Grappling in 5e: A Complete Guide for Players and Dungeon Masters

Grappling in 5e Guide article image is from the Dragonlance manual. Additional images come from the Monster Manual, copyright Wizards of the Coast.
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Grappling in D&D 5e is a melee attack action in hand-to-hand combat. While the mechanics of grappling are fairly straightforward, a player or a dungeon master can gain many strategic ideas from exploring this action. In this article, we’ll examine how players can use grapple as an action, including unique ideas to utilize in encounters. We’ll also evaluate grapple mechanics for beasts and monsters, and how Dungeon Masters can construct wily encounters using the grapple mechanic.

Player Grapple Mechanics
The Grappled Condition
The Grappler Feat
Spells with Grappling Abilities
Recommended Character Build
Magic Items with Grappling Abilities
Utilizing Grapple as a Dungeon Master
Grapple Rules for Monsters
Beasts That Grapple or Cannot be Grappled
Monsters That Grapple or Cannot be Grappled
Unique ideas for how to use the grapple mechanic
How to Get Out of Grapples

Player Grapple Mechanics

Note: This article is an info dump, but it’s up to you how to craft a grappling character. I’ll highlight combinations I think are especially effective.

From the System Reference Document OGL 1.0, we read what it means to Grapple:

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 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, 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).

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.

Moving a Grappled Creature: When you move, you can drag or carry the Grappled creature with you, but your speed is halved, unless the creature is two or more sizes smaller than you.

Tl;dr:

Grapple using an Attack Action against a target of your size, smaller, or one size larger, using a free hand. Roll an Athletics check against your target’s Athletics of Acrobatics (their choice). On your success, the target is grappled and can use an action to try to escape on their turn. 

The Grappled Condition: 

• A grappled creature’s speed becomes 0, and it can’t benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• 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.

As per the November 2018 Errata, a grapple attack against an incapacitated target automatically succeeds: “You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated.”

Analysis

A character that specializes in Strength (Athletics) will clearly find more success in grappling. Recall that with Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, players may now choose which stat bonuses their character benefits from, which may include Strength (for Athletics).

Playable races that gain Athletics proficiencies: 

• Goliaths gain the Athletics skill proficiency
• Locathah gain the Athletics skill proficiency
• Leonin may gain the Athletics skill proficiency
• Shifter may gain the Athletics skill proficiency
• Kor (Plane Shift – Amonkhet) gain the Athletics skill proficiency
• Dwarf Duergar have magic that allow them to cast Enlarge/Reduce

Classes that allow players to specialize in Athletics:

• Fighter may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Fighter Battle Masters may add a superiority die to their Athletics checks when grappling with the Grappling Strike maneuver. Any Fighter may learn this maneuver with the Superior Technique fighting style
• Fighter Rune Knight may gain a +2 bonus to Strength checks when using the Frost Rune. Plus, with Giant Might, the Rune Knight becomes Large
• Barbarian may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Barbarians while raging gain advantage to Strength skill checks, including Athletics
• Barbarian Path of the Giant (UA) allows a character to become Large while raging
• Bard may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Bard may gain expertise in Athletics
• Cleric: Strength Domain (Plane Shift – Amonkhet) gain proficiencies in Athletics and gain a +10 bonus to Strength checks with their Channel Divinity
• Druids: Circle of the Moon may wildshape into a creature with Athletics or grappling abilities (see the list of creatures that grapple below)
• Ranger may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Rogue may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Rogue may also gain expertise in Athletics
• Rogue Swashbucklers gain advantage on Athletics checks as a bonus action
• Paladin may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Paladin: Oath of Glory Channel Divinity gives advantage to Athletics checks for 10 minutes
• Monk may choose to become proficient in Athletics
• Monks: Way of the Astral Self may use their Wisdom modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Athletics checks
• Monks that successfully employ a Stunning Strike automatically succeed in grappling the target, as the target is Stunned (incapacitated)

Feats that give players proficiency in Athletics or increase Strength:

• Brawny (UA)
• Outsized Might (UA)
• Squat Nimbleness
• Prodigy allows a player to gain expertise in Athletics
• Skill Expert increases an ability score by one and gives proficiency and expertise in a skill. Note that expertises do not stack
• Lucky allows players to roll an additional d20 for ability checks and use the better

