Does thirsting blade allow multiple grapple/shove attempts?

[holywhippet]

Thirsting blade is an option for warlocks which acts much the same as the extra attack ability of the fighter type classes and subclasses. Grapple and shove are both actions a character can take as part of an attack action and use up one of the attacks a character can make during their turn. But I'm not sure if the second attack that thirsting blade can be used for that since it specifies using your pact weapon. I could see some cases where you might shove using your weapon but not many where you grapple unless you are using a whip or something like that.

[Man_Over_Game]

Thirsting blade is an option for warlocks which acts much the same as the extra attack ability of the fighter type classes and subclasses. Grapple and shove are both actions a character can take as part of an attack action and use up one of the attacks a character can make during their turn. But I'm not sure if the second attack that thirsting blade can be used for that since it specifies using your pact weapon. I could see some cases where you might shove using your weapon but not many where you grapple unless you are using a whip or something like that.

Here's an RPG Stack Exchange question on this exact topic:
Can a warlock use one of their Thirsting Blade attacks to grapple or shove? (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/100525/can-a-warlock-use-one-of-their-thirsting-blade-attacks-to-grapple-or-shove)

Answer: No, because it requires that you make the attack with your pact weapon. A Grapple does not use a weapon.

[MaxWilson]

Thirsting blade is an option for warlocks which acts much the same as the extra attack ability of the fighter type classes and subclasses. Grapple and shove are both actions a character can take as part of an attack action and use up one of the attacks a character can make during their turn. But I'm not sure if the second attack that thirsting blade can be used for that since it specifies using your pact weapon. I could see some cases where you might shove using your weapon but not many where you grapple unless you are using a whip or something like that.

Yes to shoves, not to grapples.

This is the biggest downside to playing a Warbearian (Barbarian 1ish/Warlock X): you don't get to toss enemies around or grapple/prone them like a Roguesinger can (Rogue 2/Bladesinger X) because you've technically only get one attack.

[Mjolnirbear]

Make your Pact Weapon a garrotte.

OK, a garrotte doesn't exist in D&D. So make it a length of rope or piano wire that is an improvised weapon. That should do'er.

The garrotte and chokeout are some of my fave action moves in games and their absence has led to many homebrew mistakes and rewritings. The current versions are twofold. The first is a thing you can do during a grapple if your target is surprised or restrained, as a special attack action you can do a standard grapple check to start a chokeout. If the target remains grappled for [suffocation rules--not holding your breath, the next part] rounds, they become unconscious. This takes two special attacks and succeeding in several grapple checks, which means its really hard to abuse.

The second is the garrotte, which does the same, except succeeding at the attack roll counts as if you did a successful grapple check and initiated the choke in a single attack. Successive escape attempts are all contested checks as normal. Rogues are proficient in garrottes.

I'm a fan of using rules that already exist in the game so even though a chokeout is not about breathing but about blood not getting to the brain, suffocation rules work for me.

[Zalabim]

No, and furthermore, it's an invocation which are all "fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability." So Thirsting Blade does not work while in an antimagic field.


I'm a fan of using rules that already exist in the game so even though a chokeout is not about breathing but about blood not getting to the brain, suffocation rules work for me.
Speaking of rules that already exist, I always recommend using "damage" to cover this situation. It just seems cleaner and a better fit.

[Mjolnirbear]

No, and furthermore, it's an invocation which are all "fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability." So Thirsting Blade does not work while in an antimagic field.


Speaking of rules that already exist, I always recommend using "damage" to cover this situation. It just seems cleaner and a better fit.

OP asked about grappling. He did not ask about damage. Also, damage is not the answer to everything or the grapple rules and suffocation rules would not exist at all. OP clearly knew about the damage option since he was specifically avoiding it for reasons of his own.