So I believe in the last 3 years this has been discussed but I wanted pass this by people. I feel like shield fighter and battle master have good synergy but I'm not sure if the amount of feats needed is worth the loss of API.
1. Variant Human for Tavern Brawler. This get's you the ability to use improvised weapons with proficiency.
2. Two Handed Weapon style. You can add modifier onto the damage
3. First API would be Shield Master. Now you can shove plus you have bonuses on dex saves
4. Second API would be Dual Wielding. Now you can use the shield as a second weapon because it's not a "light weapon". So now you get 1d4+str and proficiency if you need a bonus attack.
If you go battle master, you could theoretically push an opponent 20 ft (15 with maneuver and 5 with shield) puts the opponent almost out of reach of others. Battle masters also don't use many bonus actions so you aren't going to be tied up with other options. Battle master also has a reaction that is similar to sentinel but not as good. I used a template and with point buy, I could get to 20 str, 20 con, 14 wis, and 10 dex/int/dex at 20. I feel like this is the best way to get a really good shield fighter but thought I would ask given that I haven't seen it discussed recently.
A very smart person named IamSposta suggested this: Take a Club out of the simple weapons list, name it "Shield" or what-ever you like with the character sheet customization tools, check "show as attack" and "dual wield".
This will give you an attack under your Bonus Actions with a click-box that shows the correct number to hit, the correct type of die, and the damage type with all the right adjustments. Then under notes put the name you want the attack to be called if you like.
All credit goes to IamSposta, since this was their idea, not mine.
Thanks Geann! I did something similar with custom action. My question though is, do people feel it takes too many feats to make it viable? I'm on the fence.
I tried adding in Shield Master and Tavern Brawler. I get the little symbol that shows the "situational bonus" on my Dex saves, under Bonus Actions I get Shield Master Shove and Tavern Brawler Grapple and they have the correct information, but I really don't know how to account for it all with that customized club.
I don't see any problems with all the rest of the things you have. so it seems perfectly fine to me. Any other help I'm afraid you will have to ask IamSposta.
Some problems are that neither two weapon fighting, nor dual wielding feat will help. They both apply to melee weapons and a shield is not a melee weapon. Taking tavern brawler makes you proficient in improvised weapons, it does not turn an improvised weapon into a melee weapon.
Also, I don’t know that BM and the feat would stack for pushing distance. They may, probably a DM call.
So the best you can do is tavern brawler and shield master for a weapon attack with the shield but without another weapon using the improvised weapon rules. Which means you are basically using a dagger. It seems most people agree that a improvised weapon as RAW does not allow you to use dual weapon feats. So you couldn't dual wield say two broken bottles.
Broken Bottle in Each Hand. Improvised weapon, probably slashing damage type. Tavern Brawler makes you proficient, must have the Two Weapon Fighting Style to add damage to the off hand. Roll to hit, 1d20 plus proficiency modifier and strength. Roll to damage, 1d4+Str mod. Off hand Broken Bottle, 1d4+Str mod as a Bonus action. A Broken Bottle is Tiny, made of glass, and has at most 4 hp. If you use a pair of Broken Bottles, they are apt to shatter. Like glass. Probably only useable for one attack each.
Broken Bottle in Each Hand. Improvised weapon, probably slashing damage type. Tavern Brawler makes you proficient, must have the Two Weapon Fighting Style to add damage to the off hand. Roll to hit, 1d20 plus proficiency modifier and strength. Roll to damage, 1d4+Str mod. Off hand Broken Bottle, 1d4+Str mod as a Bonus action. A Broken Bottle is Tiny, made of glass, and has at most 4 hp. If you use a pair of Broken Bottles, they are apt to shatter. Like glass. Probably only useable for one attack each.
Two weapon wouldn't help, I don't think. The fighting style refers to the general two weapon fighting rules:
When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.
The fighting style allows you to add your modifier to the second attack with a light melee weapon. However, broken bottles are still improvised weapons, not melee weapons, light or otherwise. (Melee weapons are specifically weighted and designed to be able to hurt people. A broken bottle can certainly hurt a person, but it's not purpose built to do it.) Tavern brawler would let you add prof bonus to your to-hit, yes, but it doesn't mean the bottles become melee weapons, it means you are good at using things that are not melee weapons. So, basically, your off-hand attack would not be able to add str modifier to damage. And since you are not wielding light melee weapons, there'd be a real question if you could actually make the bonus action attack with your off-hand in the first place. Personally, I'd probably allow it, but it would be a house rule, I'd think.
