D&D 5e Grapple vs Shove Action Economy Guide
A tactical guide to using grapple and shove as special attacks, including probability math and when the prone-lock combo helps or hurts the party.
Grapple and shove are attacks, not full actions for Extra Attack users
In 5e, grapple and shove are special melee attacks. That wording matters. If you can make multiple attacks with the Attack action, you can replace one of those attacks with a grapple or shove. The contested-check framework is tied to ability contests on PHB p.175 and the combat action rules around PHB p.193-196. The result is a surprisingly deep action-economy tool for martial characters.
Grapple reduces the target's speed to 0. Shove either knocks the target prone or pushes it 5 feet away. Combining them can pin a creature in place while prone, forcing it to spend meaningful action economy to escape or fight from a bad position. The combo is strongest when allies can exploit melee advantage and weakest when the party's damage is mostly ranged.
How grapple vs shove success is calculated
A grapple or shove uses a contested check: the attacker rolls Strength (Athletics), and the defender chooses Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). The attacker succeeds only if the attacker's total beats the defender's total. A tie leaves the situation unchanged, so ties are not successes for the grappler. Exact probability can be calculated by counting all 400 possible d20 pairs.
| Attacker Athletics | Defender best skill | Success count out of 400 | Success chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| +7 | +3 | 264 | 66.00% |
| +8 | +2 | 295 | 73.75% |
| +5 | +5 | 190 | 47.50% |
| +9 | +4 | 280 | 70.00% |
Example math for +7 vs +3: count every d20 attacker result and every d20 defender result where d20 + 7 > d20 + 3. There are 264 winning pairs out of 400, so the chance is 66%. Advantage on Athletics changes the count substantially, which is why rage, Enhance Ability, Rune Knight size, and Expertise matter.
Action economy: grapple first, shove second
For a level 5 character with Extra Attack, the classic control sequence is grapple with the first attack and shove prone with the second. If both succeed, the target has speed 0 and is prone. Standing from prone costs movement, but grapple sets speed to 0, so the target cannot stand until it escapes or the grapple ends. Melee attacks from within 5 feet usually gain advantage against the prone target, while ranged attacks from farther away usually have disadvantage.
That last sentence is why party composition matters. A barbarian, paladin, rogue, and melee cleric love the grapple-prone package. A party of archers and Eldritch Blast users may hate it. The tactic is not universally correct; it is correct when the allied action economy profits more than the grappler spends.
Simple value test: If one attack spent on shove grants advantage to three later melee attacks, the trade is usually good. If it gives disadvantage to three allied ranged attacks, it is usually bad.
Grapple vs shove: when each wins
| Tactic | Best use | Action cost | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grapple | Stop movement, hold enemies in hazards, prevent escape, protect backline | Replaces one attack; escape usually costs target action | Does not impose disadvantage or damage by itself |
| Shove prone | Grant melee advantage, reduce enemy movement, set up control | Replaces one attack | Hurts allied ranged attacks if they are not adjacent |
| Shove 5 feet | Break grapples, push into hazards, open lanes, force opportunity choices | Replaces one attack | Positioning may not matter on open maps |
| Grapple plus shove | Lock prone target at speed 0 | Usually two attacks or two characters | Requires both checks to work |
Environmental maps make these options stronger. A shove next to a ledge, spike growth, moonbeam, spirit guardians, or a closing gate is worth more than a shove in an empty room. Grapple also protects objectives: holding a cultist away from the lever can matter more than dealing 10 damage.
Build features that improve grappling
Strength, Athletics proficiency, Expertise, advantage on Strength checks, size increases, and extra attacks all improve grappling. Rage is a standout because it grants advantage on Strength checks while active, and a barbarian can afford to stand in contact. Rogue Expertise can create odd but effective grapplers. Rune Knight and similar size-changing features matter because grapple targets are limited by size.
Do not forget the free-hand requirement for grappling. Sword-and-board characters may need to sheathe, drop, or change weapons to keep a hand available. Also remember that forced movement, teleportation, incapacitation, size changes, and distance can end or invalidate grapples depending on circumstances.
Primary rule and tool sources
This guide cites the 2014 D&D 5e core rulebooks by page number and links only to public official or tool pages. Page references are used for table lookup, not as reproduced rule text.
D&D Official D&D Beyond Basic Rules AnyDiceTeam tactics built around grapple and shove
The best grappler is rarely acting alone. A grappler who locks an enemy prone gives melee allies advantage. A caster who creates Spike Growth, Spirit Guardians, Moonbeam, Cloud of Daggers, or another hazardous zone makes forced movement and speed control more valuable. A rogue may love a grappled enemy if it keeps the target adjacent to an ally and prevents escape. Grappling is strongest when it turns one character's attack into several characters' improved turns.
