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This question is based on this one: What happens when the UA Bait and Switch maneuver is used on a grappled ally when the maneuver-user is out of the grappling monster's reach?

The Unearthed Arcana Class Feature Variants includes the Bait and Switch fighter maneuver (page 5), which states:

When you’re within 5 feet of an ally on your turn, you can expend one superiority die and switch places with that ally, provided you spend at least 5 feet of movement. This movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks [...]

What happens when the Bait and Switch maneuver is used on a grappled ally when both the maneuver-user and the ally are still within grapple range of the grappling creature?

I see two possible outcomes:

  1. The maneuver-user takes the ally's place in being grappled, and can then attempt to break out of that grapple.

  2. The ally is still grappled, but has now been possibly moved to a more beneficial position.

I am not sure which of these would happen, as normally in a grapple the grappled creature cannot ever move. (And I might be confusing myself by trying to think of how this would even work IRL.)

V2Blast
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Karan Shishoo
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  • The answer you link does mention a way for the grappled target to move without the maneuver. Why do you think this is any different? https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/110775/can-you-grapple-drag-someone-out-of-a-grapple/110776#110776 – findusl Dec 19 '19 at 08:38
  • @findusl I realized now after jgn's answer that I was mistaken, for some reason I was under the impression that the bait and switch maneuver (due to its name) would somehow allowed one to swap places in a grapple – Karan Shishoo Dec 19 '19 at 08:39

1 Answers1

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The grapple is not broken by moving around within reach of the grapple

The rules for Grapple state:

  • A grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.

  • The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition).

  • The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the thunderwave spell.

If you move outside of the reach of the grappler, the grapple is broken. If you move but remain within reach, then the grapple is not broken. There are actually a lot of effects that can make this happen, for example shoving someone.

There is nothing about having the grapple change targets in the rules for grapple or bait-and-switch.

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