I have been experimenting with the grapple attack and during one my game sessions with my group I did interesting combo. I did burning hands to an Ettin and then I try to grapple him. My character has extra attack ability. One the other players tried to intervene and said I can't cast a spell and then grapple. As far as I can tell there is nothing in the rules or game mechanics said that I can't do that. I play a warforged eldritch knight. he is currently at level 6. Here is a link to my character ddb.ac/characters/20581674/WSaZ5u.
Casting Burning Hands takes an action, grappling is a version of the Attack action. You can't do both at the same turn since you only have one action per turn. The Extra Attack feature allows you to make multiple attacks (or grapplings) as part of the same action but you still can't do multiple actions.
I agree with Lostwhilefishing, with one caveat. Fighters can Action Surge. You could have cast burning hands and then followed that up with your Attack action. But the Extra Attack feature does not allow you to make spell attacks and weapon attacks (or grapple) as part of the same action.
Casting a spell requires using the "Cast a spell action"
Attacking with a weapon requires taking the "Attack action". The extra attack feature allows you to take an additional attack IF you take the Attack action.
In your example, the character took the cast a spell action when they cast burning hands. They can not try to grapple after this since they do NOT have an attack with which to do so.
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One clarification ... IF your character used the fighter Action surge ability to gain a second action on the turn then they could use the first action to cast the burning hands spell using the cast a spell action THEN they could use the second action to take the Attack action (for which they have extra attack and thus may make two attacks). You could substitute grapple for one or both of these attacks since you took the Attack action. However, this is ONLY possible if you use action surge ... otherwise you have one action which can be either cast a spell or Attack (or disengage, dodge, hide, help etc ...)
I agree with Lostwhilefishing, with one caveat. Fighters can Action Surge. You could have cast burning hands and then followed that up with your Attack action. But the Extra Attack feature does not allow you to make spell attacks and weapon attacks (or grapple) as part of the same action.
I have been experimenting with the grapple attack and during one my game sessions with my group I did interesting combo. I did burning hands to an Ettin and then I try to grapple him. My character has extra attack ability. One the other players tried to intervene and said I can't cast a spell and then grapple. As far as I can tell there is nothing in the rules or game mechanics said that I can't do that. I play a warforged eldritch knight. he is currently at level 6. Here is a link to my character ddb.ac/characters/20581674/WSaZ5u.
Thank you,
Fantasylover
What the others have said so far is correct: you cannot do both of those things with a single action.
More specifically, the reason you cannot do both (in general) is because the Attack action and [Tooltip Not Found] action are distinct actions, and the level 5 Fighter feature Extra Attackdoes not mean you have two actions.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
The number of attacks increases to three when you reach 11th level in this class and to four when you reach 20th level in this class.
Having Extra Attack means that, when you take the Attack action, you get to make two (or more, at higher levels) attacks as part of that one action.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Thank you all for the wonderful support. I lost track some where the distinction between cast a spell as an action and taking the attack action, as being the same action. I will take this knowledge into the game session when we encounter combat so it doesn't derailed the session.
Nets accomplish the goal of grappling better than a creature actually grappling with the Grappler feat. Gotta love 5e...
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
They're cheap and easily destroyed. A character can make excellent use of the grappler feat and is actually superior to the net.
Using the grappler feat causes you to be Restrained as well, negating any mechanical benefit to the player, and only leaving detrimental effects. You have advantage on attacks against the other creature, but your own attacks are also at disadvantage--flat roll. Sure, your allies attacking the target will see a benefit, but the same is also true of everyone else attacking you.
... was this feat updated within the last 2 years..? Because I do not recall the line "You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling" as having been part of it, and that makes a huge difference in value... basically the entire argument against the feat in the past. I'd still (almost) never exercise the restraining option.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
They're cheap and easily destroyed. A character can make excellent use of the grappler feat and is actually superior to the net.
Using the grappler feat causes you to be Restrained as well, negating any mechanical benefit to the player, and only leaving detrimental effects. You have advantage on attacks against the other creature, but your own attacks are also at disadvantage--flat roll. Sure, your allies attacking the target will see a benefit, but the same is also true of everyone else attacking you.
... was this feat updated within the last 2 years..? Because I do not recall the line "You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling" as having been part of it, and that makes a huge difference in value... basically the entire argument against the feat in the past. I'd still (almost) never exercise the restraining option.
