Mastering the Shove: A Comprehensive Guide to 5e’s Tactical Maneuver
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The shove action in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition is a powerful tool for battlefield control, allowing characters to reposition enemies, set up tactical advantages, or even create openings for their allies. It’s a special melee attack, distinct from a standard weapon attack, offering a unique way to interact with opponents. Understanding its nuances can significantly elevate your gameplay.
What are the rules for the shove action in 5e?
The core of the shove action involves a contested check. Instead of making an attack roll, you make a Strength (Athletics) check. This is contested by the target’s choice of either a Strength (Athletics) check or a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The target decides which ability to use for their defense.
Here’s a breakdown of the key rules:
- Action Type: The shove action is a special melee attack and is performed as part of the Attack action. This means if you have multiple attacks, you can choose to replace one or more with a shove.
- Target Size: The target must be no more than one size larger than you. A Medium character can shove a Medium or Large creature, but not a Huge creature.
- Target Location: The target must be within your reach. Most characters have a reach of 5 feet, but some creatures or weapons might extend that.
- Check: You make a Strength (Athletics) check, contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (their choice).
- Success: If you succeed on the contested check, you have two options:
- Push: You move the target 5 feet directly away from you. This movement is forced, and it can potentially move the creature into hazards, off ledges, or into a more vulnerable position.
- Knock Prone: You knock the target prone, making it easier for melee attacks to hit them while imposing disadvantage on their ranged attacks.
- Special Shove: The Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG) introduces a variant: Shove Aside. It works like the normal shove but the target is moved to a space within your reach, instead of moving it directly away. However, this variant gives the attacker disadvantage on the check.
- No Damage: Shoving doesn’t inflict damage. It’s a purely repositioning and status effect tool.
- Opportunity Attacks: Shoving does not trigger an opportunity attack. Opportunity attacks are triggered by movement that a creature makes using its action, reaction, or movement outside of your reach (willing movement).
- Free Hand: You do not need a free hand to shove. Unlike grappling, which explicitly requires a free hand, shoving has no such restriction.
Understanding these rules is essential for using shove effectively in combat. This tactical move can often be more valuable than simply attacking.
Shove Action FAQs
Does the shove action count as an attack?
Yes, the shove action is a special melee attack. It replaces one or more of the attacks you make when you take the Attack action.
Do you get an opportunity attack if you shove a creature?
No, you do not get an opportunity attack if you shove a creature. Opportunity attacks are triggered by creatures willingly moving out of your reach, not by being forcibly moved.
Can I shove with extra attack?
Absolutely. If your class features, such as Extra Attack, allow you to make multiple attacks, you can choose to replace one or more of those attacks with a shove attempt. This allows fighters and other martials to weave in tactical repositioning while still maintaining offensive pressure.
Can you shove twice in a turn 5e?
You can only shove twice in a turn if you gain an extra action such as through the use of Haste or Action Surge, otherwise, you are limited to using a maximum of one shove per attack action. If you have multiple attacks, only one of your attacks can be used for a shove.
Can you shove and grapple with extra attack?
Yes, you can. Grappling and shoving are both special melee attacks that you can use instead of a standard attack. If you have Extra Attack, you can use one attack to grapple and another to shove (or vice versa).
Is a shove an unarmed strike?
An unarmed strike is a melee attack involving using your body to cause damage, grapple, or shove. The shove is considered a type of unarmed strike. While shoving does not deal damage, it still fits within the category of an unarmed strike attack.
Does rage give advantage on shove?
Yes, a Barbarian’s Rage grants advantage on Strength checks. This includes Strength (Athletics) checks, making it easier for them to successfully shove enemies.
Do you need a free hand to shove 5e?
No, you do not need a free hand to shove. This makes shoving a versatile option for characters using weapons or shields, where grappling may not be viable.
Can you use Mage Hand to shove?
No, you cannot use Mage Hand to shove. Mage Hand is limited to the actions described within the spell. Shoving is not a function it can perform.
Does pushing attack trigger an opportunity attack?
No, pushing an enemy out of your reach with the shove action does not trigger an opportunity attack. Opportunity attacks are triggered by the creature willingly moving.
Can the Echo use a bow to shove?
The echo of the Echo Knight subclass can technically use a bow to make an attack, however, it cannot shove. Shoving is a melee attack and a bow is a ranged attack. The echo cannot use melee if you are using ranged, and vice versa.
Do you get sneak attack if you have both advantage and disadvantage?
Sneak attack requires you to have either advantage on the attack roll OR an ally within 5 feet of the target, and you must not have disadvantage. Thus, if you have both advantage and disadvantage, you would not get sneak attack.
Can you use an attack of opportunity to grapple 5e?
You cannot use an opportunity attack to grapple. Grappling is a special melee attack that requires the use of the attack action, which is only available on your turn. You can, however, ready a grapple action.
Does Ranger get extra attack?
Yes, Rangers gain the Extra Attack feature at 5th level, allowing them to attack twice whenever they take the Attack action. This, again, means the ranger can choose one of those attacks to be a shove attempt.
Can you shove with flurry of blows?
No, you cannot use Flurry of Blows to shove. Flurry of Blows specifies that it is for making unarmed attacks and a shove is not considered an unarmed attack in this case. Disarming is also a similar case, in that, it is a special weapon attack and cannot be done with flurry of blows.
Conclusion
The shove action is a vital tool in the 5e arsenal, offering a flexible and effective means of battlefield control. Whether you are looking to knock enemies prone, move them into environmental hazards, or simply create space for yourself and your allies, understanding the rules and strategic applications of the shove action will significantly improve your tactical gameplay. Embrace this maneuver and unlock a new dimension of tactical prowess in your D&D 5e adventures.