Grapplemaster Redux

Grapplemasters forego weapons in favor of their fists, using honed technique and raw strength to disable enemies and assert dominance over the battlefield. Hurling foes, plowing through armies, and suplexing dragons are all just another day for these barehanded brawlers.

This subclass is based on one of my previous works, the Grapplemaster, which was designed as a Fighter subclass.

Barehanded Brawler

You don’t need weapons to lay a beating. At 3rd level, your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If you have two free hands, this damage increases to 1d8. In addition, when you successfully grapple a creature, it takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. If you are raging, your Rage Damage Bonus is also added to this damage, as well as the damage of any of your Grappling Techniques.

Grappling Techniques

Also at 3rd level, you learn special Grappling Techniques, which provide additional ways to grapple and shove foes. You learn three of the following Grappling Techniques, and learn additional ones as you level up. You learn two additional Techniques of your choice at 6th, 10th, and 14th level, and each time you learn new Techniques, you can also replace one Technique you know with a different one.

You can use only one Grappling Technique per attack, unless otherwise noted.

The list of Grappling Techniques can be found at the end of this document.

Saving Throws. Some of your Grappling Techniques require your target to make a saving throw to resist the technique’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

You can use a Grappling Technique a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. You also gain an additional number of uses equal to your Rage Damage Bonus whenever you enter a Rage. These additional uses can exceed your maximum, but any excess uses are lost when you finish a long rest.

Assert Dominance

When you successfully grapple a creature, or in place of an attack, you can deal 2d6 psychic damage to a grappled creature and force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is frightened until the end of your next turn.

Backbreaker

In place of an attack, you can release a creature you have grappled in order to deliver a spine-shattering strike, forcing it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and is incapacitated until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the damage is halved, and the creature suffers no additional effects.

Bear Hug

When you successfully grapple a creature and you have a free hand, you can attempt to grapple another creature within reach as part of the same action. Regardless of whether the second creature is successfully grappled, all creatures grappled by you then take 1d6 bludgeoning damage. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.

Bracing Grasp

When another creature enters your reach, you can use your reaction to attempt to grapple it. If your grapple is successful, you can use another Grappling Technique as part of this grapple, expending a use of your Grappling Techniques as normal.

Choking Grip

When you successfully grapple a creature, or in place of an attack, you can force a grappled creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and becomes unable to speak until the start of your next turn. For the duration of your grapple, you can force the target to make this save again as a bonus action.

Countergrapple

When a creature within your reach deals damage to you, you can use your reaction to attempt to grapple it. If your grapple is successful, you can use another Grappling Technique as part of this grapple, expending a use of your Grappling Techniques as normal.

Disarming Grip

When you successfully grapple a creature, or in place of an attack, you can force a grappled creature to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage and is forced to drop any items held in a hand of your choice. In addition, for the duration of your grapple, the target cannot hold items or take actions that require the use of that hand, such as swinging a two-handed weapon.

Drag Race

In place of an attack, you begin dragging a grappled creature against a surface within 5 feet of yourself. For the duration of your grapple, your movement speed is not reduced from grappling a creature, and for every 5 feet you move, your target takes 1d4 slashing damage. (At your DM’s discretion, unusual surfaces may have alternative effects - for instance, mud might provoke a Con save to avoid being blinded, while lava might add additional fire damage.)

Expose

You attempt to expose a creature’s weak points - possibly with a technique such as a full nelson, or possibly via a dirty trick such as grabbing an enemy’s tail. In place of an attack, you make a grapple attempt against a grappled creature. If you succeed, your target becomes Restrained for the duration of the grapple.

Forceful Shove

When you successfully shove a creature, you can force it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it is forcibly moved horizontally up to 30 feet away from yourself. If the creature would hit a solid object or another creature, both take 3d6 bludgeoning damage.

Living Weapon

You shift your grip on a grappled creature in order to use it as a living weapon. For the duration of the grapple, the grappled creature counts as a melee weapon with which you are proficient, dealing 1d10 + Strength damage to both the target and the grappled creature on a successful attack.

