By RAW the only time your off hand weapon gets to make an attack is when you use a bonus action to attack with it AFTER you've made your attack action attacks with your mainhand weapon. To trigger pole arm master it would have to be your mainhand weapon which means your off hand weapon is the finesse weapon and it's useless.
There is nothing by RAW that actually changes this little detail out of existance and let's you pick and choose. That's something you and your DM have entirely decided to do on your own. And there are written limitations by RAW as to what you can hold in both hands with and without certain features.
By RAW there is no difference between your hands, the only rule on it is that if you attack with a light weapon in one hand, you can make an attack with a different light weapon in the other hand as a bonus action. If you have the feat, the restriction on light weapons goes away.
This means that you can wield a quarterstaff and a rapier at the same time, no matter what feats you have. If you have dual wielder, and you attack with one of them using your action, you can attack with the other using your bonus action.
If you have PAM, as long as you are wielding a quarterstaff, any time someone enters your reach with any weapon, you can make an attack against them with that weapon using your reaction. For an odd example, if you are using a quarterstaff and a whip, if someone moves 10' from you, you can sneak attack with the whip, if they move from 10' to 5' from you, you can only make a non-sneak attack with the quarterstaff.
actually. BY RAW. there is always a main hand and an offhand and the offhand can only be used in very specific and limiting ways. What your trying to abuse is the fact that the book doesn't always say your right hand is your main hand or something limiting and silly like that. They do not magically change mid action. and technically they don't change at all.
actually. BY RAW. there is always a main hand and an offhand and the offhand can only be used in very specific and limiting ways. What your trying to abuse is the fact that the book doesn't always say your right hand is your main hand or something limiting and silly like that. They do not magically change mid action. and technically they don't change at all.
There is no such thing in the rules. The only thing the rules have to say about it is the section on two weapon fighting. If you have two weapons in your hands and have extra attack, you can attack with both of them as your action, if both are light (or you have the feat), you can then use either of them for the bonus action attack.
That is not what it says. That's what your choosing to interpret it as.
Here's the text of the rule for two-weapon fighting:
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.
If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee attack with it.
And here's the text for Extra Attack:
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Nothing in Extra Attack says both attacks have to be with the same weapon. Nothing in two-weapon fighting classifies one hand as "main" and the other as "off". The combined effect of these two rules is simply that two-weapon fighting only applies when you're wielding a weapon in each hand, and that you cannot make all of your attacks with the same weapon. This prevents someone from holding a really awesome weapon in one hand(like a Frostbrand shortsword for example) and a simple dagger in the other just so they can make a Bonus Action attack with the Frostbrand. If they have Extra Attack, either one of their two "Attack action" attacks can determine which weapon fulfills the first part of the two-weapon fighting rule, because the two-weapon fighting rule does NOT say "when you make your first attack with a Light weapon you're holding in one hand". It also prevents them from wielding a shield in one hand, attacking twice with a weapon, dropping that weapon and drawing another for their Bonus Action attack. Both hands have to be used for attacking with a weapon.
It's important to be mindful of what the rules say and what they DON'T say.
Like Lunali said, if you're so insistent that the rules have a "main hand" and "off hand", please specify where in the PHB it says that. Because the most relevant portions of the rules make no mention of it, as far as I can see.
That is not what it says. That's what your choosing to interpret it as.
No, that's what you are choosing to interpret it as. Literally the only time that "off hand" is mentioned is for two-weapon fighting, and is only pertinent for establishing:
That you are wielding two one-handed weapons (Light if without the Dual Wielder feat)
That the bonus action attack is made with a wielded weapon in the other hand as one of the attacks made with the initial Attack action.
If you have Extra Attack, and you make an attack with both your "main hand" & "off hand" weapons, the bonus action attack can be made with either weapon.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The original post was trying to justify attacking with a rapier to trigger a sneak attack while wielding a quarterstaff the other hand so the PAM feat will trigger when someone enters range. But the rapier can't reach 10 ft. You would have to attack with the reach weapon.
The original post was trying to justify attacking with a rapier to trigger a sneak attack while wielding a quarterstaff the other hand so the PAM feat will trigger when someone enters range. But the rapier can't reach 10 ft.
For feats, if you can make Sentinel or PAM work, then you're doing fine. But if you really want to kick ass, here is an idea!
