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My interpretation of the rules is that the grappler can move freely as long as the grappled stays on the grappler reach. But I want to be sure.

What happens in the situation where reach is greater than attack range?

  • A is an Otyugh and B is a humanoid. Keep in mind that the Otyugh's tentacle reach is 10 ft. and the bite attack range is 5 ft.
    • A is grappling B. B is 10 ft. away from A. A moves closer to B to make a bite attack.
    • A is grappling B. They're adjacent to each other. A moves 5 ft. away from B to put himself out of B reach.
    • A is grappling B. Both are at the edge of a chasm. A circles around B to be able to shove B into the chasm.
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1 Answer 1

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Yes, a grappler can move within their reach without ending the grapple.

Grappled condition (PHB, p. 290):

The [grappled] condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect ...

Moving a Grappled Creature (PHB, p. 195):

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.

Dragging/carrying the grappled creature is optional (the rule says can), and the grapple doesn't end unless the move puts the grappled creature out of reach.

All of the situations are fine: the otyugh (A) can move as described in each case. Note that its speed will be halved, however, even if it isn't moving the grappled creature.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I agree that the grappler may choose to drag or not to drag the grappled creature when moving, however, I'm not sure that I agree speed is halved regardless. To me, the quoted passage reads that speed is halved if you're dragging the grappled creature with you (and provided that creature is not two or more sizes smaller.) \$\endgroup\$
    – Steve-O
    Commented Feb 8, 2017 at 15:57
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    \$\begingroup\$ Steve even moving around them requires you fight against them, so you are dragging them around to maintain your grip. Have you ever held onto a unwilling person and turned around them? Say your kid has sticky stuff on their hands, and you grab them before they can spread it throgh out your home, but you need to grab the wipes which are on the counter on the other side of them? Yeah, movement being only halved is the game being kind. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – J. A. Streich
    Commented Feb 8, 2017 at 16:14
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    \$\begingroup\$ I don't think the speed reduction is conditional (note the absence of an "if you do" after the "but" in the rule). If you think it's really contentious, I can remove the last sentence and open a new question on that specific issue. \$\endgroup\$
    – Marq
    Commented Feb 8, 2017 at 16:29
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    \$\begingroup\$ If the grappled creature doesn't move you aren't moving it. The speed reduction is clearly under the section for moving a grappled creature. It might not make sense that you can still move full speed (for humans), but the rules do not support halving the Otyugh's speed in this case. I can't +1 the answer with that last sentence in it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nick Brown
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 14:12
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    \$\begingroup\$ But its presence in a subsection on moving a grappled creature makes it conditional. This is exactly like the rule against casting additional non-cantrip spells when you cast a bonus action which is only under casting spells as a bonus action and has no effect on casting spells in general. \$\endgroup\$
    – Nick Brown
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 19:07

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