I was of course, kidding. I have no idea if the rules support that kind of nonsense. I suppose I could try to use the Homebrew tool to make a Broken Bottle as a consumable magic item. I've had almost no luck with the tool though. :-)
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So I believe in the last 3 years this has been discussed but I wanted pass this by people. I feel like shield fighter and battle master have good synergy but I'm not sure if the amount of feats needed is worth the loss of API.
1. Variant Human for Tavern Brawler. This get's you the ability to use improvised weapons with proficiency.
2. Two Handed Weapon style. You can add modifier onto the damage
3. First API would be Shield Master. Now you can shove plus you have bonuses on dex saves
4. Second API would be Dual Wielding. Now you can use the shield as a second weapon because it's not a "light weapon". So now you get 1d4+str and proficiency if you need a bonus attack.
If you go battle master, you could theoretically push an opponent 20 ft (15 with maneuver and 5 with shield) puts the opponent almost out of reach of others. Battle masters also don't use many bonus actions so you aren't going to be tied up with other options. Battle master also has a reaction that is similar to sentinel but not as good. I used a template and with point buy, I could get to 20 str, 20 con, 14 wis, and 10 dex/int/dex at 20. I feel like this is the best way to get a really good shield fighter but thought I would ask given that I haven't seen it discussed recently.
A very smart person named IamSposta suggested this: Take a Club out of the simple weapons list, name it "Shield" or what-ever you like with the character sheet customization tools, check "show as attack" and "dual wield".
This will give you an attack under your Bonus Actions with a click-box that shows the correct number to hit, the correct type of die, and the damage type with all the right adjustments. Then under notes put the name you want the attack to be called if you like.
All credit goes to IamSposta, since this was their idea, not mine.
<Insert clever signature here>
Thanks Geann! I did something similar with custom action. My question though is, do people feel it takes too many feats to make it viable? I'm on the fence.
I tried adding in Shield Master and Tavern Brawler. I get the little symbol that shows the "situational bonus" on my Dex saves, under Bonus Actions I get Shield Master Shove and Tavern Brawler Grapple and they have the correct information, but I really don't know how to account for it all with that customized club.
I don't see any problems with all the rest of the things you have. so it seems perfectly fine to me. Any other help I'm afraid you will have to ask IamSposta.
<Insert clever signature here>
Some problems are that neither two weapon fighting, nor dual wielding feat will help. They both apply to melee weapons and a shield is not a melee weapon. Taking tavern brawler makes you proficient in improvised weapons, it does not turn an improvised weapon into a melee weapon.
Also, I don’t know that BM and the feat would stack for pushing distance. They may, probably a DM call.
So the best you can do is tavern brawler and shield master for a weapon attack with the shield but without another weapon using the improvised weapon rules. Which means you are basically using a dagger. It seems most people agree that a improvised weapon as RAW does not allow you to use dual weapon feats. So you couldn't dual wield say two broken bottles.
Broken Bottle in Each Hand. Improvised weapon, probably slashing damage type. Tavern Brawler makes you proficient, must have the Two Weapon Fighting Style to add damage to the off hand. Roll to hit, 1d20 plus proficiency modifier and strength. Roll to damage, 1d4+Str mod. Off hand Broken Bottle, 1d4+Str mod as a Bonus action. A Broken Bottle is Tiny, made of glass, and has at most 4 hp. If you use a pair of Broken Bottles, they are apt to shatter. Like glass. Probably only useable for one attack each.
<Insert clever signature here>
Two weapon wouldn't help, I don't think. The fighting style refers to the general two weapon fighting rules:
When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.
The fighting style allows you to add your modifier to the second attack with a light melee weapon. However, broken bottles are still improvised weapons, not melee weapons, light or otherwise. (Melee weapons are specifically weighted and designed to be able to hurt people. A broken bottle can certainly hurt a person, but it's not purpose built to do it.) Tavern brawler would let you add prof bonus to your to-hit, yes, but it doesn't mean the bottles become melee weapons, it means you are good at using things that are not melee weapons. So, basically, your off-hand attack would not be able to add str modifier to damage. And since you are not wielding light melee weapons, there'd be a real question if you could actually make the bonus action attack with your off-hand in the first place. Personally, I'd probably allow it, but it would be a house rule, I'd think.
I was of course, kidding. I have no idea if the rules support that kind of nonsense. I suppose I could try to use the Homebrew tool to make a Broken Bottle as a consumable magic item. I've had almost no luck with the tool though. :-)
<Insert clever signature here>