I know by level 9 you will have already chosen a subclass. But the following is how you can use some reaction brokenness for Rouges.
First, you'll want to choose the UA Revived rouge subclass, if your DM allows. The Revived rouge has many niche features, but one in particular will help you: Bolts From The Grave. Here is the description:
Bolts from the Grave
3rd-level Revived feature
You have learned to unleash bolts of necrotic energy from within your revived body. Immediately after you use your Cunning Action, you can make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 30 feet of you, provided you haven’t used your Sneak Attack this turn. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. A creature hit by this attack takes necrotic damage equal to your Sneak Attack. This uses your Sneak Attack for the turn.
So, this feature is FANTASTIC because it allows you to separate your sneak attack damage from your action. It also states that "This uses your Sneak Attack for the turn". This means that you can't use sneak attack again on the same turn, but you can still do so again on the same round (though ready action/ opportunity attack).
This means you can play out your attack round like this: Ready Action ( for attack + sneak attack ) + Cunning Action + Bolt From The Grave to get double the usage of sneak attack in a round consistently.
That's even cheesier, and if I were a DM looking at a Rogue holding a quarterstaff in one hand just so they can abuse the text of the Polearm Master feat, I'd shut that down right quick. At that point, you're not even trying to pretend it's anything but a rules exploit.
Oh yes, it is absolutely cheesy and blatantly exploiting the rules, which is why my first comment on it was that it is DM dependent. It is, however, the way the current RAW work.
Sorta like folks that abuse War Caster to provoke an AoO from their "unarmed reach", and then cast Booming Blade using a 10ft Reach weapon instead. Absurdly cheesy nonsense.
FYI you need the Spell Sniper feat to have a 10ft range on Booming Blade. Just using a reach weapon isn't enough.
And I plan on being one of those people that "abuses" War Caster + Spell Sniper to do Booming Blade with a 10ft reach weapon (a whip, because I'm a Ranger-Rogue multiclass).
I'm taking the Thorn Whip cantrip as the attack cantrip I get with that spell because I have 14 Wisdom, 10 Intelligence, and 8 Charisma, so I much prefer taking a cantrip that uses Wisdom for the attack roll. Plus it fits better with the Ranger's affinity with nature, it fits better with my character's desire to control enemy movement/positioning, and because it makes it logical for my character to start using a Whip for his melee attacks and to know how to make a longer whip using a cantrip.
So thematically, it fits perfectly with my character. And it's so thematic to have Booming Blade's Thunder damage on an attack with a whip. And of course, I can get sneak attack on my Booming Blade 10ft whip attacks (and opportunity attacks) because it is the only finesse reach weapon in the game.
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself.
As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet of you. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to 30 feet to a space you can see, but it must remain within 120 feet of you.
For the duration, you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Additionally, when both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how distracting the illusion is to the target.
A dip into Cleric for 2 levels could get you there. It specifically states your duplicate can be used to gain advantage which means Sneak Attack damage is on the table.
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself.
As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet of you. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to 30 feet to a space you can see, but it must remain within 120 feet of you.
For the duration, you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Additionally, when both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how distracting the illusion is to the target.
A dip into Cleric for 2 levels could get you there. It specifically states your duplicate can be used to gain advantage which means Sneak Attack damage is on the table.
Unfortunately, it takes an action to create the illusion, a bonus action to move it (Rogues have many better choices of things to do with their bonus action), and it can only be done once per short rest, and it requires concentration. It's much easier to just have a melee player in your party and to stand near him.
Or you could do a 3 level dip into Ranger Gloomstalker if your party fights in the dark and your enemies are relying on dark vision.
I did a Trickery Cleric, and their channel divinity would have been a lot more useful if it hadn't required concentration (Clerics like to cast bless or Spirit Guardians) and a bonus action to move it (Clerics like to move their Spiritual Weapon with their bonus action).
If he didn't fight alone regularly, help from a party member would be a viable option. The concentration makes it harder, that is true. There are some things a Rogue can do only once per short rest. The Eladrin Rogue with the Misty Step for example. Knowing when to use that ability is just part of the interesting role play you get with Rogues.
That's even cheesier, and if I were a DM looking at a Rogue holding a quarterstaff in one hand just so they can abuse the text of the Polearm Master feat, I'd shut that down right quick. At that point, you're not even trying to pretend it's anything but a rules exploit.
