Making a Pugilist/Grappler character?

[jonijojojoan]

I've always wanted to make a combatant focused on barehanded fighting. I know Monk is the most optimal choice for this build, particularly Open Fist, which can be reflavoured to fit a more western pugilist style.
Of course, that's for a Dex build, and I've wondered about STR builds for barehanded fighters, especially since it's used for Athletics and thus grappling. While Dex is the most optimal stat since Monks rely on it so much, I would have liked a Str based pugilist for the sake of a character performing feats such as doing a megaton punch or lifting up giant foes and tossing them about.

Some people say that Barbarians are best for grappling, because of the STR advantage while raging, +2 to damage rolls and typical damage resistance to make oneself more sturdy. If that is the case, and I still want to have Monk as my main set of levels, how much of a Barbarian dip should I take? I've also wondered about adding in a level 3 dip in battlemaster fighter so the monk gets action surges and battle maneuvers that can be flavoured as grappling moves, (i.e Trip Attack as Judo Throw/Suplex, Pushing Attack as a Grab and Toss) or boxing moves (i.e Riposte as a CROSS COUNTER!, Evasive Footwork as a Bob and Weave).

And for feats to help this build, there's the Martial Adept to replace the Level 3 Fighter Dip. Apparently the Grappler and Tavern Brawler feats are too lackluster for regular play but could help this build more. The ability to link an attack into a grapple is useful, and restraining a target is helpful for your allies. Brawny is also known for assisting grapples for giving proficiency/expertise on athletics.

STR builds aside, I believe that my DM is the type to let Acrobatics (DEX) be used for initiating grapples which may pull me towards a full Dex Monk. I'll leave the feats of Strength shenanigans to the Barbarian of our team.

What are your suggestions on such a build?

[Dos246]

This is a really great reference for all sorts of grappler builds and techniques. I prefer a Goliath Barb/Rogue/Fig build myself which is a Str build but there's lot of great info in this thread.

I guess I can't post links, search for 5e the grappler's manual and you'll find it.

[GlenSmash!]

Lets see, well there's nothing that says you can't make a high strength monk.

There is a 3rd party pugilist class that is highly rated.

You mention the Brawny feat. That's UA, is UA on the table for this build? If so i would look at the Scout Fighter. They can add half a proficiency die to an Athletics check, which would be helpful on those grapples.

As far as feats go. Grappler is only useful if you want to pin opponents without giving disadvantage to you ranged attacking allies, or want advantage yourself against the grappled target without pinning it.

Tavern Brawler has the bonus of increasing damage die, and the bonus action grapple attempt if you score a hit with unarmed strike or improvised weapon. I find it works best with Barbarians Reckless attack to make sure that attack hits and the grapple attempt is triggered.

Speaking of Barbarians 1d4 + Strength damage isn't much, but 1d4 + Strength + Rage is better. Advantage on grapple checks is great too.

Prodigy is a great way to get Expertise in athletics if you are not planning on dipping Rogue or Bard. It's only available to Humans, Half-Elves and Half-Orcs though.

Martial Adept isn't a great feat. You'll get one die use per short rest. It's good If you already have Superiority dice and want one more.

If you are allowed a Dex Grappler, than double down on straight Monk. Open hand makes the most sense unless you want the stealthy stuff from Shadow, or the defenses of Drunken Master.

[jonijojojoan]

I'd say that UA is on the table, as are SCAG, XGE and the other official expansions I can't remember.

I've checked out 5E The Grappler's Manual and Jalor's Guide to Hitting Things very hard. I like the former, but it's unfinished and doesn't account for Xanathar's.

If I could get a Full Dex Grappler Monk, with hints of fighter that might be my build. One thing that does concern me is that how grappling tends to scale badly. The Grappler's Manual suggested mutliclassing into a class that can alleviate those issues with magic, such as Lore Bard with cutting words and magical secrets for spells such as enlarge, antimagic, dispell magic etc.

[Atalas]

am currently playing a grappler fighter. Battle Master for the archetyp. Variant human for feat, DM allowed a feat at first level. So, took Tavern Brawler and Grappler. At level 3, so far, done some interesting stuff, including throwing a Sorcerer trying to put his mind into that of a T-rex, and decided to put his body into the T-rex via the Rex's mouth. Gonna take the Athlete feat next level to have expertise in Athletics, and after racial stats and Tavern Bralwer and the point buy, will have 18 STR at level 4. May be dealing d4's, but will also be locking up the opponent's, particularly to give Advantage to the Sharpshooting Arcane Archer.

[Snowbluff]

I'd definitely go for 3 Bard for Bear Totem and Rage (which gives advantage on grapples) and a couple of rogue for Expertise for the build. With advantage, High Str, and double prof, not much will be wiggling away from you.

Personally the most grappling I've done is on my Bard1/Druid6. He turns into a Giant Constrictor Snake and has Sentinel. I think you can grapple on the OA sentinel generates, but you can definitely use the constrict attack on it. So people would try and attack my friend and I'd go "OH WILL THEY?!" and restrain them automatically with Constrict, giving them disadvantage to hit my friend.