What Are the Grappling Possibilities for a Goliath?

[Koningkrush]

I'm playing a Goliath Barbarian, focusing on the inherent grappling advantages. I'm trying to pull as much benefit from Powerful Build as possible. My specific questions are:

-Considering my Goliath can lift over 2000 pounds, can I just lift an enemy above my head?

-If I can lift this enemy, does it require a second grapple check to do so, or can I just do it if I still have him grappled when I attempt it?

-Since I am eight foot tall and holding this enemy above my head with my long arms likely extending to at least 10 feet, will the enemy being dropped cause 1d6 fall damage?

-Is my movement impaired while moving with a grappled enemy that I have lifted from the ground, or is it not since I'm below my carrying capacity of 1000 pounds?

-If my movement is impaired, could I just throw this person as an improvised weapon up to 20-60 feet? Could I throw this individual vertically for 6d6 damage?

-Could I actually use this person as an improvised weapon? If I could, would his similarity to a weapon be a greatclub for 1d8 damage? If I swung this improvised weapon at a person, would it deal 1d8 damage to both people or just the person being hit? Could I also throw this person at someone else for 1d8 plus 1d6 for coming from a height above 10 feet (overhead toss)?

I've spent time looking through grappling and lifting/dragging/pushing rules and trying to find any real guidance in the PHB/DMG, but I can't find anything really. This will eventually become a significant question when I can eventually lift up to 5 tons (20 STR * 30 Lift * 2 Goliath Powerful Build * 2 Bear Totem * 2 Enhance Ability * 2 Enlarge Spell) and attempt to suplex Orcus.

[Naanomi]

The answer to most of that is 'no but ask your DM' or 'not specified, ask your DM'...

But remember your STR will be 24 as a 20 Barbarian (or higher via magic) to up those numbers a bit

[ZenBear]

First off; I approve of this build. To reference a show I love, call your Goliath Barbarian "The Ebony Falcon!"

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/brooklynnine-nine/images/e/ec/The_ebony_falcon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140513112141

If I was DM I would allow you to pick up and throw enemies for fall damage of 10 ft + STR. Vertical throws I'm a bit iffy about, maybe when throwing creatures a size category smaller than you or below a light burden threshold. I'm generally wary of such shenanigans, but especially at higher levels when casters are dropping meteors and Wishing things into and out of existence, I would love to see a martial suplex Orcus. 😂

I suggest you use a Versatile weapon and keep a few throwing axes handy. Having a free hand to grapple or chuck a hand axe and still being able to attack again with Extra Attack will get a lot of mileage.

[Koningkrush]

Yeah, I wouldn't abuse vertical throwing too much. In fact, correct me if I'm wrong, but throwing something heavy straight up is much harder than throwing it horizontally.

Maybe instead of 20 to 60 feet for horizontal, it should be 10 to 30 feet for vertical?
Or, 20 feet + Athletics check for horizontal and 10 + athletics check at disadvantage for vertical.

And yeah, if I wanted to drink a potion of storm giant strength, it goes up to 7 tons. I can't wait to combine this with Eagle at level 14 to get 40 flying speed.

[ZenBear]

Don't forget to be a team player! The Halfling Toss is a time honored tradition, and with your build you could upgrade that to the Dwarf or Human Toss! :smallbiggrin:

[weaseldust]

I think of this kind of thing as a quasi-cantrip called "Epic Whatever", which I give to everyone who isn't a full caster. Whenever you use your action to do something epic that deals damage, but that isn't otherwise covered by the rules, you make whatever ability check is required and if you succeed you deal 4d6 damage (increasing by 4d6 at levels 5, 11, and 17), with the damage type depending on the action. If you accomplish something else besides damage, like moving a creature, you only get one-half or three-quarters the damage dice, depending on how impactful the extra effect is.

My reasons for doing it that way are (a) so that using your action to deal damage doesn't leave you significantly better or worse off than a full round of attacks and (b) so that I can cover a multitude of cases without having to think too hard.

I'd treat throwing a grappled creature in any direction, smashing them against the floor, or using them as a weapon all as Epic Whatever (though in the last case, I'd split the damage between the grappled creature and the target of the attack). Trying to work out exactly how high you should be able to throw them, how much damage they should deal when used as a weapon, and so on, just seems unnecessary when you know how much damage a character should be dealing per round at their level.