The disadvantage the grappler restraining the target is offset by the restrained condition, so attack rolls are made straight with no changes. It's a solid debuff on the enemy and a buff for the rest of the party. Is it situational? Yes, you won't want to do it all the time. Is it still a good option? Heck yes. Nets are easily thrown off or destroyed. A character can restrain a target for far longer than one round.
Too many theorycrafters only think of the player and now how you can contribute to the party.
Yes, that's just rephrasing what I already said. :P
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
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Hello,
I have been experimenting with the grapple attack and during one my game sessions with my group I did interesting combo. I did burning hands to an Ettin and then I try to grapple him. My character has extra attack ability. One the other players tried to intervene and said I can't cast a spell and then grapple. As far as I can tell there is nothing in the rules or game mechanics said that I can't do that. I play a warforged eldritch knight. he is currently at level 6. Here is a link to my character ddb.ac/characters/20581674/WSaZ5u.
Thank you,
Fantasylover
Casting Burning Hands takes an action, grappling is a version of the Attack action. You can't do both at the same turn since you only have one action per turn. The Extra Attack feature allows you to make multiple attacks (or grapplings) as part of the same action but you still can't do multiple actions.
I agree with Lostwhilefishing, with one caveat. Fighters can Action Surge. You could have cast burning hands and then followed that up with your Attack action. But the Extra Attack feature does not allow you to make spell attacks and weapon attacks (or grapple) as part of the same action.
Your character has ONE action.
Casting a spell requires using the "Cast a spell action"
Attacking with a weapon requires taking the "Attack action". The extra attack feature allows you to take an additional attack IF you take the Attack action.
In your example, the character took the cast a spell action when they cast burning hands. They can not try to grapple after this since they do NOT have an attack with which to do so.
---
One clarification ... IF your character used the fighter Action surge ability to gain a second action on the turn then they could use the first action to cast the burning hands spell using the cast a spell action THEN they could use the second action to take the Attack action (for which they have extra attack and thus may make two attacks). You could substitute grapple for one or both of these attacks since you took the Attack action. However, this is ONLY possible if you use action surge ... otherwise you have one action which can be either cast a spell or Attack (or disengage, dodge, hide, help etc ...)
Yeah, I left out ACtion Surge. Good catch.
What the others have said so far is correct: you cannot do both of those things with a single action.
Here is a link to the PHB section on actions in combat.
More specifically, the reason you cannot do both (in general) is because the Attack action and [Tooltip Not Found] action are distinct actions, and the level 5 Fighter feature Extra Attack does not mean you have two actions.
Having Extra Attack means that, when you take the Attack action, you get to make two (or more, at higher levels) attacks as part of that one action.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Thank you all for the wonderful support. I lost track some where the distinction between cast a spell as an action and taking the attack action, as being the same action. I will take this knowledge into the game session when we encounter combat so it doesn't derailed the session.
There is a way to do something slightly similar to what you desire.
Closest I could get to what you desire.
Ahh! The old Eldritch Fisherman build. I like it. And you can jump in a lake and cast thunderwave and wait for the fish to float to the surface 😊
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Nets really are fantastic to carry around. I wish more people used them.
Nets accomplish the goal of grappling better than a creature actually grappling with the Grappler feat. Gotta love 5e...
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
They're cheap and easily destroyed. A character can make excellent use of the grappler feat and is actually superior to the net.
Using the grappler feat causes you to be Restrained as well, negating any mechanical benefit to the player, and only leaving detrimental effects. You have advantage on attacks against the other creature, but your own attacks are also at disadvantage--flat roll. Sure, your allies attacking the target will see a benefit, but the same is also true of everyone else attacking you.
... was this feat updated within the last 2 years..? Because I do not recall the line "You have advantage on attack rolls against a creature you are grappling" as having been part of it, and that makes a huge difference in value... basically the entire argument against the feat in the past. I'd still (almost) never exercise the restraining option.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The disadvantage the grappler restraining the target is offset by the restrained condition, so attack rolls are made straight with no changes. It's a solid debuff on the enemy and a buff for the rest of the party. Is it situational? Yes, you won't want to do it all the time. Is it still a good option? Heck yes. Nets are easily thrown off or destroyed. A character can restrain a target for far longer than one round.
Too many theorycrafters only think of the player and now how you can contribute to the party.
Yes, that's just rephrasing what I already said. :P
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.