Runeknight Fighter Unarmed/Grappler

[nickl_2000]

So, in reading through the Runeknight it seems like this subclass would make an incredibly good unarmed fighter/grappler.

-You get Advantage on Strength checks while Giant's Might is active and you are large sized giving you the ability to grapple almost anything.
-Can attack with the unarmed fighting style and do solid damage, and do an extra 1d4 damage each turn.
-Combines decently with the Tavern Brawler feat to grapple as a bonus action on any attack (and it's a half feat).
-Fire Rune can restrain someone
-Frost Rune gives +2 to athletics checks
-Hill Rune all B/S/P damage (even magical)
-At level 18, there isn't anything that you can't grapple when under Giant Might (since you are Huge).

And as a fighter, you get plenty of feats to get the Skill Master Half Feat to expertise in Athletics.

Seems like it would be a lot of fun to be a dirty fighter when it comes to something like this. Is there anything I am missing that is a problem or would make them even better?

[Unoriginal]

So, in reading through the Runeknight it seems like this subclass would make an incredibly good unarmed fighter/grappler.

-You get Advantage on Strength checks while Giant's Might is active and you are large sized giving you the ability to grapple almost anything.
-Can attack with the unarmed fighting style and do solid damage, and do an extra 1d4 damage each turn.
-Combines decently with the Tavern Brawler feat to grapple as a bonus action on any attack (and it's a half feat).
-Fire Rune can restrain someone
-Frost Rune gives +2 to athletics checks
-Hill Rune all B/S/P damage (even magical)
-At level 18, there isn't anything that you can't grapple when under Giant Might (since you are Huge).

And as a fighter, you get plenty of feats to get the Skill Master Half Feat to expertise in Athletics.

Seems like it would be a lot of fun to be a dirty fighter when it comes to something like this. Is there anything I am missing that is a problem or would make them even better?

Well only thing is the fact that your unarmed attacks won't ever be magical, unless you get the magic tattoo for it.

Then again, the 1d4 damage from grappling someone with the Unarmed fighting style do bypass resistance/immunity to weapon attacks.

[nickl_2000]

Well only thing is the fact that your unarmed attacks won't ever be magical, unless you get the magic tattoo for it.

Then again, the 1d4 damage from grappling someone with the Unarmed fighting style do bypass resistance/immunity to weapon attacks.

True, it is rough on the magical damage if you can't get an insignia of the claws or the tattoo. That being said, even if you can't do damage you can still shut people down by grappling and making them prone and slowly plink them to death.

There isn't anything keeping you from using a magical weapon around if no one else needs it for those situations though. It's not like you can't use them.

[BoutsofInsanity]

Not only can you grapple, but use PHB 195 Contests of Skill to improvise inflicting conditions upon targets.

You can sacrifice attacks and damage to lock down opponents or inflict conditions for a round. (Check with your DM what they will allow).

So using your Expertise, High Str, and enlarged stature you should be able to do all sorts of things to different opponents.

This shouldn't be your core strategy of course. But it should be a part of it that you use to be adaptable on the battlefield.

Also the Unarmed Fighting Style from Tasha's and some sort of magical gloves that give you magical fists and such should be good.

[nickl_2000]

Not only can you grapple, but use PHB 195 Contests of Skill to improvise inflicting conditions upon targets.

You can sacrifice attacks and damage to lock down opponents or inflict conditions for a round. (Check with your DM what they will allow).

So using your Expertise, High Str, and enlarged stature you should be able to do all sorts of things to different opponents.

This shouldn't be your core strategy of course. But it should be a part of it that you use to be adaptable on the battlefield.

Also the Unarmed Fighting Style from Tasha's and some sort of magical gloves that give you magical fists and such should be good.

There are two official things to make the fists magical.

Eldritch Claw Tattoo from Tasha's
Insignia of the Claws from HotDQ

[BoutsofInsanity]

That's true, or just use a 1 handed weapon with the Versatile Property. Either way you should be good.

[Falconcry]

If you play a duergar dwarf or multiclass for the enlarge spell you can go huge at level 3. At 18 you can go gargantuan.

[verbatim]

I'm of the opinion that grappling shouldn't be the core of a build and works much better as a useful side option to a build that can stand on its own without it, to wit:

- Monks autowin grapple checks on anyone who fails the Stunning Strike save
- Beast Barbarians only need one free hand to make all of their claw attacks while grappling someone with the other hand.
- Swords Bards with expertise athletics
- Rangers with a longsword and canny athletics.


If you're okay with the knowledge that there will be entire fights and maybe entire sessions where your Rune Knight won't be able to grapple anyone of importance then I think you should be fine.

[stoutstien]

I'm of the opinion that grappling shouldn't be the core of a build and works much better as a useful side option to a build that can stand on its own without it, to wit:

- Monks autowin grapple checks on anyone who fails the Stunning Strike save
- Beast Barbarians only need one free hand to make all of their claw attacks while grappling someone with the other hand.
- Swords Bards with expertise athletics
- Rangers with a longsword and canny athletics.


If you're okay with the knowledge that there will be entire fights and maybe entire sessions where your Rune Knight won't be able to grapple anyone of importance then I think you should be fine.

The RK could take duelist and grapple and stab in the same damage range as the beast barb. I do agree grappling is a tool but it has limits so it's better to have it in addition rather than over specialize.

[Rolero]

I don't see the need to specialize and this build is not allocating too many resources for this. With just the Skill Expert feat you are good to go, as the Giant Might feature of the class covers everything else. Good thing about grapple is that it works as an attack but getting free is an action, which the opponent needs to win on a check against an optimized build for it, so is a great control and tanking option.

You can still be an amazing fighter in lots of other things but you would be a fool to not take advantage of the grappling game with all the goodies this subclass provides.