Advice for a Luchador barbarian

[MustacheManny]

In a new campaign with friends a buddy and I are playing luchador brothers, I’m a monk and he’s a barbarian. He asked me to draw up his character for him because he was too busy or something but I’m torn between these two feats (we’re using the variant human rule) either grappler or tavern brawler. He’s focused mostly on grappling and controlling and less in damage, but I don’t want him getting too bored either. Any suggestions?

[strangebloke]

One of my personal favorites I've been playing a lot lately:

Pro Wrestler: Human Barbarian

I play him as a sort of cocky show off, fight with honor dude. Rages with "Lets get ready to rumble!!!" Tavern Brawler at level 1. Athlete at 4. Mobile at 8. Rage turn one, go up, grapple, Punch, and drag to a wall. Turn two, climb up 10 feet, drop enemy, fall on them, stand up, one attack regrapple, climb 10 feet, drop enemy, fall on them, stand up, regrapple with bonus action, punch. They're prone, take 2d6+1d4+4, plus some additional damage depending on how your DM rules falling on a creature. Plus resistance to everything or dash as bonus action from totems, and 2x carrying capacity. If you want, take a few levels in rogue for expertise and a free bonus action dash, and then up to scout for a reaction half move, and proceed to go up 10 ft, drop enemy, fall on enemy, and stand up.

Someone just posted this in a nearby thread

[Joe the Rat]

Grappler is about locks and (sort of) submission holds. If your schtick is making people not go anywhere, or you want to do strong conventional 3-count pin, take grappler.

Tavern Brawler is about fighting unarmed, possibly dirty, and with a lot of grabbing. It basically covers everything else you'd want to do as a luchador.


On the 3-count: unless you want to make it a mini-game, you have to hold them for a full round - your move, the opponent's turn to try and shake the hold, and the ref's 3-count... take it all the way up to your next turn. That leaves opportunity for others to interfere (booo!), and gives a fair(ish) chance to get out. It's against your ridiculous athletics, possibly at advantage with rage. If you need to clinch it, grappler then makes their break roll at disadvantage.

Unless of course your partner makes a stunning strike before a pin, then it's basically all over.


Damn now I wish I still had the Hobgoblin Samurai Barbarian in the party to judo the crap out of things.

[Sol]

The grappler feat is often viewed as a bit of a trap option. A grappler can replicate almost all of the benefits by using an attack to shove their target prone (which, since their speed is zero while grappled, they cannot stand up from), without taking any of the penalties involved in being restrained themselves.

[smcmike]

1. Tavern Brawler, not Grappler. Grappler is mostly pointless and a waste of a feat.

2. Multiclassing bard and Barbarian can make for a very effective grappler. Bard gives you expertise in athletics, can give you Enlarge to grapple big things, and thematic performance-related abilities.

[Master O'Laughs]

If stuck to Human, bear totem barbarian at level 6 doubles his push/drag/lift amounts. Tavern Brawler will allow you to make a bonus action grapple attempt after using an improvised weapon.

If possible though, if he was a goliath bear totem barbarian, at level 6 with 20 STR can push, drag, lift 2,400 pounds. On his turn he could:

Improvised weapon attack
Grapple
Then attempt to fling the person over his head into the ground.

If successful, the target may be stuck prone on the ground until he breaks the grapple (grappled condition reduces movement to 0 feet).

[GlenSmash!]

Grappler is only useful if you want to give yourself advantage on your grapple for without giving ranged party members disadvantage.

In all other cases I find Tavern Brawler more valuable. Note that even with Tavern Brawler you have to hit with an unarmed strike or improvised weapon to get the bonus action grapple attempt. So be sure and use reckless attack to help make sure you get a hit.

[strangebloke]

Worth mentioning Prodigy as a feat, since it gives expertise in athletics and lets you pick up performance and I don't know... a disguise kit or something.

[Quoz]

I'm playing a firbolg grappled at the moment and loving it. My angle is a bit different, fighter with a rogue dip for expertise. Shield Master is my first feat of choice; grab and prone one enemy then drag them around while proning everyone else in the fight. Tavern Brawler is a close second, though you probably don't need both. Getting that bonus action working early is very important. If you still want to do damage, go tavern brawler. See if you can convince your GM that a grappled enemy counts as an improvised weapon.

I'll agree with some earlier points: grappler is the ultimate trap feat, and if you want to grapple you need expertise. Whether through prodigy or a one level dip in rogue, double proficiency is amazing to have when using skill checks in combat.

[GlenSmash!]

Worth mentioning Prodigy as a feat, since it gives expertise in athletics and lets you pick up performance and I don't know... a disguise kit or something.

Oh yeah, don't skip out on Prodigy.

[Caelic]

Consider multiclassing with Bard for three levels.

Consider:

1. A proper luchador needs to be able to deliver a blistering promo. (Vicious Mockery and Cutting Words)
2. Expertise will give you double your bonus in Athletics without the need for a feat.
3. Enhance Ability can supply advantage on Strength checks even when not raging.
4. Cutting Words can reduce the opponent's Grapple check.
5. Appropriate use of illusion spells will provide you with theme music and pyrotechnics.

[Grear Bylls]

About my original post about the pro wrestler... I think having 3 levels in Bard is better, both thematically and mechanically. As El Barbarian grappler, Sneak Attack is nearly useless, as is thieves cant. Expertise is the same for both, and after doing the math, bonus action dash isn't that great. Instead, go up to 3 levels in Swords bard for +10 ft move, and you don't need mobile. Flourishes and inspiration are fine. Longstrider doesn't need concentration. I'd do the new build as:

Lvl1: Tavern Brawler, Barbarian
Lvl2: Barbarian
Lvl3: Bear Totem (maybe Elk or Tiger)
Lvl4: Athlete, Barbarian
Lvl5: Barbarian
Lvl6: Bard
Lvl7: Bard
Lvl8: Swords Bard

[N810]

Have you considered Battlerager instead of totem ?
(DM will probably hand wave the dwarf requirement.)

[GlenSmash!]

Have you considered Battlerager instead of totem ?
(DM will probably hand wave the dwarf requirement.)

Might need to hand-wave Spiky armor too, if they're planning on fighting in only tights or trunks.

[N810]

For better or worse I was imaging some sort of spiky leather harness.

Might be a bit more WCW than Luchidor though
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58699372c534a514407d5f82/t/59f4bf6e6c31940534319bcb/1509212017694/The-Road-Warriors-Courtesy-of-WWE.com_1.jpg

[GlenSmash!]

For better or worse I was imaging some sort of spiky leather harness.

Might be a bit more WCW than Luchidor though
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58699372c534a514407d5f82/t/59f4bf6e6c31940534319bcb/1509212017694/The-Road-Warriors-Courtesy-of-WWE.com_1.jpg

Not bad thinking.