Unarmed Combat: Grappling v 0.2
GRAPPLING
When you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, 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.
The target of your grapple must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. Using at least one free hand, you try to seize a target within your reach by making a grapple check instead of an attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you succeed, you subject the target to the Grappled condition (see Conditions ). The condition specifies the things that end it, and you can release the target whenever you like (no action required).
When you grapple a creature you can decide to impose a second condition called a Hold, in the same action. This Hold can either be a Bind, Choke, Pin or Restrained. If another Hold isn’t specified, the Pinning Hold takes effect. If you want to switch from one Hold to another you need to make another grapple check. If you succeed you switch conditions, if you fail the roll you lose all grappled conditions, including holds, you’re maintaining.
Escaping a Grapple: A Grappled creature can use its action to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics) check. When they escape the Grappled Condition they escape the Hold as well.
Grappling Bigger Creatures Climbing onto a bigger creature works just like in the DMG (pg. 271), except for how a larger creature escapes the grapple.
When a larger creature tries to dislodge a smaller creature they can either try to grab them, by making a grapple check, or they can use an action to dislodge them by making a Strength (Athletics) check against a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against a Strength (Athletics) check.
Contested Strength Checks
- Creatures one size larger get advantage on opposed Strength checks when both creatures are using Strength.
- Creatures two sizes larger than the opposition get advantage on opposed Strength checks AND creatures two sizes smaller than the opposition get disadvantage on opposed Strength checks, when both creatures are using Strength.
Conditions
Grappled
Modified Condition
- Before a grappling or grappled creature can move, it must make a contested Strength (Athletics) check against the other creature in the grapple as part of it's movement. If they succeed they can move where they want to. If the creature is larger than them by more than one size, they cannot move. If they are one size larger, your movement speed is 10 ft. If they are your size your movement is reduced to half your movement speed. If they are smaller than you by one size, your movement is reduced by 10 ft. If they are more than one size smaller your movement speed is unaffected.
- The condition ends if the Grappler is incapacitated (see the condition).
- The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the Grappler or Grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the Thunderwave spell.
Binding Hold
New condition
You catch a creatures arm or head to inhibit it's ability to attack. When you Bind a creature you must choose one of it’s limbs or head. That creature cannot use that limb or head to attack, use an object or use it for somatic or material components, without making a successful grapple check against the grappler. If it loses the opposed check it counts as if it missed the attack.
Choke Hold
New condition
You use your grapple to inhibit the creatures ability to breath and speak. You use two hands to choke a creature, no more than one size larger than you. When a creature is being choked they cannot speak Verbal components to a spell, or make loud noises, or speak in a way that can be understood outside of 10 ft. Each turn the Choke is maintained the creature being choked suffocates. The Grappling creature must concentrate on this as if it was a spell. If concentration is lost the Choke Hold is lost and the turns the choked creature can last before passing out is reset. If the creature doesn't need to breath or speak or have a discernible neck this hold is ineffective.
Doublet Hold
New condition
The Grappler does an extra 1d6 damage to a creature they have in a Doublet Hold when they make an unarmed strike or melee attack with a light weapon. If the Grappler doesn’t make a melee attack against this creature on their turn, they lose the Doublet Hold and must make another grappling check to regain it.
Pinned Hold
New condition
A pinned creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed. When a Grappler is maintaining a Pinned Hold they automatically succeed on any grappling check to move the grappled creature.
Restrained Hold
New Condition
You grab a creature with two hands. Both you and the creature you are grappling are restrained. You can only do this to a creature your size or smaller.
References
Restrained
Unchanged, included for reference
- A restrained creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
- Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature’s attack rolls have disadvantage.
- The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.
Suffocating
Unchanged, included for reference
A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds).
When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round). At the start of its next turn, it drops to 0 hit points and is dying, and it can’t regain hit points or be stabilized until it can breathe again.
For example, a creature with a Constitution of 14 can hold its breath for 3 minutes. If it starts suffocating, it has 2 rounds to reach air before it drops to 0 hit points.
GRAPPLER FEAT
You’ve developed the Skills necessary to hold your own in close--quarters Grappling. You gain the following benefits.
- You gain proficiency in Athletics. If you already have proficiency in Athletics, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Athletics ability checks.
- You gain three techniques from the Grappling Technique List.
You may take this feat multiple times to learn three more techniques. You may also spend downtime once you have taken this feat to replace one technique you know with another from this list.
GRAPPLING TECHNIQUE LIST
Back Alley Catch. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.
Bend like the Reed. When you have a creature in a Binding Hold and they make an attack, cast a spell or use a feature that has an area of effect, and you win the contested Grapple, you can choose to nullify the effect as normal or to move the target up to 10 ft.
Blood Choke. When you are grappling a creature with both hands, as an Action you can try a blood choke. You make a contested grappling check against them, if you are successful you roll 3d8, and if their remaining hitpoints is less than 3d8, they become unconscious. They remain unconscious until the creature takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. At the end of their turn they can make a DC 15 Constitution check, waking up if they succeed. You can maintain this hold as long as you like. Each turn you concentrate on it you roll an additional 2d8. If you maintain the hold after they are unconscious, they cannot make Constitution checks to wake up, and instead make Death Saves. If they fail three death saves they die as normal. If the creature doesn't need to breath or have blood this technique has no effect.
Body Choke. 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. Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). If you succeed, the target takes damage equal to a roll of one of it’s hit dice plus your strength modifier.
Gansekinage. As an Action you make a grappling check against a creature you have grappled and are using two hands to grapple. If you are successful they take bludgeoning damage equal to a number of d8’s equal to half your level rounded down and become prone.
Iron Grip. When a creature succeeds on a Grappling check to escape your grapple, they escape the hold, but do not escape the grapple. They can make another grapple check to escape the Grappled condition.
Locking Restraint. When you have a creature grappled you can make another grapple check to make a Locking Restraint Hold. This special Restraint Hold only needs one of your hands and you are not restrained while you maintain it.
Ground Player. When you are prone an attack roll against the you, does not have advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of you.
Insightful Grappler. When you make a Grappling check, you can replace your Strength modifier with your Wisdom modifier, rounded up.
Master Grappler. Requires level 10 You have refined your grappling techniques until they approach perfection. Whenever you make a grappling check that lets you add your Proficiency Bonus, you can treat a d20 roll of 9 or lower as a 10. ~ with thanks to u/Cheesus333 and his Path of the Brawler.
Reversal. When a creature makes a check against you to knock you prone, you can use your reaction to immediately make a grapple check to knock them prone as well. Undergoing revisions
Seonage. As an Action when you have two hands free, and have a creature grappled, you make a grappling check against a creature. If you are successful they take fall damage equal to a number of d8’s equal to half your level rounded down and become prone.
Suicide Throw. When you are about to make a Grappling check you can use your bonus action to give yourself advantage on the contested skill check. Immediately afterwards you become prone. If you are successful the other creature becomes prone.
Changelog
V O.3
- Changed Reversal to counter with prone instead of another grapple check.
V0.2
- Changed Master Grappler's Insight to Insightful Grappler
- Added Master Grappler
V0.1
- Reworded the Grappling to make sure they need to be in your reach.
- Moved the limits for Choke Hold and Restrained Hold to the conditions.
- Clarified the movement in the Pinned Hold
- Removed 3e wording from Bend like the Reed
- Added an extra grapple check to Locking Restraint
- Reduced the damage of Gansekinage and Seonage and added the prone condition. They might need to be d6's.