Give me your best grappler possible!

[Space Polan]

I want to try something new so give me your best grappling builds.

Edit: also thanks to anyone for helping me out:smallsmile:

[Specter]

I'd go Goliath Bearbarian 7/Rogue 13.

Start Barbarian, then jump to Rogue to Expertise Athletics. Right at level 2 you get advantage on STR checks raging along with Expertise. Grab (pun intended) the Grappler feat along the way to sneak attack all your grapplees. Bearbarian doubles your weight capacity, and Goliaths can already lift a lot, so you can pretty much grab someone and run.

[Professor Gnoll]

Goliath Druid 1/Monk 13/Barbarian 6. Take Elk Totem for your third Barb level, Bear for your sixth. Cast Jump on yourself, then go into Rage, then grapple someone, then use step of the wind. Possible feats are Athlete, Grappler, Tavern Brawler, or Arcane Initiate. Jump many, many feet into the air, slam them down on the ground for unavoidable falling damage, using Slow Fall to stop yourself getting hurt.

You are now a luchador. This is the best grappling build possible.

[Naanomi]

There are lots of ways to go... I prefer:
V Human Battlemaster 5/Lore Bard 15 (not in that order) with tavern brawler

Pro:
-absolute maximum skill check (and ability to reduce opponant's check)
-access to spells (enlarge mostly)
-awesome signature move: trip attack->tavern brawler->grapple! Give it a cool name!
-looks good in the process

Con:
-comes online a little later
-armor may ruin aesthetics compared to barbarian based builds

[Maxilian]

I still prefer the Wizard 2 (Artificer) for this build, you get a non-concentration Enlarge spell, and a lot of nice spells in general (The only bad thing about this is your lack of HP at the start, but you're most likely going to MC into something else, and anything else will increase your HP, so i don't think that's much of a problem)

[smcmike]

Depends on what level you are focusing on. At level 2, for instance, the "max" grappler is obviously a Barbarogue.

The things you really need to be in consideration for a high-level build, I think:

1. Athletics expertise.
2. A source of Athletics advantage.
3. Multiple attacks.
4. Access to Enlarge.
5. Some trick beyond just grappling people.

[MrStabby]

Depends on what level you are focusing on. At level 2, for instance, the "max" grappler is obviously a Barbarogue.

The things you really need to be in consideration for a high-level build, I think:

1. Athletics expertise.
2. A source of Athletics advantage.
3. Multiple attacks.
4. Access to Enlarge.
5. Some trick beyond just grappling people.

6. Some means of reaching creatures, a flying speed is appropriate.
7. Some means of making yourself bigger to grapple high level enemies

[smcmike]

6. Some means of reaching creatures, a flying speed is appropriate.
7. Some means of making yourself bigger to grapple high level enemies

Yes, fly is good.

Your 7 is just a better way of saying "access to enlarge."

[MrStabby]

Yes, fly is good.

Your 7 is just a better way of saying "access to enlarge."

But also includes turning into a bigger creature through polymorph or wildshape.

[clem]

Can I make a polite request/public service announcement to all those playing grappler builds, particularly in an Adventurers' League game where you're playing with strangers?

Have a character than can be effective in other ways as well.

I've had a couple of games recently where a player comes in with a grappling gimmick that 1) adds at least five minutes to each combat turn as they debate with the DM as to how the rules apply and 2) does either substandard damage or puts the party at a tactical disadvantage through their moving of opponents.

The first case was a wizard build with Enlarge who would take up their first couple of turns enlarging and then grappling a foe with zero damage in a fight...with goblins. By the time they were able to actually push the goblin prone the rest of the party had pretty much cleaned up the map.

The second case was a 4th level barbarian with winged boots who insisted on grappling, lifting the opponent with their remaining movement (20 ft) and then dropping them to the ground. For 2d6 damage. Which makes me wonder: is their some other means a 4th level barbarian could do 2d6 damage and, perhaps, add their strength modifier? Perhaps with some sort of weapon? That'd be great...sword.

Remember: just because it sounds fun in your head doesn't mean it won't be a complete slog for those you're playing with.

[RickAllison]

Aarakocra (or the tiefling variant) Artificer 2/Thief X (add more Artificer levels if you need more than 3d4 hours of Enlarge per day). Requires more buy-in from the DM, but the basic premise is the user is a Batman-esque bounty hunter who flies targets up and uses items (glue grenades, nets tied with a rope, etc.) to suspend enemies from the walls or ceiling.

Edit: And the rest of the time, you still are a rogue with sneak attack! You don't have Extra Attack to play with, but you can still sneak attack like any rogue-3 levels, and from the sky if it would be advantageous to do so.

[HeyBJ]

The second case was a 4th level barbarian with winged boots who insisted on grappling, lifting the opponent with their remaining movement (20 ft) and then dropping them to the ground. For 2d6 damage. Which makes me wonder: is their some other means a 4th level barbarian could do 2d6 damage and, perhaps, add their strength modifier? Perhaps with some sort of weapon? That'd be great...sword.

