Grappling and Shoving in 5e: The Complete Rules Guide

Grappling is one of those rules everyone assumes is complicated but is actually straightforward once you read it. Yes, a 120-lb wizard can grapple a 4-ton giant (size limits exist, but Strength check victory can still happen). Yes, a Dex-based rogue can shove a Fighter to the ground. The mechanics are simple.

This guide covers grapple, shove, contested checks, escape, and the class features that turn grappling from "occasional move" to "primary combat strategy."

Grappling: The Core Rule

Replace one of your attacks with a grapple attempt. Make a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target's Athletics or Acrobatics check (their choice).

Conditions:

• Target must be no more than one size larger than you. A Medium creature can grapple up to a Large creature. A Small creature can grapple Medium.
• You must have a hand free.
• Target must be within your reach.

If you win the contest:

• The target is Grappled (condition).
• Their speed becomes 0.
• You can move with the grapple (treating the grappled creature's space as your space for movement purposes, with speed halved).

If you tie or lose:

• Nothing happens.

Grapple is a free "remove enemy movement" effect when it works. Boss running away? Grapple. Caster trying to position for a better spell? Grapple. Enemy trying to grab the artifact and flee? Grapple.

Shoving

Replace one of your attacks with a shove attempt. Same contested check.

Outcome (your choice):

• Push them 5 feet in any direction (usually straight back from you).
• Knock them prone.

Pushing someone off a cliff works. Pushing someone into a trap works. Knocking someone prone sets up melee advantage for you and your allies.

Contested Checks

Both creatures roll. Higher wins. Ties go to the defender (nothing happens).

Your side: Strength (Athletics).

Their side: Strength (Athletics) OR Dexterity (Acrobatics). Target picks.

This is why grappling high-Dex targets (Monks, Rogues, Elves) is harder than grappling high-Str tanks. Monks and Rogues have Acrobatics proficiency and high Dex. Fighters and Barbarians have Athletics and high Str. Rarely easy to grapple.

Escaping a Grapple

The grappled creature can use their action to try to escape. They make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by your Athletics.

Grapples can end many other ways too:

• You let them go.
• You move out of their reach (or they leave your space).
• You're incapacitated.
• Some spells (Freedom of Movement, etc.) prevent grapples entirely.

Stacking Grapples

You can grapple multiple creatures in some rulings. Each requires a free hand. If you have two hands free, you can grapple two creatures.

Some rulesets add clarifications. In the AI's implementation, a single grappler can have multiple grapples, but each grapple is a separate check and the DM can adjudicate.

Class Features That Interact

Grappler Feat

+1 Strength. Advantage on attack rolls against creatures you're grappling. Can grapple and restrain a creature (restrained imposes more penalties than grappled, but this is a minor buff).

Tavern Brawler Feat

+1 Strength or Constitution. Proficiency with improvised weapons. When you hit with an unarmed strike, you can grapple the target as a bonus action.

Goliath's Powerful Build

Goliaths count as one size larger for grapple purposes. A Goliath Fighter can grapple Huge creatures.

Rune Knight (non-SRD)

Some fighter subclasses grow to Large or Huge size, enabling grappling of giants.

Expertise (Athletics)

Double your proficiency bonus. Rogues and Bards can invest in this. A Bard with Expertise Athletics and a 16 Strength is a surprise grappler.

Bonus Action Attack for Grapples

Some features (Tavern Brawler, Beast Barbarian variants) let you grapple as a bonus action, giving you four grapple attempts or 2 attacks + 2 grapples.

The Grappler Build

A classic grappler:

• Race: Goliath or Half-Orc for Strength.
• Class: Barbarian or Fighter.
• Level 1-4: Max Strength. Pick up Expertise Athletics via background (if available) or multiclass into Rogue/Bard for it.
• Feats: Grappler at level 4 or 8. Tavern Brawler if you want bonus action grapples.

At level 5, a Fighter with Extra Attack can:

1. Make first attack as a grapple (contested check).
2. Make second attack as another grapple or a shove.
3. Grappled opponents are immobilized and easy to punch next turn.

Or the shove-then-attack-with-advantage approach:

1. Shove first target prone.
2. Attack second target normally.
3. Ally follows up with advantage on the prone target.

In Solo Play

Grappling is underrated in solo play. Benefits:

• Remove an enemy's movement. They can't retreat, can't reach you, can't reposition.
• Control range. Drag the enemy into an area that hurts them (Spike Growth zone, difficult terrain).
• Pin bosses. A grappled boss can't run. They can still attack, but they're stuck.

A solo Fighter with Athletics expertise can lock down a single boss monster while beating on them.

Common Misconceptions

"Grappling requires two hands." Only one hand.

"Grappled creatures can't attack me." They can. They just can't move.

"Prone doesn't matter." Prone gives attacks against the target (in melee) advantage. It's a big deal.

"Grapple check uses weapon proficiency." No, it's an Athletics check.

"Dexterity-based characters can't grapple." They can attempt, but their low Str makes it harder. They can shove with Dex (Acrobatics vs. Athletics) though.

The Endlessness and Grappling

Our AI Dungeon Master handles contested checks, grapple conditions, speed-to-zero effects, and the various exits (escape attempt, incapacitation, movement out of reach). When you declare "I grapple the bugbear," the system rolls your Athletics, rolls the bugbear's Athletics/Acrobatics (their choice), and resolves.

For related reads, our combat rules guide, action economy, and opportunity attacks guide cover the broader combat context.

Final Takeaway

Grappling and shoving are great underused combat moves. They don't require damage. They don't provoke attacks of opportunity if the grapple succeeds. They lock down enemies and set up positioning.

Try a grappler build. Start one on The Endlessness with a high-Strength Fighter or Barbarian.