Backgrounds that enable Athletic characters

• City Watch (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide) gains Athletics proficiencies
• Smuggler (Ghosts of Saltmarsh) gains Athletics proficiencies
• Wildspacer (Spelljammer) gains Athletics proficiencies
• Soldier gains Athletics proficiencies
• Marine grants players the Athletics skill proficiency
• Harborfolk (Adventures’ League Mulmaster Bonds and Backgrounds) gains Athletics proficiencies
• Earthspur Miner (Adventures’ League Mulmaster Bonds and Backgrounds) gains Athletics proficiencies
• Initiate (Plane Shift – Amonkhet) gains Athletics proficiencies
• Knight of Solamnia (Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen) gains Athletics proficiencies

Spells that increase Athletic skills

• Enhance Ability, Bull’s Strength (2nd level, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Artificer, Oath of Glory Paladin) gives a player advantage on Strength checks.
• Enlarge/Reduce (2nd level, Sorcerer and Wizard, Concentration) enlarges a character’s size and gives them advantage on Athletics checks
• Guidance (cantrip, Cleric and Druid) adds 1d4 to an ability check
• Hex (1st-level cantrip, Warlock) imposes disadvantage on a target, such that the grapple target more likely fails the skill check
• Borrowed Knowledge (2nd level, Bard, Cleric, Warlock, Wizard) allows a player to gain proficiency in a skill for 1 hour 

Magic Items that increase Athletics

• Belt of Giant Strength increases Strength
• Gauntlets of Ogre Power increases Strength
• Ioun Stone may increase proficiency bonus
• Stone of Good Luck gives a +1 bonus to ability checks
• Manual of Gainful Exercise increases Strength and maximum score

The Grappler Feat

Prerequisite: Strength 13 or higher
You’ve developed the Skills necessary to hold your own in close–quarters Grappling. You gain the following benefits:
– You have advantage on Attack rolls against a creature you are Grappling.
– You can use your Action to try to pin a creature Grappled by you. To do so, make another grapple check. If you succeed, you and the creature are both Restrained until the grapple ends.

Analysis:

Commentary online advises players against gaining this feat, which I may agree with. While this feat does provide advantage on targets you are grappling, it does not actually provide advantage on the Grapple attack, and it requires another Grapple check to restrain the target, which also restrains you. This effect may be useful to restrain spellcasters that rely on somatic or material components, but the cost of getting this feat may outweigh the benefits, and it’s subject to DM purview. Jeremy Crawford lightly touches on this in his tweet here.

I advise players to instead take the Lucky feat if you wish to gain advantage on the check, but first and foremost, invest in skills and feats that increase Athletics.

Spells with Grappling Abilities

• Arcane Hand (Bigby’s Hand): 5th-level evocation. [Relevant text] Grasping Hand. The hand attempts to grapple a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of it. You use the hand’s Strength score to resolve the grapple. If the target is Medium or smaller, you have advantage on the check. While the hand is grappling the target, you can use a bonus action to have the hand crush it. When you do so, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 2d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
• Freedom of Movement: 4th-level abjuration. [Relevant text] The target can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. 
• Hold Person: 2nd level enchantment. Paralyzes a target, rendering them incapacitated and easily grappled.
• Spells that conjure creatures or monsters, or allow polymorph abilities, may enable players to utilize additional grappling skills. See the lists of creatures and monsters below that have grappling abilities.

Magic Items with Grappling Abilities

• Wand of Binding. Wand, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster). Assisted Escape: You can expend 1 charge and gain advantage on any check you make to escape a grapple.
• Coiling Grasp Tattoo. Tasha’s Cauldron. Wondrous item (tattoo), uncommon (requires attunement). Grasping tendrils grapple a creature within 15 feet of you (DC 14) and deals damage.

Recommended Character Build

Barbarians who become proficient in Athletics gain advantage while raging. As a half-orc character, they can gain the Prodigy feat for expertise in Athletics. Maximize the Strength stat for maximum success.

Multiclass at least three levels into Fighter for the Rune Knight Giant Strength and the Superior Technique fighting style to gain the Grappling Strike maneuver.

If a Dungeon Master allows content from the Plane Shift – Amonkhet setting, multiclass two levels into Cleric: Strength Domain for the +10 bonus to Athletics checks with their Channel Divinity: Feats of Strength.