If the grappled creature dies, your living weapon breaks, and no longer grants these benefits.

Lunging Grasp

When you attempt to grapple a creature, your reach becomes 5 feet greater than usual. If you succeed, the grappled creature takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage, and is pulled to an unoccupied location of your choice within 5 feet of yourself.

Meat Shield

You shift your grip on a grappled creature in order to use it as a meat shield. For the duration of the grapple, you are considered to be holding a shield (granting +2 to your AC, which doesn't stack with other shields, Meat or otherwise). In addition, when an attack misses you, you can use your reaction to redirect the attack to your meat shield instead.

If the grappled creature dies, your meat shield breaks, and no longer grants these benefits.

Power Through

When you successfully grapple a creature, or in place of an attack, you charge forward a distance up to half your movement speed, using the grappled creature to break through anything in your path. You can pass through creatures during this movement, though you can’t end your movement inside a creature. Creatures you move through must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 bludgeoning damage; each time a creature takes this damage, the grappled creature also takes the same damage. A creature can only make this saving throw once per turn.

Rip and Tear

In place of an attack, you painfully pull at a grappled creature’s limbs, dealing 3d6 slashing damage to it. If the target is also being grappled by another creature, the damage is increased by 3d6.

Stop Hitting Yourself!

In place of an attack, you force a grappled creature to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is forced to make a melee weapon attack vs a creature of your choice (which can include itself) within its reach. For the duration of the grapple, you can force it to repeat this saving throw as a bonus action.

Suplex

In place of an attack, you can release a creature you have grappled in order to deliver a suplex, forcing it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 6d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, the damage is halved, and the creature is not knocked prone.

Tombstone

In place of an attack, you can release a creature you have grappled in order to bury it into the ground, forcing it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and is restrained. On a successful save, the damage is halved, and the creature is not restrained.

A restrained creature can attempt this saving throw again at the start of each of its turns to unbury itself, ending the restrained condition on a success. In addition, creatures can attempt this saving throw as an action to free a buried creature.

Tripping Shove

When you successfully shove a creature, you can force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d6 damage, is knocked prone, becomes unable to take reactions, and has its speed reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn.

YEET!

In place of an attack, you can throw a grappled creature up to 60 feet. If it impacts a solid surface, the thrown creature takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage for each 10 feet traveled. If it would impact another creature, make an attack roll, treating the thrown creature as a thrown weapon with which you are proficient. On a hit, both creatures take 1d6 bludgeoning damage for each 10 feet traveled. On a miss, only the thrown creature takes this damage.

Yoh-Shi Grand Slam

In place of an attack, you can make a mighty leap before hurling a creature you have grappled into the ground, forcing it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, the damage is halved, and the creature is not knocked prone.

Regardless of whether the target succeeded on this saving throw, you then leap into the air, to a maximum distance equal to your normal jump height plus twice your Strength score.

Extremely Firm Handshake

Starting at 6th level, you can add your Strength modifier to your Charisma (Intimidation) checks. In addition, you have advantage on Charisma checks against anyone that you have shaken the hand of in the last hour.

Peerless Might

Also at 6th level, you gain proficiency in Athletics. If you already have proficiency in this skill, you gain proficiency in a skill of your choice instead. In addition, while you are raging, you add your Rage Damage Bonus to your Athletics checks. You receive this benefit regardless of the skill proficiency you gain from this feature.

Godhand

At 10th level, your grip surpasses physical limits. You count as two sizes larger for the purposes of grappling. In addition, your grapples and unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of ignoring resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks. Finally, creatures with immunity to the grappled condition instead have advantage on skill checks to escape or avoid your grapples.

Master of Arms

Starting at 14th level, you can grapple creatures even if you do not have a free hand. In addition, when you use a Grappling Technique, you can affect every creature grappled by you with the same Technique, imposing any saving throws, attack rolls, or other prerequisites as necessary.