Ways to shove as a bonus action? (besides Shield Master)

[Greywander]

I was thinking about a STR-based melee wizard build (probably an Abjurist), and realized that such a build would be both an excellent grappler and mage killer (dat 10th level abjurist feature). Human variant for either Brawny (UA) or Prodigy (XGtE) for Athletics expertise, and get Enlarge/Reduce, and as early as 3rd level (probably more like 4th or 5th if you start with 1 or 2 levels of fighter) you can be an amazing grappler. The only thing missing is Extra Attack, which either requires Bladesinger or a multiclass. Being able to grab and shove prone in the same round seems like an integral part of grappling, otherwise you might start wondering if it's worth bothering with when you could just slap them with Booming Blade instead.

I know Shield Master can let you shove as a bonus action, allowing you to grab with your Attack action and then shove prone with your bonus action. For most people, this would work great, and you'd probably want to use a shield anyway, but the specific build I had in mind would probably use a versatile weapon instead, two-handing it when I don't need a free hand for spells or grappling. With 2 levels in fighter, I could also Action Surge if I really needed to grab + shove in the same turn, but that seems like a waste (especially since Action Surge allows me to cast two leveled spells on the same turn).

Is there any other way, short of homebrew, that I could grapple and shove on the same round without Shield Master or Action Surge? I'm guessing this will mean a bonus action shove, but maybe there are other ways to accomplish this.

Maybe the Grappler feat could be buffed to allow a bonus action grapple or shove after using the Attack action.

[KOLE]

AFB so I can’t check right now, but doesn’t tavern brawler grant a bonus action grapple if you make an attack? I think you can sub the attack for a shove and still grapple.

I would reccomend a Rogue dip for athletics expertise and cunning action; it would work well with what you have in mind here and help round out some wizard weaknesses, but Fighter is excellent as well.

[JackPhoenix]

AFB so I can’t check right now, but doesn’t tavern brawler grant a bonus action grapple if you make an attack? I think you can sub the attack for a shove and still grapple.

I would reccomend a Rogue dip for athletics expertise and cunning action; it would work well with what you have in mind here and help round out some wizard weaknesses, but Fighter is excellent as well.

Tavern Brawler require hit (not just attack) with unarmed strike or improvised weapon.

Haste gives you extra action which can be used to attack, and you can replace attack with grapple or shove attempt, but it brings its own risks.... and as concentration spell, it's incompatible with Enlarge/Reduce.

[Greywander]

I thought of Tavern Brawler, but it requires you to hit with an improvised weapon or unarmed attack, i.e. it can't be used with a grapple or shove, only an attack.

Normally, if I was building this as a grappler intentionally, I'd probably dip rogue. I just happened to notice that this build (probably fighter 2 / Abjurist wizard 18) can be a mean grappler, and wanted to capitalize on that without too much investment elsewhere. Thing is, I feel like I'd get more out of two Booming Blades than I would with a grapple and shove (in most situations), so compressing that grapple and shove into a single turn seems important to keeping it competitive with my other options.

[Mjolnirbear]

Wouldn't monk Flurry of Blows permit grapples?

[DrKerosene]

If your DM is nice, you could argue that you are using Two Weapon Fighting to get a Bonus Action attack, and then say you want to replace that Bonus Action Attack with the special Shove Attack Action.

Normally a vanilla level 5 Barbarian/Fighter/Paladin/etc could replace one of the attacks granted from their Extra Attack with a Shove, but the wording is specific enough to not normally work as I’ve suggested when using a Bonus Action.

[Quoz]

One of the meaner tricks you can have if you ever get time to set up is to use Mold Earth. Any time you make camp, take 5 minutes to dig a 30 foot deep well, and use the excavated earth to make a low wall around your campsite. You now have cover from ranged attacks, difficult terrain for intruders to navigate, and a very convenient spot to drop any grapple targets.

If you are allowed alternate sourcebooks, the Naga race is amazing for you. +2 CON / +1 INT, and a natural constriction attack that gives both grappled and restrained, which is in all ways superior to prone.