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This is a follow up from this question about whether a grapple can be released by the grappler at any distance within its reach.

A creature with a 15' reach is grappling a creature with a 5' reach. My question in this situation is: how much can the grappled creature be moved if it remains within the grappling creature's 15' reach? ie. can it be moved 30' and what type of action is required for this movement?

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Not at all

The relevant section of the grappling rule is:

Moving a Grappled Creature. When you move, you can drag or carry the grappled creature with you, but your speed is halved, unless the creature is two or more sizes smaller than you.

So, you can move a grappled creature when you move maintaining the same orientation and distance between you and you can move without moving the grappled creature allowing you to change the orientation and distance between you but you can’t move the grappled creature on its own.

Some specific ‘grappler’ monsters have specific rules about moving their victims that operate in addition to this general rule.

Is this rule restrictive and unrealistic? Yes, but then so is every rule in the game for any personal level of restriction and realism.

There are various schools of thought on this which, at the extremes go:

  1. That's the rule - we're playing a game so arbitrary cut-offs that create cognitive dissonance are inevitable if we want consistency and certainty.
  2. This rule is stupid so I by my power as DM am going to rule differently, the new rule is X.

Put yourself on the continuum and make the ruling.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I think given how counter intuitive this rule is (and the high likelihood they just didn't consider this case in the rules), the answer could benefit from clarification on the type of specific rules you refer to, and analysis on allowing versions of those rules as standard. \$\endgroup\$
    – SeriousBri
    Commented Aug 24, 2019 at 22:51
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    \$\begingroup\$ It's worth also noting that you can accomplish this goal by simply moving the grappled creature to the desired position, then moving around to the desired direction from it while staying within its reach. \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Commented Aug 25, 2019 at 4:41

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