Initiative order matters. If the grappler acts after all melee allies, a shove-prone setup may not pay off until the next round, giving the enemy a chance to escape. If the grappler acts before the paladin, rogue, and fighter, one successful shove can improve the party's best attacks immediately. In close fights, delaying a shove until the right initiative position can be better than using it automatically.
Hazards change the math. A shove into a pit, off a ship, through a doorway, into a wall spell, or away from a lever can be worth more than any weapon attack. Grapple can hold a target inside damaging terrain or stop a fleeing enemy from reaching reinforcements. These plays are hard to price with DPR, but they win encounters because they change objectives.
Defensive grappling is underrated. Grapple an enemy that wants to run past you toward the wizard. Shove a monster away so an ally can move without taking an opportunity attack. Pull a creature out of cover so the party archer gets a clean shot. A control martial should think in terms of enemy options removed, not only damage added.
Limits, counters, and fair DM adjudication
Grapple is not restrained. This is the most important limit. A grappled creature can still attack, cast many spells, shove, grapple back, or use actions normally unless another condition or circumstance prevents it. The speed is 0, and that is powerful enough without adding extra penalties that the rule does not give.
Teleportation, forced movement, size changes, incapacitation, and distance can all break or invalidate a grapple depending on the exact effect. A misty step-style teleport is a classic escape. A monster that becomes too large may no longer be a valid target. A grappler pushed away may lose the hold. The DM should rule from the physical relationship: can the grappler still hold the target, and does the rule say the movement breaks the grapple?
Monsters should use the same logic. A giant with high Athletics may shove a fighter away from a doorway. A tentacled monster may grapple automatically through a stat block feature rather than the player-facing special attack. A smart enemy may attack the grappler to break concentration on Enhance Ability or force the party to choose between damage and control.
For fairness, announce enemy skill posture through description. A nimble assassin looks hard to pin and may use Acrobatics. A hulking ogre looks strong but not evasive. Players do not need exact modifiers, but good descriptions let them make informed tactical choices rather than discovering every counter after spending their attacks.
How to keep grappling fast at the table
Grappling becomes slow when every attempt turns into a rules debate. Put the procedure on an index card: choose grapple or shove, confirm size and reach, roll Athletics against Athletics or Acrobatics, ties do not change the state, then apply grappled or prone. That is the whole loop most of the time.
Use condition markers. A token that is both grappled and prone should visibly show both states. If the table forgets one of them, the tactic either becomes too strong or too weak by accident. On a VTT, add icons. At a physical table, use rings, coins, or colored markers.
Ask grappler players to precompute their Athletics bonus and any advantage source. If the barbarian rages, the player should know that Strength checks have advantage. If the rogue has Expertise, the bonus should already be written. The faster the player presents the roll, the less the tactic feels like a slowdown.
For monsters, use grapples with purpose. A monster that grapples only to reduce speed may not scare players. A monster that grapples near water, a ledge, a ritual circle, or a hungry ally creates immediate urgency. Good grapple encounters make position matter.
Example turn: level 5 barbarian controller
A raging level 5 barbarian with Athletics +7 attacks a cult champion. First attack: grapple at advantage from rage. Second attack: shove prone. If both contests succeed, the champion is prone with speed 0. The rogue and paladin act next, both attacking from within 5 feet with advantage. The barbarian gave up weapon damage, but the party gained accuracy, crit chance, and movement control.
If the next two allies were a longbow ranger and an Eldritch Blast warlock standing at range, the same play would be worse because prone would impose disadvantage on their ranged attacks. Grapple tactics are team tactics. Check who acts next before spending attacks on control.
FAQ
Is grapple an action in 5e?
Grapple is a special melee attack made with the Attack action. If you have Extra Attack, it can replace one attack rather than your entire action.
Is shove an action?
Shove is also a special melee attack made with the Attack action, replacing one attack for characters with multiple attacks.
What check does grapple use?
The attacker uses Strength (Athletics). The defender chooses Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics).
What happens on a tie?
For a contested check, a tie means the situation remains unchanged, so the grappler or shover does not succeed.
Can I grapple and shove in the same turn?
Yes if you can make at least two attacks with the Attack action, or if two allies coordinate across turns.
Why is grapple plus shove prone strong?
Grapple sets speed to 0. A prone creature needs movement to stand, so it cannot stand while grappled unless it first escapes or the grapple ends.
Does prone help ranged allies?
Usually no. Ranged attacks from more than 5 feet against a prone target usually have disadvantage.
Can I grapple a creature bigger than me?
The usual limit is a creature no more than one size larger than you. Size-changing features can expand your options.
Does rage help grappling?
Yes. Rage grants advantage on Strength checks, which includes Athletics checks used for grapples and shoves.
Can a grappled creature attack?
Yes. Grappled reduces speed to 0; it does not automatically restrain, silence, or prevent attacks.
How does a creature escape a grapple?
It can use its action to contest with Athletics or Acrobatics against the grappler's Athletics, or use movement/teleportation effects that end the grapple by rule or circumstance.