Yeah, that's...less than optimal. At least dropping auto-prones the enemy though. Next time something like that happens, you could suggest he wait a turn before flying up and dropping since on subsequent turns, he can fly up, release, use remaining movement to come back down, and re-grapple. That way, the enemy stays proned and stationary until it manages to break his grapple. At least that would be tactically a step up from just using a 2d6 weapon.

[clem]

Yeah, that's...less than optimal. At least dropping auto-prones the enemy though. Next time something like that happens, you could suggest he wait a turn before flying up and dropping since on subsequent turns, he can fly up, release, use remaining movement to come back down, and re-grapple. That way, the enemy stays proned and stationary until it manages to break his grapple. At least that would be tactically a step up from just using a 2d6 weapon.

As I remember, he was trying to time the drop at the end of the enemy's turn -- which sounds good in theory but just slowed down combat further as he had to discuss this with the DM and then roll falling damage outside his turn. Furthermore, he was trying to drop the foe on another enemy for cheezy bonus damage that the DM had to adjudicate on.

Fun for him perhaps. Everyone else (including the DM) just started staring off into space until he finished his turn.

[Maxilian]

Can I make a polite request/public service announcement to all those playing grappler builds, particularly in an Adventurers' League game where you're playing with strangers?

Have a character than can be effective in other ways as well.

I've had a couple of games recently where a player comes in with a grappling gimmick that 1) adds at least five minutes to each combat turn as they debate with the DM as to how the rules apply and 2) does either substandard damage or puts the party at a tactical disadvantage through their moving of opponents.

The first case was a wizard build with Enlarge who would take up their first couple of turns enlarging and then grappling a foe with zero damage in a fight...with goblins. By the time they were able to actually push the goblin prone the rest of the party had pretty much cleaned up the map.

Well... that means that he's great to trap enemies that you actually want to interrogate (I don't really think that "damage" is something that is always needed)



The second case was a 4th level barbarian with winged boots who insisted on grappling, lifting the opponent with their remaining movement (20 ft) and then dropping them to the ground. For 2d6 damage. Which makes me wonder: is their some other means a 4th level barbarian could do 2d6 damage and, perhaps, add their strength modifier? Perhaps with some sort of weapon? That'd be great...sword.

Remember: just because it sounds fun in your head doesn't mean it won't be a complete slog for those you're playing with.

Grappler builds are less usefull against weak mobs, cause you could have easily killed it without doing anything of that, but are great with big and difficult mobs (making Hard fights quite easy), so IMHO you can't take the good of a build without the bad part

Note: Also why would it take more for a grappler to do his turn than any other (Excluding those moments where you have to talk the DM about the rules and IMHO that should be done before the game start)

Note2: The Grappler should have in mind, that grappling someone would make it easier for other melee characters and harder for range characters (Talking about Hit based attacks)

[Foxhound438]

if you're allowed UA, make a minotaur. take shield master at 4, that way you can grab and prone in one turn. Have a shield in one hand and an enemy in the other, use horns to deal the dps.

Otherwise, if you're in an adventurer's league game, get you one of those HotDQ lizard man spiked shields and do basically the same thing.

[Pivotal]

I still prefer the Wizard 2 (Artificer) for this build, you get a non-concentration Enlarge spell, and a lot of nice spells in general (The only bad thing about this is your lack of HP at the start, but you're most likely going to MC into something else, and anything else will increase your HP, so i don't think that's much of a problem)

But artificer doesn't give you enlarge in potions?

[Belac93]

Rogue 1, expertise in athletics, barbarian (eagle for level 3, bear for level 6) aarakokra. Was an awesome character to play, and can fly 75 feet per round while carrying someone (or 7.5d6 damage). 2 rounds of this deals an average of 49 damage, assuming you succeed on your grapple. And you can do this by level 4 (it's only 50 feet per round before you get barbarian 3).

[RickAllison]

But artificer doesn't give you enlarge in potions?

1d4 hours of it for a 1st-level slot!

[JackOfAllBuilds]

VHuman Bard, expertise athletics, tavern brawler, resilient wis

Enlarge, Polymorph (Giant Ape), and eventually Shapechange (Ogremoch) for a Gargantuan elemental form with a 26 strength, your athletics expertise, over 500hp, and a slam multiattack that you get to follow up with a BA grapple

Enlarge you use when you aren't polymorphed or shapechanged, for 2d4 unarmed/improvised strikes followed with BA grapples at advantage+expertise.

You could add in war caster or change to resilient con to bump concentration

[Grubble]

I'd go Goliath Bearbarian 7/Rogue 13.

Start Barbarian, then jump to Rogue to Expertise Athletics. Right at level 2 you get advantage on STR checks raging along with Expertise. Grab (pun intended) the Grappler feat along the way to sneak attack all your grapplees. Bearbarian doubles your weight capacity, and Goliaths can already lift a lot, so you can pretty much grab someone and run.

Plus with rogue 11+ you can't roll under a 10

[Maxilian]

But artificer doesn't give you enlarge in potions?

Yes, that's why i said Non-concentration Enlarge (The potion is 1D4 hours and doesn't take concentration!, so you can even use something else!)