Utilizing Grapple as a Dungeon Master

Players may not expect to be grappled, but it is an effective way to take a character out of combat momentarily, especially if they lack strength. Spellcasters that require somatic or material components may also become restrained while grappled, rendering their spells useless (with some debate). Look through the monsters’ abilities to determine if grappled targets are restrained.

Grapple Rules for Monsters 

Many monsters have special attacks that allow them to quickly grapple prey. When a monster hits with such an attack, it doesn’t need to make an additional ability check to determine whether the grapple succeeds, unless the attack says otherwise. A creature grappled by the monster can use its action to try to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the escape DC in the monster’s stat block. If no escape DC is given, assume the DC is 10 + the monster’s Strength (Athletics) modifier.

Beasts That Grapple or Cannot be Grappled

• Constrictor Snake: Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can’t constrict another target.
• Crocodile: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can’t bite another target.
• Giant Constrictor Snake: Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can’t constrict another target.
• Giant Crab: Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 11). The crab has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target.
• Giant Crocodile: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can’t bite another target.
• Giant Frog: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 11). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the frog can’t bite another target.
  • Swallow. The frog makes one bite attack against a Small or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the frog, and it takes 5 (2d4) acid damage at the start of each of the frog’s turns. The frog can have only one target swallowed at a time.
    If the frog dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.
• Giant Octopus: Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the octopus can’t use its tentacles on another target.
• Giant Scorpion: Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). The scorpion has two claws, each of which can grapple only one target.
• Giant Toad: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) poison damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the toad can’t bite another target.
  • Swallow. The toad makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the toad, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the toad’s turns. The toad can have only one target swallowed at a time.
    If the toad dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.
• Octopus: Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 10). Until this grapple ends, the octopus can’t use its tentacles on another target.
• Swarm of Bats, Insects, Poisonous Snakes, Quippers, Rats, Ravens: Immune to the grappled condition.

