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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Some hulk style grappling rules



Zhorn
2019-06-04, 02:19 PM
So recently I was brainstorming in the 5e forum about one of my players wanting to make a Berserker Barbarian that fights Hulk style, with lots of slamming enemies into walls, each other, and throwing them around instead of using a dedicated weapon to attack.
Wanting to facilitate this, but set the rulings up to be 'mostly' independent of a specific class, here's what I've arrived at after picking at the brains of the lovely folks in the 5e forum.

Powerful Build effects grappling.A character with powerful build is able to grapple a creature one size category larger than usual at disadvantage.
(note: RAW Barbarian's Rage giving advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks is intended to work off this)

Unarmed Strike modifiers stack.Features and abilities that convert an unarmed strike from 1+STR/DEX to 1d4+STR/DEX (or similar) stack, increasing the damage die up by one size category, capping out at 1d12.
(note: This effects Monk's Unarmed Strikes with Martial Arts, but not the damage dice of Martial Arts when used with weapons)

Throwing a creature.Requirements:
– You must be currently grappling the creature
– Their size must be at least one size category lower than the maximum you can grapple
– Two hands are required to perform the lift and throw
You spend 1 attack of your Attack Action to attempt to hoist the grappled creature off the ground and throw them, making a Strength (Athletics) check and prompting a reaction from the target. The targeted creature can choose to spend a reaction to:
– attempt to escape the grapple (DC set by the Strength (Athletics) check) and, if successful, negate the throw, or
– make an opportunity attack against the grappler.
The grappled creature is then hurled a number of feet equal to the Strength (Athletics) check (rounded down to the nearest increment of 5) and is knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, they take equivalent fall damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier)
(note1: This is based off the Fling ability from the Kraken in the monster manual, scaled down in terms of distance thrown, and made somewhat contested since the player is not a gargantuan squid monster)
(note2: we run fall damage at our table based off creature size - using HD size - so throwing a goblin vs throwing an ogre would yield different results)

Either Grappler or Tavern Brawler allow living creatures to be used as Improvised Weapons.Requirements:
– You must be currently grappling the creature
– Their size must be at least two size categories lower than the maximum you can grapple
You spend 1 attack of your Attack Action to attempt to slam the grappled creature into the wall, ground or another creature, making a Strength (Athletics) check and prompting a reaction from the target. The targeted creature can choose to spend a reaction to:
– attempt to escape the grapple (DC set by the Strength (Athletics) check) and, if successful, negate the attack, or
– make an opportunity attack against the grappler.
If the slam was directed at another creature, then the value of the Strength (Athletics) check is treated as the attack roll, otherwise the grappled target is just slammed into a nearby solid object.
If the slam was directed at another creature and misses, neither creature is subjected to damage.
– Damage dice for the attack is one size smaller than the hit dice size for the creature and includes the grappler's Strength modifier.
Both the grappled creature and the target are subjected to the same damage roll outcome.
(note: size difference between a throw and the improvised attack is due to the two-handed vs one-handed approach)