Today I was playing D&D5e with a group of friends. We all played D&D in the past, the 3.5 edition, and so far we found the new 5e rules a very well-done simplification of the rules.
However, today I tried for the first time to grapple a character. Essentially, all the rules I could find were:
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How to grapple a character: you make, as your action, an opposed Strength VS Strength/Dexterity check, […]. Okay, very similar to the previous mechanic, although it now is much easier to start.
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If you succeed, the character is grappled. This means that its speed is reduced to zero. He can break free by doing […] and the effect also ends if […]
That's it. A grappled character can essentially do any other action (hit me with his full attack, cast a spell, whatever) without any opportunity attack or even disadvantage.
Now, obviously the ability lost a lot of its power (and flavour), but I was wondering: is there any way of effectively restraining the possibilities and the movements of an enemy in 5e, in a similar way to what grapple did in 3.5e?
Just for comparison, remember that in 3.5e the character had to win an opposed grapple check or had significant penalties to what he was trying to do, like being unable to use non-light weapons, having -4 on all other attacks, having to make a Concentration check to cast spells (and not all of them were available in a grapple either). However, a grapple attempt was harder to start, and once started it didn't distinguish between the grappler and the grappled anymore.
Best Answer
While it's not an exact analogue to 3.5e grappling, I believe the closest thing to what you're looking for is the Grappler feat. It gives you advantage on attack rolls against any creature you have grappled. It also allows you to give your grappled opponent the Restrained condition as well as the Grappled condition when you grapple them. This inflicts the following penalties:
Note that when you give your grappled opponent the Restrained condition, you also give it to yourself.
I should point out that, just like in 3.5e, if you want to be good at grappling, the best way to do it is just to be a Druid and turn into something that is inherently good at grappling. Many monsters automatically grapple and restrain on attack, without restraining themselves.
Good, early available forms for this include the Giant Constrictor Snake, the Giant Octopus, and the Giant Toad. Later on, the Giant Crocodile or the Water Elemental is probably your best bet. Using polymorph, the T-Rex is particularly nice, but it's not ideal to use polymorph on yourself, because of concentration.