Do DCs for monster traits change due to a Wild Shaped Druid/Barbarian's Rage?

Question

While raging as a barbarian:

You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

Some beasts have the ability to knock the target prone or cause it to become grappled as part of another attack (which normally as a PC would involve contested checks). For example:

• The Dire Wolf's Bite action, on a hit, forces a DC 13 Strength save to avoid being knocked prone.
• The Giant Octopus' Tentacles action causes the hit creature to become grappled (and restrained while grappled), with an escape DC of
• The Giant Toad's Bite action also causes the target to become grappled (and restrained while grappled), with an escape DC of 13.

If my multiclassed character (barbarian 1/druid 2) was raging while Wild Shaped into a creature with such an ability, does the DC increase, does it change to the player raging required to roll for the DC (with advantage), or would it stay the original DC?

Answer 1

By RAW, No. The DC does not change.

tl;dr Rage has no provision for changing the DC of a check nor do the stat blocks of beasts have provision for changing the DC of the abilities.

A druid transforming using wild shape into the beast and gets the stat block and abilities of the beast form (except for legendary and lair actions).

The raging character is not making saving throws or checks.

Rage gives the character advantage when they roll checks or saving throws, but in the cases of these abilities, the target is making the check. Rage simply does not apply.

The special grapple abilities of the beast are not the same mechanics as the grapple action.

Rage applies to the opposed checks resulting from a character replacing one of their attacks from the Attack action with a grappling attempt. However, the abilities of the giant toad or octopus are not the grapple action. For example, the giant octopus' Tentacles action, on a hit, results in a grappled condition that also causes the target to be restrained.

The mechanics to break this special grapple are different than the character's regular grapple action, and are written as a static DC check to break. As it is not an opposed check, the rage status of the giant octopus does not apply here.