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Can a Druid/Barbarian multiclass wildshaped into a giant constrictor snake use my Athletics skill in the place of the constrict attack?
A barbarian/druid multiclass can have a much better grapple than a lot of wild shapes have specialized grapple DC set to (especially when including feats like Prodigy to get expertise in Athletics).
Would I be resigned to using the animal's DC for those special attacks, or can I use an Athletics check instead?
The Constrict attack must be used as is, since it is not a Strength (Athletics) roll, it's an attack. If you're interested in improving other Wild Shaped forms' ability to grapple, this information might come in handy.
The rules for the druid's Wild Shape feature say that:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours.
So when making the Athletics check required by the grapple, you would use the Wild Shape form's Strength (Athletics) statistics, but if the creature did not have proficiency in Athletics (or has a lower proficiency), then yours would apply.
From the Wild Shape rules:
Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
Note that you don't retain your Athletics skill, or your Strength score. The constrictor snake has Str 15.
You can’t cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. ... You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so.
"Any action that requires hands" includes grappling.
