Escape with a saving throw: In the 2024 Player’s Handbook, you can escape 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.
  • Blast your opponent away: Using a spell like Thunderwave forcibly moves your opponent, thereby breaking their hold on you.
  • Incapacitate your opponent: Your opponent won’t be much of a grappler if they’re unconscious! There are plenty of ways to impose the Incapacitated condition foes, ranging from the Sleep spell to a Monk’s Stunning Strike!
  • Boon of Speed Epic Feat: This epic feat allows you to take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action, which also ends the Grappled condition.

Grapple With Your Decision

Grappling in 5e, though seemingly a simple mechanic, adds a layer of depth to combat encounters in D&D. It can be a game-changer when utilized correctly, turning the tide of a battle and providing strategic opportunities for the entire party. So, next time you find yourself in the heat of battle, don’t hesitate to grab your opponent, take them to the mat, and lay the old ground and pound into them!

Mike Bernier

Mike Bernier is the lead content writer and founder of Arcane Eye. He is a Adamantine best-selling author of Strixhaven: A Syllabus of Sorcery on DMs Guild and is a contributing author at D&D Beyond. Follow Mike on Twitter.

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