In trying to add an attack representing the bonus attack available from the Polearm Mastery feat, I noticed that custom attacks add a stat bonus to damage even when “offhand” is checked, unlike attacks listed from items.
That's why I reported it as a bug in custom attack only. I agree with your interpretation, our DM ruled otherwise but it's a little ambiguous. Does the phrasing from Polarm Mastery mean attack as in attempt to hit only or include damage as explicitly stated in Ranger Two-Weapon Fighting?
For Polearm Mastery:
"This attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4, and it deals bludgeoning damage."
vs. Ranger Two-Weapon Fighting listed as:
"When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack."
The attack roll for Polearm Mastery's bonus action uses the same ability modifier. You would gain no ability modifier to damage for the offhand attack, as that would require Two-Weapon Fighting Style.
Attack and damage are your keywords there. An attack roll is a very different thing than a damage roll.
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.
That is the entire rule on two-weapon fighting. Obviously, (barring other rules (like the Dual Wielder feat) referring to it), the two-weapon fighting rule only applies when you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand. The Polearm Master feat doesn't refer to the two-weapon fighting rule, therefore the two-weapon fighting rule doesn't apply to the Polearm Master feat.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
It's an off-hand attack this person is describing in the OP, an off-hand attack does not add your ability modifier to damage. Unless they did not intend to say it is an off-hand attack.
...our DM ruled otherwise but it's a little ambiguous.
It really isn't. The general rule for how much damage an attack with a weapon does is found here, and clearly states you add your ability modifier. Not adding an ability modifier is a specific rule for fighting with two weapons, and only applies in that specific instance (as Mathias covered earlier in the thread).
Polearm Mastery is therefore not ambiguous because it does not specify a specific exception to the general rule (i.e. it does not say not to add your ability modifier, and does not mention the two-weapon fighting rules in any way), which means that general rule applies.
Regardless of the Polearm Mastery interaction, there is a bug here, yes? I'm seeing it for the quite basic case of an offhand dagger, with no feats or fighting styles.
bump because its been 2 years and i'm still seeing this, and now i have players in my game that i DM arguing it because "DnD BeYoND SaYS sO"
I made a Level 1 fighter new char just right now. I picked Archery fighting style to have no problems, right ?
I have a plus +1 mod from strength and dex.
If i dual wield two short swords, my main hand says 1d6+1 and my off hand bonus action attack also says 1d6+1, why am i adding my ability modifier to my offhand bonus action attack when the rules explicitly say that you dont?
Please provide the url link to the character sheet so that someone can take a look (the url itself, not the share link.)
To be clear, did you add 2 shortswords to your equipment, equip both, and customize one of them to checkbox Dual Wield in order to have the bonus TWF attack; or did you create a custom bonus action for the offhand attack?
In trying to add an attack representing the bonus attack available from the Polearm Mastery feat, I noticed that custom attacks add a stat bonus to damage even when “offhand” is checked, unlike attacks listed from items.
That's strange that it does that - but the bonus attack from Polearm Mastery feat should be adding ability modifier to damage.
That's why I reported it as a bug in custom attack only. I agree with your interpretation, our DM ruled otherwise but it's a little ambiguous. Does the phrasing from Polarm Mastery mean attack as in attempt to hit only or include damage as explicitly stated in Ranger Two-Weapon Fighting?
For Polearm Mastery:
"This attack uses the same ability modifier as the primary attack. The weapon’s damage die for this attack is a d4, and it deals bludgeoning damage."
vs. Ranger Two-Weapon Fighting listed as:
"When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack."
The attack roll for Polearm Mastery's bonus action uses the same ability modifier. You would gain no ability modifier to damage for the offhand attack, as that would require Two-Weapon Fighting Style.
Attack and damage are your keywords there. An attack roll is a very different thing than a damage roll.
That is the entire rule on two-weapon fighting. Obviously, (barring other rules (like the Dual Wielder feat) referring to it), the two-weapon fighting rule only applies when you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand. The Polearm Master feat doesn't refer to the two-weapon fighting rule, therefore the two-weapon fighting rule doesn't apply to the Polearm Master feat.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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It's an off-hand attack this person is describing in the OP, an off-hand attack does not add your ability modifier to damage. Unless they did not intend to say it is an off-hand attack.
It really isn't. The general rule for how much damage an attack with a weapon does is found here, and clearly states you add your ability modifier. Not adding an ability modifier is a specific rule for fighting with two weapons, and only applies in that specific instance (as Mathias covered earlier in the thread).
Polearm Mastery is therefore not ambiguous because it does not specify a specific exception to the general rule (i.e. it does not say not to add your ability modifier, and does not mention the two-weapon fighting rules in any way), which means that general rule applies.
Regardless of the Polearm Mastery interaction, there is a bug here, yes? I'm seeing it for the quite basic case of an offhand dagger, with no feats or fighting styles.
Screenshot: offhand dagger - bugged?
(For reference, the proficiency bonus for that screenshot is +3, and the dex mod is +1.)
bump because its been 2 years and i'm still seeing this, and now i have players in my game that i DM arguing it because "DnD BeYoND SaYS sO"
I made a Level 1 fighter new char just right now. I picked Archery fighting style to have no problems, right ?
I have a plus +1 mod from strength and dex.
If i dual wield two short swords, my main hand says 1d6+1 and my off hand bonus action attack also says 1d6+1, why am i adding my ability modifier to my offhand bonus action attack when the rules explicitly say that you dont?
Please provide the url link to the character sheet so that someone can take a look (the url itself, not the share link.)
To be clear, did you add 2 shortswords to your equipment, equip both, and customize one of them to checkbox Dual Wield in order to have the bonus TWF attack; or did you create a custom bonus action for the offhand attack?
Helpful rewriter of Japanese->English translation and delver into software codebases (she/e/they)