Hi there
My group is finally gonna start 5e now, were all looking into characters and Dm is working his magic.
Im interested in grapple but i dont know if its worth it in m y group. Ive played with some of these guys for 20 years and they have never (EVER) worked off a concept. Every new game i try to start a idea for the group like( i can prone someone every round see what you can do with that) And every time no one does anything.
So with that said, i know we have a caster,tank,warlock and someone who wants to do something besides a archer range.
So lke usual i have to jump into whats missing(Healer) so im thinking bard or pally and i see the graple thread and i like it, BUT is it worth it for playing solo with a group?
I imagine if your group sees a helpless enemy, they'll attack it. If you grapple it, it should be helpless.
Or near enough for their eyes.
OrwellianHaggis wrote:
I wouldnt recommend going grappler specialist. Too one trick pony, and as the OP points out, relies on the rest of the party to take real advantage of it.
I think it depends on the DM.
If the DM likes to move his monsters to attack the "squishies", or if DM is more liberal on improvised actions, I think it might be fun to play a grappler.
I could see a grappler purposefully trying to grapple and hold a spellcasters arms tightly so that the caster can't cast a spell. That isn't RAW, but it might be something that could be attempted at disadvantage, or to encourage interesting actions, it may just be a straight up strength check against the spellcaster. Personally, I don't see a grappler taking one round to restrain and then a second round to pin (which I think is the way Merals or Thompson suggested it work). I like the idea that 1 roll will determine the outcome.
Anyway to use the grappled creature as a shield, or get cover bonus?
MrBloodpuppy wrote:
Play a grappling human druid, take the warcaster feat (so its less likely to lose your concentration), cast spells like flaming sphere or spike growth. Cast the one of the nasty spells (lets say spike growth) before you go bear and then grapple and drag the bad guys to your spells. Now you drag the bad guy on the edge of your spike growth (while you stay out of it) for 2d4 points of damage per 5 feet you drag them through...
Forget your lame friends that don't want to use teamwork and make your own teamwork happen 
If your DM lets you do it you could grapple multiple targets as a bear (bear hug, bite) and take two targets through the spike growth.
Druid spells that are fun for this would be:
Flaming sphere
Spike Growth (amazing)
Wall of Fire
Wall of Thorns
Now Flaming Sphere and the Walls, the damage only happens once per turn... but you can now make sure the bad guy(s) are not running away from your spells and getting nice and cooked
2 levels of rogue might be a good call so that you can get expertise Athletics and Cunning Action. Now you can Dash... When you grapple you are at half movement so the bear goes from 40(50 with longstrider spell) to 20 feet (25). With Dash you are back up to '40' (50) feet of movement with a bonus action. You can now drag your grappled buddy for16d4 damage (20d4), all of this at 5 level (3 Druid/2 Rogue)
dwgautier wrote:
Check out my grappler guide for a lot of tips, ideas, and mechanics on grappling:
http://community.wizards.com/forum/player-help/threads/4142801
dwgautier wrote:
The only feat you really should get for what I was suggesting is combat caster and or Res. Constitution. You really don't want to lose your spells while in bear form. Grappler will be nice for wrestling larger size monsters, but thats it really.
dwgautier wrote:
OrwellianHaggis wrote:
As a Lore Bard, you also make a very nice grappler, yourself! Just...don't stay in there too long. Your HP and low AC can't take it...
IMO: No.
Grapple is a group thing, keeping enemies from your allies.
Prone however, can be a single person thing, and invites allies to take advantage of it.
Overall, human valor bard with warcaster, expertise in athletics, and pick up shield master at 4, is probably your best bet. Turn 1 you can grab + prone, turn 2 you can cast cloud of daggers.
mellored wrote:
1eejit wrote:
1eejit wrote:
it's still somewhat advantageous to archers. Since they are safer against prone targets.
mellored wrote:
I keep going back to bard. A Druid to me looks like a 1 trick. The DM will learn to counter your abilitys. I thought pally for e huge spike damage , still viable in my group but I wanna see what other peop,e are doing. Bards can just do it all, might not be great at there base but it's up to the player to make them great
MrBloodpuppy wrote:
MrBloodpuppy wrote:
Im making both druid and bard at moment and actually gonna play them against each other (FOR FUN)
But what im lacking in is lower lvl survivability for the druid. STR-CHA needed but do i go Dex or Con for 3rd stat?