Halberd Question

If I have a barbarian with polearm master using a halberd, do I benefit from the rage damage bonus as well as the cleave feature on the bonus action attack feature gained through polearm master if I have not yet used the cleave feature on my main attack? 

Sure. Cleave can be used when you "hit a creature with a melee attack roll using this weapon", which is what you're doing when you make that extra bonus action attack. You can only use Cleave once per turn, but it doesn't have to be on the first attack you make on a turn. (The first attack would probably be preferable in this case, since it deals more damage, but if that attack misses you might want to use it on the bonus action attack.)

The Barbarian Rage damage bonus applies to any attack roll made using Strength, which would include both the main attack and the extra bonus action attack in this case. There is no per-turn limit on this, so you get that extra damage on both attacks.

I'm not so sure about the weapon mastery part. If you're going strictly rules as written, then it should be allowed, but I'm not convinced that's the intent here. Getting a benefit associated with the dangerous part of the weapon even when striking with the opposite end doesn't make much sense. I see it more as an improvised weapon that you are proficient with.

Surely that is the exact intent, "Polearm MASTER" - being good with bond ends of the sharp broom thing is exactly the definition of mastery. Whack away old bean - and do it angrily.

That's also really cool. Hitting an enemy with the butt of the weapon, and then use that movement as part of the wind up for your next attack, hitting 2 enemies in a single swing, is very cinematic.

Quote from Frachese >>

I'm not so sure about the weapon mastery part. If you're going strictly rules as written, then it should be allowed, but I'm not convinced that's the intent here. Getting a benefit associated with the dangerous part of the weapon even when striking with the opposite end doesn't make much sense. I see it more as an improvised weapon that you are proficient with.

The Rage bonus I believe works for improvised weapons as well.  If you can kick something and be eligible and punch something , why not the end  of a long handle?   It is logical and makes sense for the bonus damage to be used.  Look at a quarter staff aka broomstick, both ends are alike and there is no business  or "dangerous part" yet both ends are elgible.

Quote from Character77006 >>

Quote from Frachese >>

I'm not so sure about the weapon mastery part. If you're going strictly rules as written, then it should be allowed, but I'm not convinced that's the intent here. Getting a benefit associated with the dangerous part of the weapon even when striking with the opposite end doesn't make much sense. I see it more as an improvised weapon that you are proficient with.

 

The Rage bonus I believe works for improvised weapons as well.  If you can kick something and be eligible and punch something , why not the end  of a long handle?   It is logical and makes sense for the bonus damage to be used.  Look at a quarter staff aka broomstick, both ends are alike and there is no business  or "dangerous part" yet both ends are elgible.

The Rage Damage Bonus pretty unambiguously applies to any attack roll made using Strength, including improvised melee weapons, but Frachese was talking about the use of the Cleave weapon mastery. I can certainly see the argument that the intent of Cleave is for it to apply to the bladed end of the weapon and not the other end, as conceptually what it's doing is swinging the blade in one big slash that hits two targets.