The Grim Art of Strangulation in D&D: Rules, Risks, and Realities
Strangling, a brutal and intimate act of violence, isn’t explicitly codified with a single “Strangling” action in D&D 5e. Instead, it’s a combination of existing mechanics: grappling, contested checks, and condition application, that together simulate the effects of choking someone. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
The core process involves:
- Grappling: You must first successfully grapple your target. This uses your action and requires a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
- Maintaining the Grapple: You must continue to maintain the grapple to begin strangulation.
- Applying the Choke: Once grappled, you use your action on a subsequent turn to attempt to choke your target. This involves a Strength check, which is separate from the grapple check itself.
- Opposed Saving Throw Your victim makes a Constitution saving throw. If you successfully strangle the target, they take one level of strangulation.
- Strangulation Levels There is no official “level of strangulation”. This is a house rule.
The effects of strangulation are typically disadvantage, unconsciousness, or even death as ruled by the individual Dungeon Master, based on the duration and intensity of the strangulation.
Understanding the Mechanics
The key to effective strangulation within the game is understanding each of these steps:
Grappling
The grapple is the foundation. It requires a successful contested check. You can only target creatures one size larger than you. A failed attempt means your action is wasted, and the target remains free.
The Strength Check
The strangulation act itself requires another strength check, representing the effort needed to maintain pressure on the throat. The victim’s constitution saving throw represents their resilience and ability to resist the effects of strangulation.
Unconsciousness and Damage
There are no concrete strangulation damage rules in the game, this is something the DM will have to consider. A typical house rule, based on the game’s mechanics, is the application of levels of strangulation, and those levels can cause effects like disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity checks, or unconsciousness
The DM’s Discretion
Ultimately, the DM has the final say. They will adjudicate the severity of effects, taking into account the narrative, the specific circumstances, and the characters involved.
Related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you strangle someone unconscious in a single round?
Not usually. The rules as described require a minimum of two turns – one to grapple and another to attempt the strangulation, in addition to a successful contested Strength check and saving throw. It is possible that a DM might allow a single round strangulation using a homebrew rule, especially on a critical hit.
2. Does strangulation deal damage?
Not explicitly, no. The mechanics as written do not include damage from strangulation. DMs often make house rules to reflect the harm caused, such as levels of strangulation which cause a decrease in ability scores. A Choke spell will deal 1-4 hit points of damage each round the spell is active.
3. Can you strangle someone with a weapon?
Technically no, not with the standard rules. You cannot attack with a weapon to strangle. Strangling requires a grapple and then a Strength check to choke. Some DMs may allow specific weapon combinations to be used for strangulation with a house rule, but by default you cannot use your sword to choke someone.
4. What are the differences between an air choke and a blood choke in D&D?
The rules do not make a distinction. Both types of chokes involve restricting blood flow and airways, and their game effect is the same. DMs can add roleplaying flavor such as specifying an air choke might be more painful to roleplay and a blood choke might be quicker to cause unconsciousness.
5. Does strangulation work on undead or constructs?
It depends on the creature. Undead that still have a physical form and require a functioning neck for their animation can be strangled. Constructs usually don’t have throats in the biological sense, meaning that they cannot be strangled normally. DMs can rule that a construct could be grappled and its mechanisms crushed by a successful strangle.
6. Can a creature immune to being grappled still be strangled?
No. Since strangulation begins with a grapple, a creature immune to being grappled cannot be strangled using this method.
7. What happens if a creature is already restrained?
A creature that is already restrained is easier to grapple as they have disadvantage on Strength or Dexterity checks so a strangulation attempt would have advantage. However, restraints may not necessarily mean you have full control over their neck, so the Strength check to strangle remains.
8. Can a character be disarmed while strangling?
Yes, a character can be disarmed while strangling. You cannot use a weapon during a strangulation, but your character could have a weapon that could be disarmed. Disarming is a melee attack, the strangling party must pass another grapple check.
9. Can a character use the grapple feat to pin a creature and choke?
Yes. The Grappler feat allows you to restrain a creature you’ve grappled with a second successful grapple check, this can be followed by a strangle check.
10. Does strangulation count as a melee attack?
The initial grapple is treated as an attack. The strangle check is not an attack, but a check used against a saving throw.
11. How does strangulation interact with spells that require concentration?
If a character is strangling someone while concentrating on a spell, they must make concentration checks due to the damage and stress of strangulation. If the grappler is being strangled, then they must also make concentration checks if they are concentrating on a spell.
12. What are the potential consequences of failed strangulation checks?
A failed strangulation check could result in the target using its action to break the grapple, creating more distance between the aggressor and target. In addition, depending on the creature being strangled, they may retaliate in a harsh manner.
13. How does a character resist strangulation?
A character resists strangulation by making a Constitution saving throw, which reflects their health and resilience. A good Constitution score provides an advantage on saving throws.
14. Can you hold a spell and then strangle someone?
Yes, you can. You must follow the rules of holding a spell: you specify the spell and the trigger, use a spell slot, and maintain concentration. As a standard action, you could begin strangling and still maintain the spell if you are not struck by damage.
15. What are the realistic implications of strangulation in the context of D&D?
While D&D simplifies combat, it’s important to remember that strangulation is a brutal act. It’s not just about numbers and dice rolls; it’s about inflicting harm. Depending on your group, a DM might wish to add roleplaying details to describe the process and emotional impact of strangling a character.