“I try to grapple.”

For those of us who started playing Tabletop RPGs with Dungeons & Dragons 3^rd Edition, 3.5, or Pathfinder this is a phrase that causes hearts to sink. It has been lampshaded in webcomics, blog/forum posts, and live plays. It’s so prevalent that even today the same jokes about the complexity of grappling are shared widely within the space. Yet, within the 5^th edition framework, grappling is fairly simple, one might even say limited.

The summary of grappling in 5e are as follows:

1. The aggressor uses an action to initiate the grapple against a target no larger than one size category larger than themselves.
   

• If the aggressor has multiple attacks, they may replace one of them with a grapple attempt.
  
• If the aggressor has an ability which automatically gives the grappled condition, skip the above step.
  

2. The aggressor rolls Strength(Athletics) versus the defender’s Strength(Athletics) or Dexterity(Acrobatics).
   

• As of the release of PHB 24, monks can initiate grapples with Dexterity(Athletics).

3. If the defender beats the aggressor, nothing happens. Otherwise the defender is Grappled. Grappled creatures have a speed of 0. Additionally, the Grappled creature moves along with the aggressor.
   
4. The Grappled creature may use an action to attempt to remove the condition with the same check as above.

And that’s basically it. There’s little tricks, like pushing people with the grappled condition prone so they are unable to stand up, but what was once a multi paged process is now distilled to four checks. In many play groups, including my own, we find this incredibly simplistic. While I wouldn’t say weak, it does lack a lot of what people would like to see from grappling.

Enter Tales of the Valiant. While the core functionality is the same, it features a wealth of additional support. Two separate talents apply passive damage if Grapple is maintained, while also giving advantage on the Grapple check itself. The Barbarian’s Wild Fury subclass features the Alligator Totem at 3^rd level, which allows the Barbarian to deal automatic damage while maintaining a grapple with a bonus action and restraining the victim for even more penalties. Even the Druid’s Shifter subclass features grappling support with water form getting a rechargeable multi-target grapple.

Additionally, as brought up earlier, the 2024 Player’s Handbook features an update to Monk which allows them to initiate grapples with their Dexterity rather than Strength so they can get in on the grappling fun. Not just that, by making Fighting Styles feats, PHB 24 increases access to the Unarmed Fighting style, and buffed the Grappler feat to give it clearer function. These changes aren’t as massive for a grappling playstyle as the above, but by using PHB 24, grappling will likely be more tactically applicable.

Despite its historical problems with complexity, I can’t lie, grappling has always had a special place in my heart. Something about locking down foes, limiting their actions, and beating them into submission is incredibly appealing. It is because of this that the future of grappling based builds fills my heart with warmth.

However, I don’t just want to leave you with a breakdown of the changes to grappling and hope for the future. Tales of the Valiant may have introduced a way for Barbarians to be grappling focused, but I wanted to bring further attention to the traditional unarmed class.

Iron Grip

Many Monks recognize the value of controlling an opponent in order to prevent them from causing damage. The Monks of the Iron Grip seek to perfect this philosophy, mastering powerful holds and chokes in order to keep their foes locked in their grasps.

Monk Level	Features
3rd	Grasp of Iron, Nimble Master
7th	Constricting Crush
11th	Limb Control
15th	Flying Hold

Grasp of Iron

3^rd-Level Iron Grip Feature

When initiating a grapple or resisting someone trying to escape your grapple, you can use your DEX(Acrobatics) instead of STR(Athletics). Additionally, you may spend 1 technique point when someone is trying to contest you during a grapple to force them to make the check with either STR(Athletics) or DEX(Acrobatics), your choice.

Nimble Mastery

3^rd-Level Iron Grip Feature

Your training leaves you incredibly flexible. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. If you are already proficient, double your PB instead for Acrobatics checks.

Constricting Crush

7^th-Level Iron Grip Feature

A truly skilled Monk of the Iron Grip can stop even the toughest foes by holding them just right. As an action, you can spend 2 technique points to crush vital areas on one creature grappled by you. At the end of their next turn, if they are still grappled by you, they must succeed on a CON save or fall unconscious for 1 minute. If the creature takes any damage while unconscious, or someone within 5 feet of it takes an action to shake it awake, then this effect ends.

Limb Control

11^th-Level Iron Grip Feature

As a reaction, you can spend 2 technique points as a reaction to inflict one of the following effects on a creature grappled by you:

• The creature is unable to cast spells using somatic components until the start of its next turn.
• The creature suffers disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of its next turn.
• The creature must make a CON save. On a failure, they take damage equal to your Monk level and even when the grapple ends, their walking movement is reduced by half speed until they have been healed an amount of damage equal to your Monk level.
  

Flying Hold

15^th-Level Iron Grip Feature

Not even giants can stop Monks of the iron Grip from holding them down. If you attack a creature greater than one size category larger than you, you may spend 1 technique point to initiate a grapple against it instead.

Additionally, whenever you make additional attacks with your Flurry of Blows, you may replace one of those additional attacks with a grapple, as if you had taken the attack action.