Oh yes, it is absolutely cheesy and blatantly exploiting the rules, which is why my first comment on it was that it is DM dependent. It is, however, the way the current RAW work.
Sorta like folks that abuse War Caster to provoke an AoO from their "unarmed reach", and then cast Booming Blade using a 10ft Reach weapon instead. Absurdly cheesy nonsense.
FYI you need the Spell Sniper feat to have a 10ft range on Booming Blade. Just using a reach weapon isn't enough.
And I plan on being one of those people that "abuses" War Caster + Spell Sniper to do Booming Blade with a 10ft reach weapon (a whip, because I'm a Ranger-Rogue multiclass).
Actually I wonder if spell sniper would even work with booming blade.
Booming blade has a range of Self (5-foot radius.) Not range of '5 feet.' So not sure that works since the spell is cast on yourself, rather than on a target within 5 feet of you.
That's even cheesier, and if I were a DM looking at a Rogue holding a quarterstaff in one hand just so they can abuse the text of the Polearm Master feat, I'd shut that down right quick. At that point, you're not even trying to pretend it's anything but a rules exploit.
Oh yes, it is absolutely cheesy and blatantly exploiting the rules, which is why my first comment on it was that it is DM dependent. It is, however, the way the current RAW work.
Sorta like folks that abuse War Caster to provoke an AoO from their "unarmed reach", and then cast Booming Blade using a 10ft Reach weapon instead. Absurdly cheesy nonsense.
FYI you need the Spell Sniper feat to have a 10ft range on Booming Blade. Just using a reach weapon isn't enough.
And I plan on being one of those people that "abuses" War Caster + Spell Sniper to do Booming Blade with a 10ft reach weapon (a whip, because I'm a Ranger-Rogue multiclass).
Actually I wonder if spell sniper would even work with booming blade.
Booming blade has a range of Self (5-foot radius.) Not range of '5 feet.' So not sure that works since the spell is cast on yourself, rather than on a target within 5 feet of you.
That's a relatively recent change, at the time of the post it had a range of 5ft.
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actually. BY RAW. there is always a main hand and an offhand and the offhand can only be used in very specific and limiting ways. What your trying to abuse is the fact that the book doesn't always say your right hand is your main hand or something limiting and silly like that. They do not magically change mid action. and technically they don't change at all.
There is no such thing in the rules. The only thing the rules have to say about it is the section on two weapon fighting. If you have two weapons in your hands and have extra attack, you can attack with both of them as your action, if both are light (or you have the feat), you can then use either of them for the bonus action attack.
That is not what it says. That's what your choosing to interpret it as.
Find a single mention in the rules of main or off hand.
Here's the text of the rule for two-weapon fighting:
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.
If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee attack with it.
And here's the text for Extra Attack:
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Nothing in Extra Attack says both attacks have to be with the same weapon. Nothing in two-weapon fighting classifies one hand as "main" and the other as "off". The combined effect of these two rules is simply that two-weapon fighting only applies when you're wielding a weapon in each hand, and that you cannot make all of your attacks with the same weapon. This prevents someone from holding a really awesome weapon in one hand(like a Frostbrand shortsword for example) and a simple dagger in the other just so they can make a Bonus Action attack with the Frostbrand. If they have Extra Attack, either one of their two "Attack action" attacks can determine which weapon fulfills the first part of the two-weapon fighting rule, because the two-weapon fighting rule does NOT say "when you make your first attack with a Light weapon you're holding in one hand". It also prevents them from wielding a shield in one hand, attacking twice with a weapon, dropping that weapon and drawing another for their Bonus Action attack. Both hands have to be used for attacking with a weapon.
It's important to be mindful of what the rules say and what they DON'T say.
Like Lunali said, if you're so insistent that the rules have a "main hand" and "off hand", please specify where in the PHB it says that. Because the most relevant portions of the rules make no mention of it, as far as I can see.
No, that's what you are choosing to interpret it as. Literally the only time that "off hand" is mentioned is for two-weapon fighting, and is only pertinent for establishing:
As much as I have come to loathe Sage Advice, Crawford is perfectly clear on this subject.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
The original post was trying to justify attacking with a rapier to trigger a sneak attack while wielding a quarterstaff the other hand so the PAM feat will trigger when someone enters range. But the rapier can't reach 10 ft. You would have to attack with the reach weapon.
