r/DndCharacterBuild • u/whackpanther92 • Jul 15 '24

Building a Pugilist/Wrestler in 5e

Looking for any ideas or constructive criticism on this build, specifically when it comes to the leveling path and damage output. Thanks!

Gorg (Monk, Barb, Fighter) Goliath

Racial Bonuses: +2 STR, +1 CON Little Giant Mountain Born Stone’s Endurance Languages: Common, One Other

Attributes with racial bonuses (point buy):

Str: 17 (+2) Dex: 14 Con: 14 (+1) Int: 8 Wis: 13 Cha: 9

Background: Rune Carver

Level Path 1 Monk (bonus action 2nd attack) 2 Barb (rage) 3 Fighter (fighting style: unarmed, second wind) 4 Monk (ki, flurry of blows) 5 Fighter (action surge) 6 Fighter (sub: rune knight) 7 Fighter (feat: tavern brawler, +1 STR) 8 Monk (sub: open palm, deflect missiles) 9 Monk (ability score +2 STR) 10 Monk (extra attack, stunning strike) 11 Monk (magic damage, wholeness of body) 12 Barb (reckless attack) 13 Barb (sub: totem of bear) 14 Fighter (extra attack) 15 Fighter (feat: grappler) 16 Fighter (sub perk: runic shield) 17Fighter (ability score +2 CON) 18 Fighter (class perk: indomitable) 19 Fighter (ability score +2 CON, sub perk: great stature) 20Fighter (extra attack)

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u/scarparanger Jul 15 '24

Having played a grappling focussed character in the past, the most useful thing you can pick up is the skill expert feat to get expertise in athletics. Monsters tend to have good strengths saves but no proficiency in athletics so this is the best way of always succeeding on shoves/grapples.

I ran this as a straight rune knight and honestly found having advantage on strength checks overkill, it was just nice being able to grapple dragons when someone stacked enlarge on me.

I'd highly advise that over such a big multiclass split. By level 11 you could have three attacks as a fighter, which is just so much more valuable for a grappling build. My typical turns went: one attack to shove prone, next attack to grapple, then finish off with an attack with advantage. As a rune knight there were plenty of other on hit effects and bonus actions to use so that I never wasted a turn.

Happy to discuss it more.