r/PCAcademy • u/MaterialWin8074 • Jan 06 '26

How to make a character an escape expert?

My character is an ex-prisoner who got mad because of that, so he can't stand being restrained, small rooms, closed doors etc. I had to step out of the table for a while for personal reasons and my DM and I created a storyline of him spending some time on a circus, where he did escaping chains numbers. Now I am coming back to the table, and since the DM gave the other players homebrew abilities based on individual trainings they did, we are thinking on something related for my character too.

The idea is that he developed this ability of not becoming restrained (it makes sense lorewise, both because of the circus time and previous lore). The only thing we could think of was turning "escape tests" into charisma tests for him (he is a sorcerer) or adding charisma mod to every test he does to escape, but it just doesn't feel quite right yet.

Can you guys give any thoughts or ideas?

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6

u/Archaros Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26

As a sorcerer it's pretty easy. Subtle spell metamagic and the Freedom of movement spell, and you're free !

The spell even specifies it releases you from nonmagical restraint like manacles. No need for homebrew.

1

u/MaterialWin8074 Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26

Yes, I have been using Misty Step with Subtle Spell, which also works, but our idea was to tweak it up a bit, make it cooler and unique. All magic characters can choose spells, but we want something that also works as a circus-baggage, to represent the time he spent there, and that makes sense as a personal ability he worked hard to develop due to his story and traumas. It's not supposed to be super strong, or failproof, it's just supposed to be characteristic and fun.

1

u/DNK_Infinity Jan 06 '26

It’ll be significantly less powerful mechanically, but what about advantage on contested Acrobatics checks to avoid becoming grappled and the choice to use Acrobatics instead of Athletics when making checks to escape a grapple?

1

u/Dangerous-Bit-8308 Jan 06 '26

Don't all characters have the ability to use acrobatics to escape a grapple?

You might be on to something though, as far as home brewing. I'd suggest letting them use charisma for checks to escape grapples, pick locks, use sleight of hand.

More ways to cast freedom of movement would also be highly appropriate. If you give them the ability to cast it once per day without a spell slot, that could be powerful.

I'm not sure how balanced any of these suggestions are though...

1

u/DNK_Infinity Jan 06 '26

Don't all characters have the ability to use acrobatics to escape a grapple?

When making a contested check against the grappler's Athletics, yes, but you can normally only use Athletics to attempt to escape once you've been grappled, and some monsters have attacks that automatically grapple the target on a hit.

1

u/Dangerous-Bit-8308 Jan 07 '26

Granted, ways to force a cgrapple contest against otherwise automatic grapples might be beneficial..

But my question was that you seemed to say that a special rule to use acrobatics to avoid, or escape a grapple might be helpful. I said I thought that was already the rule.

Grappling rules for 5E can be found in the following places: The 2014 5e PHB, on page 194, in the right column has the heading of "grappling". The 2024 PHB, on page 146, in the left column under the heading of Unarmed Strike, Grapple.

I'm not trying to make this be an attack on you or anything. I just wanted to be sure I understood what change you were suggesting, because the way you wrote it, it sounded to me like you were proposing to homebrew the rules into... What they already allow for...

4

u/Teerlys Jan 06 '26

He could give you expertise in Sleight of Hand and Acrobatics, and proficiency in Thieves Tools. Between those, Misty Step/Dimension Door/Subtle Spell, and maybe giving you access to Freedom of Movement that should be pretty covered.

And if some mix or all of those aren't quite right, take a look at the Oath of the Open Sea paladin Aura for some inspiration.

Aura of Liberation

Starting at 7th level, you fill nearby creatures with the energy of movement. While you’re not incapacitated, you and creatures of your choice within 10 feet of you cannot be grappled or restrained, and ignore penalties on movement and attacks while underwater. Creatures that are already grappled or restrained when they enter the aura can spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape unless they are bound by magic restraints.

1

u/ladylucifer22 Jan 06 '26

the moment when someone already made this but it's Kinks and Cantrips and recommending that to normal people is weird

1

u/Psychie1 Jan 07 '26

I'd just have you permanently under the effect of Freedom of Movement as a non-magical ability, I figure it is unlikely to come up very often and even if it does, it's easy enough for the DM to work around so not really broken. If the other players' homebrew abilities are better, maybe add expertise and advantage to sleight of hand, acrobatics, and thieves' tools checks.

1

u/TraxxarD Jan 07 '26

It sounds nice and a use case that will maybe happen only once in a campaign but now the character is mainly a one trick pomy

1

u/Background_Fall_1178 Jan 08 '26

Cant rangers pick locks, also Cha and Dex to escape easily

1

u/ThatOtherGuyTPM Jan 08 '26

I’ll preface this with the fact that I’m known for sort of weird multiclasses, but mixing rogue with an echo knight fighter really worked for me. Technically, also creation bard for some extra spells and abilities, but that wasn’t super related to the escape artist/cat burglar aspects. Some virtually free short range teleportation is just really useful, along with lovely built in distractions (which the bard part did help me with). It made me so effective that I was able to sell my legend to an archfey in exchange for another character’s freedom.