Monsters That Grapple or Cannot be Grappled

• Rug of Smothering: Smother. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: The creature is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, blinded, and at risk of suffocating, and the rug can’t smother another target. In addition, at the start of each of the target’s turns, the target takes 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
  •  Damage Transfer. While it is grappling a creature, the rug takes only half the damage dealt to it, and the creature grappled by the rug takes the other half.
• Ankheg: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the ankheg can bite only the grappled creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so.
• Behir: Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 16) if the behir isn’t already constricting a creature, and the target is restrained until this grapple ends.
  • Swallow. The behir makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is also swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the behir, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the behir’s turns. A behir can have only one creature swallowed at a time.
    If the behir takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from the swallowed creature, the behir must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the behir. If the behir dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
• Chuul: Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature and the chuul doesn’t have two other creatures grappled.
  • Tentacles. One creature grappled by the chuul must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. Until this poison ends, the target is paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Couatl: Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the couatl can’t constrict another target.
• Glabrezu: Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). The glabrezu has two pincers, each of which can grapple only one target.
• Marilith: Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the marilith can automatically hit the target with its tail, and the marilith can’t make tail attacks against other targets.
• Barbed Devil: Barbed Hide. At the start of each of its turns, the barbed devil deals 5 (1d10) piercing damage to any creature grappling it.
• Chain Devil: Chain. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if the devil isn’t already grappling a creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 7 (2d6) piercing damage at the start of each of its turns.
  • Animate Chains. When the devil uses Multiattack on its turn, it can use each animated chain to make one additional chain attack. An animated chain can grapple one creature of its own but can’t make attacks while grappling.
• Tyrannosaurus Rex: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the tyrannosaurus can’t bite another target.
• Air, Fire, and Water Elementals: Immune to the grappled condition.
• Water Elementals: Whelm (Recharge 4–6). Each creature in the elemental’s space must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If it is Large or smaller, it is also grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and unable to breathe unless it can breathe water. If the saving throw is successful, the target is pushed out of the elemental’s space.
  The elemental can grapple one Large creature or up to two Medium or smaller creatures at one time. At the start of each of the elemental’s turns, each target grappled by it takes 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. A creature within 5 feet of the elemental can pull a creature or object out of it by taking an action to make a DC 14 Strength and succeeding.
• Ghost and Invisible Stalker: Immune to the grappled condition.
• Kraken: Freedom of Movement. The kraken ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can’t reduce its speed or cause it to be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d8 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature grappled by the kraken, that creature is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the kraken, and it takes 42 (12d6) acid damage at the start of each of the kraken’s turns.
    If the kraken takes 50 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the kraken must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the kraken. If the kraken dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone. 
  • Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The kraken has ten tentacles, each of which can grapple one target. 
  • Fling. One Large or smaller object held or creature grappled by the kraken is thrown up to 60 feet in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.
• Mimic: Adhesive (Object Form Only). The mimic adheres to anything that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 13). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.
  • Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.
• Mummy Lord: Whirlwind of Sand (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord magically transforms into a whirlwind of sand, moves up to 60 feet, and reverts to its normal form. While in whirlwind form, the mummy lord is immune to all damage, and it can’t be grappled, petrified, knocked prone, restrained, or stunned. Equipment worn or carried by the mummy lord remain in its possession.
• Otyugh: Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) piercing damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 13) and restrained until the grapple ends. The otyugh has two tentacles, each of which can grapple one target.
  • Tentacle Slam. The otyugh slams creatures grappled by it into each other or a solid surface. Each creature must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage and be stunned until the end of the otyugh’s next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half the bludgeoning damage and isn’t stunned. 
• Remorhaz: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 40 (6d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the remorhaz can’t bite another target.
  • Swallow. The remorhaz makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, that creature takes the bite’s damage and is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the remorhaz, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the remorhaz’s turns.
    If the remorhaz takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the remorhaz must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the remorhaz. If the remorhaz dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
• Roc: Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (4d6 + 9) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 19). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the roc can’t use its talons on another target.
• Roper: Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 50 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the roper can’t use the same tendril on another target.
  • Reel. The roper pulls each creature grappled by it up to 25 feet straight toward it.
• Salamander: Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the salamander can automatically hit the target with its tail, and the salamander can’t make tail attacks against other targets.
• Shadow and Specter: Immune to the grappled condition.
• Shambling Mound: Multiattack. The shambling mound makes two slam attacks. If both attacks hit a Medium or smaller target, the target is grappled (escape DC 14), and the shambling mound uses its Engulf on it.
  • Engulf. The shambling mound engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and unable to breathe, and it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of the mound’s turns or take 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the mound moves, the engulfed target moves with it. The mound can have only one creature engulfed at a time.
• Tarrasque: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 20). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the tarrasque can’t bite another target.
  • Swallow. The tarrasque makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target takes the bite’s damage, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the tarrasque, and it takes 56 (16d6) acid damage at the start of each of the tarrasque’s turns.
    If the tarrasque takes 60 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the tarrasque must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the tarrasque. If the tarrasque dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 30 feet of movement, exiting prone.
• Vampire: Unarmed Strike (Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 18).
  • Bite (Bat or Vampire Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn under the vampire’s control.
• Vampire Spawn: Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the vampire can grapple the target (escape DC 13).
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the vampire, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the vampire regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
• Will-o’-Wisp and Wraith: Immune to the grappled condition.

Unique ideas for how to use the grapple mechanic

• Physically restrain a target in an area of effect (like Spike Growth or Spirit Guardian). For physical effects, pull them across the area to do damage. For psychic effects, hold them in place. Each option will allow the spells to do damage on the targets’ turns without them being able to leave the area.
• Grapple a target when you have a special speed like fly, swim, or burrow. Pull your target to your unique domain: drowned underwater, dropped from above, buried underground.
• Reduce a target’s speed to 0 with grapple, then shove them to a prone position. On the target’s turn, they will have 0 speed and will be unable to stand up.
• Some Dungeon Masters may rule that a grappled spellcaster cannot enact somatic components of spells. This is more likely to be the case with a restrained target, as per the mechanics. The Grappler feat will help with this endeavor.

How to Get Out of Grapples

• Beat their Grappling check. Give yourself greater Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) with ability-enhancing spells to increase your chances.
• Shove your grappler away such that you are no longer in their reach.Though you are grappled, you can still make an attack on your turn, including a Shove attack. Once you leave their reach, you are no longer grappled. See the Shoving rules for clarification.
• Teleport away from the grappler. Easily escape through magical means, such as Misty step as a bonus action, then continue your turn.

Conclusion

Whether you wish to specialize as a grappler, or you’re a Dungeon Master seeking alternative strategy, the Grapple attack is useful and sometimes unexpected. 

• Do you have any unique ideas for grappling?
• How have you used the Grapple condition or attack in your games?

Let us know in the comments!