I have a combination of feats and features that allow me to bonus action grapple and do 1d8 with an unarmed strike. If I use a shield the damage drops to 1d6 but I would get a +2 ac. I am a rune knight grappler my main focus is to lock people down is the +2 ac worth lowering my attacks by an average of 1 per hit?
I believe numbers are irrelevant. You need both hands free to be able to grapple more creatures; this is more important than anything.
While that argument makes logical sense, I’m not sure it’s RAW. It just says you have to have one hand free. Once you’ve grappled someone, you could say you, I do t know, twist your leg around them, or put them in a headlock with your other (shield) hand. It doesn’t say that grappling someone occupies your hand. (I could be missing something though.) I mean, I agree with you, and I’d rule it that way as well, but I can see some room for a ruling otherwise. So I’d suggest the OP talk to their DM.
And the OP’s question, I’d take 2 AC over 1 damage every time. Unless the party counts on you for damage, but the way I’m reading it, a grappler fighter is rarely the damage person, and probably you’re there for some battlefield control.
makes sense, since i have so much health the ac will go a long way for making me tankier. But damage wise I do alright damage if I hit which I often do as I shove prone to give advantage to our paladin, I have 2d8+1d6+1d4+8 at level 5. Changing that to 3d6+1d4+8 to gain a +2 to ac does seem like a better choice now that I think about it.
I have a combination of feats and features that allow me to bonus action grapple and do 1d8 with an unarmed strike. If I use a shield the damage drops to 1d6 but I would get a +2 ac. I am a rune knight grappler my main focus is to lock people down is the +2 ac worth lowering my attacks by an average of 1 per hit?
I believe numbers are irrelevant. You need both hands free to be able to grapple more creatures; this is more important than anything.
ah i thought you only needed one free hand to grapple
While that argument makes logical sense, I’m not sure it’s RAW. It just says you have to have one hand free. Once you’ve grappled someone, you could say you, I do t know, twist your leg around them, or put them in a headlock with your other (shield) hand. It doesn’t say that grappling someone occupies your hand. (I could be missing something though.)
I mean, I agree with you, and I’d rule it that way as well, but I can see some room for a ruling otherwise. So I’d suggest the OP talk to their DM.
And the OP’s question, I’d take 2 AC over 1 damage every time. Unless the party counts on you for damage, but the way I’m reading it, a grappler fighter is rarely the damage person, and probably you’re there for some battlefield control.
RAW you do only need one free hand to grapple another creature.
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makes sense, since i have so much health the ac will go a long way for making me tankier. But damage wise I do alright damage if I hit which I often do as I shove prone to give advantage to our paladin, I have 2d8+1d6+1d4+8 at level 5. Changing that to 3d6+1d4+8 to gain a +2 to ac does seem like a better choice now that I think about it.
Two free hands to grapple two creatures.