I am playing a one handed weapon and shield Battle Master in a Curse of Strahd campaign under the 2024 rules and just hit level 6 and can choose another Feat.
Is it worth taking Great Weapon Master at 6, even though I have the Dueling fighting style and have been using a Longsword, Warhammer, Battleaxe, and Trident as my weapons and with their weapon masteries, along with using a shield? I'd like to continue to use my Longsword, Warhammer, and one of my topple weapons and weapon masteries, along with a Shield.
I'm not sure I will be able to obtain a Greatsword and/or Greataxe during the campaign? I'd lean towards obtaining a Greataxe to use Cleave if I could only obtain one. Our Barbarian uses a Greataxe with Cleave and gets a fair amount of use out of it. Graze does look solid being able to deal damage on every attack and forcing Concentration saving throws. Our Barbarian also gets a fair amount of Bonus Action attacks with the Hew Feature.
If I don't take Great Weapon Master, I am going to choose Charger because I can pair it with my Warhammer and its Push weapon mastery and have a lot of opportunities for an additional 1d8 of damage per round. It also works well with my Second Wind and Tactical Shift.
If I don't take Great Weapon Master, I am going to choose Charger because I can pair it with my Warhammer and its Push weapon mastery and have a lot of opportunities for an additional 1d8 of damage per round. It also works well with my Second Wind and Tactical Shift.
If you already know from previous fights in the campaign that you'll get a lot of mileage out of Charger, then I'd just take that rather than grabbing a feat like GWM on spec and hoping it becomes useful later
I'd also point out that your barbarian is probably getting those Hew attacks from GWM via Reckless Attack. If you aren't consistently rolling with advantage, you won't get as many crits
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Duelling and GWM lets you stay below your possibilities because there is no synergy. The following options maximize your „damage dealt vs. damage taken“ ratio. I‘d advise you to specialize and don’t do anything in between. Otherwise you‘ll deal substantially less damage. The following HalfFeats are mathematically better than ASI so I‘ll stay with the usual progession:
Option 1: Switch Duelling for Defense, take PAM with a heavy-2h weapon at lvl4 and GWM at lvl 6. This gives you 3 attacks at lvl4. Use Push mastery to keep 5ft distance between your target such that you trigger PAM ReactiveStrike for a 4th attack. Note that Sentinel is too situational and don’t take it.
Option 2: Stay with Duelling and a shield, take PAM with Sap spear at lvl4 and maybe ShieldMaster at lvl6. This gives you 2 attacks at lvl4, 3 attacks at lvl5, protection from Sap and advantage at lvl6.
Option3: Switch Duelling for TwoWeaponFighting, equip one light weapon with Nick and one with Vex, take DualWielder at lvl4 and Duelling or Defense at lvl6. This gives you 2 attacks at lvl1-3, 3 attacks at lvl4, 4 attacks at lvl5 and either protection or more damage at lvl6.
Don‘t forget MageSlayer (preferred) or ResilientWIS for protection at later levels. Cleave is mathematically better than Graize. But I‘d take both and switch weapons.
I am playing a one handed weapon and shield Battle Master in a Curse of Strahd campaign under the 2024 rules and just hit level 6 and can choose another Feat.
Is it worth taking Great Weapon Master at 6, even though I have the Dueling fighting style and have been using a Longsword, Warhammer, Battleaxe, and Trident as my weapons and with their weapon masteries, along with using a shield? I'd like to continue to use my Longsword, Warhammer, and one of my topple weapons and weapon masteries, along with a Shield.
I'm not sure I will be able to obtain a Greatsword and/or Greataxe during the campaign? I'd lean towards obtaining a Greataxe to use Cleave if I could only obtain one. Our Barbarian uses a Greataxe with Cleave and gets a fair amount of use out of it. Graze does look solid being able to deal damage on every attack and forcing Concentration saving throws. Our Barbarian also gets a fair amount of Bonus Action attacks with the Hew Feature.
If I don't take Great Weapon Master, I am going to choose Charger because I can pair it with my Warhammer and its Push weapon mastery and have a lot of opportunities for an additional 1d8 of damage per round. It also works well with my Second Wind and Tactical Shift.
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
TIA
If you already know from previous fights in the campaign that you'll get a lot of mileage out of Charger, then I'd just take that rather than grabbing a feat like GWM on spec and hoping it becomes useful later
I'd also point out that your barbarian is probably getting those Hew attacks from GWM via Reckless Attack. If you aren't consistently rolling with advantage, you won't get as many crits
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Hi LeoDillion,
Duelling and GWM lets you stay below your possibilities because there is no synergy. The following options maximize your „damage dealt vs. damage taken“ ratio. I‘d advise you to specialize and don’t do anything in between. Otherwise you‘ll deal substantially less damage. The following HalfFeats are mathematically better than ASI so I‘ll stay with the usual progession:
Option 1: Switch Duelling for Defense, take PAM with a heavy-2h weapon at lvl4 and GWM at lvl 6. This gives you 3 attacks at lvl4. Use Push mastery to keep 5ft distance between your target such that you trigger PAM ReactiveStrike for a 4th attack. Note that Sentinel is too situational and don’t take it.
Option 2: Stay with Duelling and a shield, take PAM with Sap spear at lvl4 and maybe ShieldMaster at lvl6. This gives you 2 attacks at lvl4, 3 attacks at lvl5, protection from Sap and advantage at lvl6.
Option3: Switch Duelling for TwoWeaponFighting, equip one light weapon with Nick and one with Vex, take DualWielder at lvl4 and Duelling or Defense at lvl6. This gives you 2 attacks at lvl1-3, 3 attacks at lvl4, 4 attacks at lvl5 and either protection or more damage at lvl6.
Don‘t forget MageSlayer (preferred) or ResilientWIS for protection at later levels. Cleave is mathematically better than Graize. But I‘d take both and switch weapons.
Have fun with your BM!
Cheers