So, because myself and a few other friends of mine strongly dislike the way grapple is portrayed in base DND, i have come up with a new ruling on the matter. The current base DND grappling rules are now reflected with the terminology of the "Rooted Condition".
Rooted- When a creature is rooted, it can attack and take actions as normal, however it's speed is reduced to 0. A Rooted creature can use its action to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics) check.
(Long story short RAW Grapple = Rooted or Root a target)
Homebrew Grappling Rules-
Conditions: Grappling/Grappled: You and the target are locked in a contest of strength. (being grappled) You must succeed in a Strength saving throw Vs your opponents athletics, if you fail you cannot attack with a spell or any type of weapon aside from an unarmed strike. If you Succeed you break the opponents attempt at a grapple. If you are being grappled by a creature larger than you, then you have disadvantage on the save. If you are larger than the creature attempting to grapple you, then you have advantage on the save.
If you are grappled, you can use an action to attempt to escape this grapple, make a strength saving throw vs your opponents Athletics check. Your opponent has advantage on this check. If you grappled an opponent then you have advantage on the saving throw to end the grapple. If neither party wishes to continue the grapple, then they both break away from each other and neither can take a reaction until their next turn.
Any attempts to move will prompt another contest of Athletics VS. Athletics, on a success you can move at half speed but provoke an unarmed strike from your opponent as you move initially. That unarmed strike does not consume their reaction. On a failure, you cannot move this turn, but can still take unarmed strikes towards the target you are grappled with.
When a creature, other than yourself, attacks the target that is grappling you. They must succeed in a strength saving throw or you are released from this condition. If you are initiating the grapple, you instantly hit with any unarmed strikes you make against the target, they cannot critically strike. If you are grappled, you have advantage on any unarmed strikes you make against your target, if you critically hit, instead of the damage increasing, you break free of the grapple.
Critical failure on a save when being grappled results in being knocked prone while continuing to be grappled. Critical success against a target you are attempting to grapple causes you to knock a target prone, while continuing to grapple them. You do not suffer the effects of being prone when holding your target down in this way.
Any feedback or input is welcome, this is still subject to change and is in testing
So, because myself and a few other friends of mine strongly dislike the way grapple is portrayed in base DND, i have come up with a new ruling on the matter. The current base DND grappling rules are now reflected with the terminology of the "Rooted Condition".
Rooted- When a creature is rooted, it can attack and take actions as normal, however it's speed is reduced to 0. A Rooted creature can use its action to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics) check.
(Long story short RAW Grapple = Rooted or Root a target)
Homebrew Grappling Rules-
Conditions: Grappling/Grappled: You and the target are locked in a contest of strength. (being grappled) You must succeed in a Strength saving throw Vs your opponents athletics, if you fail you cannot attack with a spell or any type of weapon aside from an unarmed strike. If you Succeed you break the opponents attempt at a grapple. If you are being grappled by a creature larger than you, then you have disadvantage on the save. If you are larger than the creature attempting to grapple you, then you have advantage on the save.
If you are grappled, you can use an action to attempt to escape this grapple, make a strength saving throw vs your opponents Athletics check. Your opponent has advantage on this check. If you grappled an opponent then you have advantage on the saving throw to end the grapple. If neither party wishes to continue the grapple, then they both break away from each other and neither can take a reaction until their next turn.
Any attempts to move will prompt another contest of Athletics VS. Athletics, on a success you can move at half speed but provoke an unarmed strike from your opponent as you move initially. That unarmed strike does not consume their reaction. On a failure, you cannot move this turn, but can still take unarmed strikes towards the target you are grappled with.
When a creature, other than yourself, attacks the target that is grappling you. They must succeed in a strength saving throw or you are released from this condition. If you are initiating the grapple, you instantly hit with any unarmed strikes you make against the target, they cannot critically strike. If you are grappled, you have advantage on any unarmed strikes you make against your target, if you critically hit, instead of the damage increasing, you break free of the grapple.
Critical failure on a save when being grappled results in being knocked prone while continuing to be grappled. Critical success against a target you are attempting to grapple causes you to knock a target prone, while continuing to grapple them. You do not suffer the effects of being prone when holding your target down in this way.
Any feedback or input is welcome, this is still subject to change and is in testing