Quarterstaves only have a 5ft reach.
For feats, if you can make Sentinel or PAM work, then you're doing fine. But if you really want to kick ass, here is an idea!
I know by level 9 you will have already chosen a subclass. But the following is how you can use some reaction brokenness for Rouges.
First, you'll want to choose the UA Revived rouge subclass, if your DM allows. The Revived rouge has many niche features, but one in particular will help you: Bolts From The Grave. Here is the description:
So, this feature is FANTASTIC because it allows you to separate your sneak attack damage from your action. It also states that "This uses your Sneak Attack for the turn".
This means that you can't use sneak attack again on the same turn, but you can still do so again on the same round (though ready action/ opportunity attack).
This means you can play out your attack round like this: Ready Action ( for attack + sneak attack ) + Cunning Action + Bolt From The Grave to get double the usage of sneak attack in a round consistently.
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Pronouns: gender/is/binary
FYI you need the Spell Sniper feat to have a 10ft range on Booming Blade. Just using a reach weapon isn't enough.
And I plan on being one of those people that "abuses" War Caster + Spell Sniper to do Booming Blade with a 10ft reach weapon (a whip, because I'm a Ranger-Rogue multiclass).
Lol. Nice idea, friend. Badass whip.
Conservative Catholic. Israel-supporter. Musician. Bovine.
Pronouns: gender/is/binary
I'm taking the Thorn Whip cantrip as the attack cantrip I get with that spell because I have 14 Wisdom, 10 Intelligence, and 8 Charisma, so I much prefer taking a cantrip that uses Wisdom for the attack roll. Plus it fits better with the Ranger's affinity with nature, it fits better with my character's desire to control enemy movement/positioning, and because it makes it logical for my character to start using a Whip for his melee attacks and to know how to make a longer whip using a cantrip.
So thematically, it fits perfectly with my character. And it's so thematic to have Booming Blade's Thunder damage on an attack with a whip. And of course, I can get sneak attack on my Booming Blade 10ft whip attacks (and opportunity attacks) because it is the only finesse reach weapon in the game.
Nice. Yeah, great idea here.
Conservative Catholic. Israel-supporter. Musician. Bovine.
Pronouns: gender/is/binary
Channel Divinity: Invoke Duplicity
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of yourself.
As an action, you create a perfect illusion of yourself that lasts for 1 minute, or until you lose your concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that you can see within 30 feet of you. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion up to 30 feet to a space you can see, but it must remain within 120 feet of you.
For the duration, you can cast spells as though you were in the illusion’s space, but you must use your own senses. Additionally, when both you and your illusion are within 5 feet of a creature that can see the illusion, you have advantage on attack rolls against that creature, given how distracting the illusion is to the target.
A dip into Cleric for 2 levels could get you there. It specifically states your duplicate can be used to gain advantage which means Sneak Attack damage is on the table.
Unfortunately, it takes an action to create the illusion, a bonus action to move it (Rogues have many better choices of things to do with their bonus action), and it can only be done once per short rest, and it requires concentration. It's much easier to just have a melee player in your party and to stand near him.
Or you could do a 3 level dip into Ranger Gloomstalker if your party fights in the dark and your enemies are relying on dark vision.
I did a Trickery Cleric, and their channel divinity would have been a lot more useful if it hadn't required concentration (Clerics like to cast bless or Spirit Guardians) and a bonus action to move it (Clerics like to move their Spiritual Weapon with their bonus action).
If he didn't fight alone regularly, help from a party member would be a viable option. The concentration makes it harder, that is true. There are some things a Rogue can do only once per short rest. The Eladrin Rogue with the Misty Step for example. Knowing when to use that ability is just part of the interesting role play you get with Rogues.
Just get the battle master fighting style and or feat and take riposte or brace
AKA Martial adept and superior technique
heck maybe even multiclass into battle master
Actually I wonder if spell sniper would even work with booming blade.
Booming blade has a range of Self (5-foot radius.) Not range of '5 feet.' So not sure that works since the spell is cast on yourself, rather than on a target within 5 feet of you.
That's a relatively recent change, at the time of the post it had a range of 5ft.