TechnicleeHow does grappling work in the 2024 5e rules?
In the 2024 rules, you grapple with an Unarmed Strike. The target must be within 5 feet of you and at most one size larger, and you need a free hand. The target makes a Strength or Dexterity saving throw, its choice, against a DC of 8 plus your Strength modifier and Proficiency Bonus. On a failed save it has the Grappled condition, so its Speed drops to 0 and you can drag it with you. To escape, it takes an action and makes an Athletics or Acrobatics check against that same DC.
How to grapple, step by step
- Take the Attack action on your turn.
- Choose the Grapple option for one of your Unarmed Strikes.
- Check that the target is within 5 feet of you.
- Check that the target is at most one size larger than you.
- Check that you have a hand free.
- Have the target make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw.
- Give the target the Grappled condition if it fails.
An Unarmed Strike is a punch, kick, headbutt or similar blow. Each time you use one, you choose its effect: Damage, Grapple or Shove. The Attack action lets you attack with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike. With Extra Attack, one attack can be the grapple and another can be a weapon attack. An Opportunity Attack can also be an Unarmed Strike, so you can grapple a creature as it tries to leave your reach.
Working out your grapple DC
The DC equals 8 plus your Strength modifier plus your Proficiency Bonus. A level 1 character with Strength 16 has a +3 modifier and a +2 Proficiency Bonus, so their grapple DC is 13. The same number is the DC the target has to beat to escape.
The grapple runs on your DC and the target’s saving throw, so your attack bonus stays out of it. The target picks Strength or Dexterity, so it can use its better save. The Monk has one exception to the formula. While its Martial Arts benefits apply, Dexterous Attacks lets a Monk use Dexterity in place of Strength for the grapple DC.
What the Grappled condition does
| Effect | Rule |
|---|---|
| Speed 0 | The Grappled creature’s Speed is 0 and can’t increase |
| Attacks affected | It has Disadvantage on attack rolls against any target other than the grappler |
| Movable | The grappler can drag or carry it, but each foot of movement costs the grappler 1 extra foot |
The extra movement cost goes away if the Grappled creature is Tiny or two or more sizes smaller than the grappler. A Medium character dragging a Medium bandit moves at half pace. Dragging a Tiny creature costs nothing extra.
The grapple uses one hand. You can grapple one creature with each free hand, and you can’t use that hand to target another creature until the grapple ends.
How a grapple ends
A Grappled creature can use its action to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the escape DC. On a success, the condition ends.
The grapple also ends in three other ways. It ends if the grappler has the Incapacitated condition. It ends if the distance between the two creatures grows larger than the grapple’s range, for example when something moves the target away. The grappler can also let go at any time, and letting go is free.
Shoving uses the same saving throw
The Shove option of an Unarmed Strike works like the grapple. The target makes a Strength or Dexterity saving throw against the same DC. It must be at most one size larger than you. On a failed save, you either push it 5 feet away or give it the Prone condition.
A grapple and a shove combine. A Prone creature normally spends half its Speed to stand up, but a creature with Speed 0 can’t stand. A Grappled creature has Speed 0, so a Grappled and Prone creature stays on the ground until the grapple ends. Attack rolls against it have Advantage from anyone within 5 feet. You need two attacks to set this up, so it suits a character with Extra Attack or a group working together.
The Grappler feat
Grappler is a General feat. It needs level 4 or higher and a Strength or Dexterity score of 13 or more. It gives you four benefits.
You increase your Strength or Dexterity by 1, to a maximum of 20. Punch and Grab applies when you hit with an Unarmed Strike as part of the Attack action. You can then use both the Damage and the Grapple option, once per turn. Attack Advantage gives you Advantage on attack rolls against a creature you have Grappled. Fast Wrestler removes the extra movement cost for dragging a Grappled creature your size or smaller.
How monsters grapple
Many monsters grapple through their own attacks, and their stat block gives the escape DC. The Crocodile’s Bite is a good example. On a hit, a Medium or smaller target has the Grappled condition with an escape DC of 12. While Grappled, it also has the Restrained condition.
Restrained adds more trouble. Attack rolls against the target have Advantage, its own attack rolls have Disadvantage, and it has Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. A character caught this way escapes with the same action and check, using the DC from the stat block.
What changed from 2014
| Rule | 2014 (SRD 5.1) | 2024 (SRD 5.2.1) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting a grapple | A special melee attack that replaces one attack | The Grapple option of an Unarmed Strike |
| The roll | Your Strength (Athletics) check against the target’s Athletics or Acrobatics check | The target’s Strength or Dexterity saving throw against your DC |
| Escaping | A contested check against your Athletics | A check against a fixed escape DC |
| Dragging | Your speed is halved | Each foot costs 1 extra foot |
| Grappled creature’s attacks | Unchanged | Disadvantage against anyone other than the grappler |
| Grappler feat | Advantage against your target, plus an action to pin it | Ability increase, Punch and Grab, Attack Advantage, Fast Wrestler |
The full rules sit in the Grappling, Grappled and Unarmed Strike entries of the Rules Glossary in the free SRD 5.2.1 at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd.
This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.2.1 (“SRD 5.2.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available at https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd. The SRD 5.2.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.