Monk grappling with there feet?

[AttilatheYeon]

Would you all let a monk grapple with there feet and legs instead of hands?

[stoutstien]

I'd be open to it but it will cost the monk movement and possiblity give the grappled opponent advantage on next check.

[Avonar]

I would need a really good explanation of just how this would happen to consider it as I can't imagine doing this effectively. At best I would give the monk disadvantage on all grapple checks.

[Zhorn]

For thematic fluff, I'm open to allowing it.

Using the existing rules but leaving the hands free to engage in other objectives during the grapple? That will require justification on the player's part that makes sense, otherwise the immediate answer is 'no, but...'.

My big rule for any part of the game is "if you can justify it in a way that makes sense, I'll allow you to push the bounds of the written rules"

Any deviation from RAW I give my players a chance to convince me to allow things, but it is always with the understanding of it being a case-by-case basis.

In this instance, I'd be inclined to say "yes, but the check is made with disadvantage on your end, and while the grapple holds, you would be prone since you're legs are not free for you to stand on"
If they want to get by without such a trade-off, it is up to them to make a case for why they wouldn't get disadvantage and/or would not be prone.

[AttilatheYeon]

I ask because my monk has a cloak of the bat and would like to grapple monsters and fly them up in the air and drop them on the ground.

[Mastikator]

I don't see why not, it happens in action movies and kung fu movies all the time.

The player would have to describe it in an awesome way though. It has to be cool for the rule of cool to apply.

[stoutstien]

I would need a really good explanation of just how this would happen to consider it as I can't imagine doing this effectively. At best I would give the monk disadvantage on all grapple checks.

Really not that hard with proper training. If you need RL inspiration Google armless wrestlers.

[KorvinStarmast]

I would need a really good explanation of just how this would happen to consider it as I can't imagine doing this effectively. At best I would give the monk disadvantage on all grapple checks.

Watch the fight scene near the end of the first Lethal Weapon movie; Mel Gibson and Gary Bussey doing hand to hand combat/martial arts. No need for disadvantage, but reducing the monk's speed to 0 would be, IMO, a good way to reflect how that works.

[AttilatheYeon]

I think i'm gonna go astral monk so i can stay raw here. Thanks for all the discussion.

[ScoutTrooper]

In 5e, have yet to seen the case. The character in question would have to have some racial/culture connection to such dexterious Feet. Now if it was to be grapple with lower body, i.e. legs. Yeah I would let them.

in 3.5, a Vanara Monk, hell yeah would grapple with feet, kicks like punches too.

[AttilatheYeon]

In 5e, have yet to seen the case. The character in question would have to have some racial/culture connection to such dexterious Feet. Now if it was to be grapple with lower body, i.e. legs. Yeah I would let them.

in 3.5, a Vanara Monk, hell yeah would grapple with feet, kicks like punches too.

I sorta meant legs actually.

[MaxWilson]

Would you all let a monk grapple with there feet and legs instead of hands?

No for balance reasons.

I'd be more likely to remove the limitation on Cloak of the Bat, or add "while flying this way, you may grapple with your feet" as one of its powers, but first I'd have to do some research on bats to see if they actually do this. Otherwise just no.

[Zaile]

I say allow it, but you are down to 1/4 movement or zero depending on the leg-lock. Real-life examples are Rick flair's figure 4, various MMA leg-locks and headscissor holds. (As a side note, searching "headscissor" is a NSFW exercise. Silly internet.)

https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Ric-Flair-Shawn-Michaels-Figure-4.jpg
https://worcesterboymma.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/mir-leg-lock.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NpySSDwiG54/maxresdefault.jpg

[Avonar]

I say allow it, but you are down to 1/4 movement or zero depending on the leg-lock. Real-life examples are Rick flair's figure 4, various MMA leg-locks and headscissor holds. (As a side note, searching "headscissor" is a NSFW exercise. Silly internet.)

I would not call those grappling though. I would say that's using the pin move you get from the Grappler feat.

I consider grappling to be simply reaching out and taking hold of a person with one hand. You are not restricting either of your actions at all short of movement. Wrapping yourself around a person with your legs is a way away from this.

[Quietus]

Not a monk, but my wife plays a barbarian centaur who has the Tavern Brawler feat. She's grappled with her feet (hooves) before, and it was decided that was allowed - but what she's doing is essentially standing on the target's feat (or body, if they're prone). As such, she can't move the grapple, without freeing a hand to drag them around.

[Zaile]

Not a monk, but my wife plays a barbarian centaur who has the Tavern Brawler feat. She's grappled with her feet (hooves) before, and it was decided that was allowed - but what she's doing is essentially standing on the target's feat (or body, if they're prone). As such, she can't move the grapple, without freeing a hand to drag them around.

This is both cool and balanced. Love it!

[Vogie]

I'd allow it if the target was already prone - that is, they use the Shove/Grapple combo with either 2 attacks or 1 attack & tavern Brawler.

I actually made a list of Luchador Moves for one of my player's Tavern Brawler Bard-barians for them to actually do damage while they fought this way. I can post if you'd like, but I tied the ability to do so with the Reckless Attack feature - I figured that if our oiled-up Macho Man Savage was taking the time to Bodyslam or Elbow Drop the target, Anyone else had advantage on them too.