Would a successful shove break a grapple

[Feuerphoenix]

The title says it all, is this a possible grapple escape?

[Arkhios]

Maybe, if the grappled or the grapplee was shoved by someone else than the other.

Although, a shove is an athletics check vs athletics check as much as a grapple is, so, it could really be either way. Success in a grapple check would free you too, so in the end it's really semantics whether you call the (arguably same) ability roll a grapple or shove.

[MrStabby]

Yes, I believe forced movement ends the grapple. Away from book at the moment but I think the example given there is thunderwave.

[BigONotation]

Jeremy Crawford confirmed it does in a tweet a few months ago when a guy I play with asked.

[diplomancer]

yes. as to why it is better, there are two reasons. One is that breaking a grapple takes an action, while shoving replaces an attack. So, if you have more than one attack, you get more chances. 2, some monsters have grapples with a fairly large DC for breaking. It might be better to just go and shove them, since they usually dont have athletics or acrobactics proficiency.

[Feuerphoenix]

yes. as to why it is better, there are two reasons. One is that breaking a grapple takes an action, while shoving replaces an attack. So, if you have more than one attack, you get more chances. 2, some monsters have grapples with a fairly large DC for breaking. It might be better to just go and shove them, since they usually dont have athletics or acrobactics proficiency.


This was also my thought. Thank you!

[hymer]

While we're on this subject, would any of you disagree with a DM ruling that the one defending against the shove would be the grappling creature rather than the grappled and technically shoved creature?

[Feuerphoenix]

While we're on this subject, would any of you disagree with a DM ruling that the one defending against the shove would be the grappling creature rather than the grappled and technically shoved creature?

Mmh...good question. Would it matter anyway? I mean both have to make a check, while the only difference would be, that you are shoved 5 feet, instead of him. Which in most cases don't cause any difference. Or did I overlook something?

[hymer]

Mmh...good question. Would it matter anyway? I mean both have to make a check, while the only difference would be, that you are shoved 5 feet, instead of him. Which in most cases don't cause any difference. Or did I overlook something?

Well suppose this situation: An Orc has grappled the party wizard, and the party fighter decides to try to do something about that. The fighter could shove the orc 5 feet away from the wizard. Or the fighter could shove the wizard five feet away from the orc. Either would break the grapple due to distance. The latter will be a lot easier, as the wizard only has str 8.

What I'm proposing is that even if the fighter shoves the wizard, it would make sense to use the orc's ability modifier to resist the shove.

[MrStabby]

Ah, interesting. I see.

Depending on the circumstances i might just get the fighter to take the help action.

If the fighter could interpose himself between the wizard and the thing grappling the wizard then I would let the fighter shove the wizard away - not that unlikely with huge monsters. And yes, I would use the str of the creature not the wizard. That's just me though.

[Addaran]

If i remember well, yes it will break the grapple if it puts the enemy outside of the grappler's reach. So if you push someone 10 feets away from the grappler, but he got crazy long tentacles with 20 fts of reach, it would still be grappled.

[SharkForce]

should only work if the shove moves you out of reach though, i would think...

[Ruslan]

Well suppose this situation: An Orc has grappled the party wizard, and the party fighter decides to try to do something about that. The fighter could shove the orc 5 feet away from the wizard. Or the fighter could shove the wizard five feet away from the orc. Either would break the grapple due to distance. The latter will be a lot easier, as the wizard only has str 8.

What I'm proposing is that even if the fighter shoves the wizard, it would make sense to use the orc's ability modifier to resist the shove.
Not quite RAW, but it does make sense. I'm going to adopt this ruling.