One thing I find myself struggling with when playing my fighter is lack of bonus action usage. It seems like I don’t use my bonus action very much unless I use one of my battlemaster maneuvers, which are limited with my current fighter I am playing (just hit lvl 3) in a local AL game. Second Wind is also used occasionally but not much.

Variant human battlemaster, sword and board, strength based, heavy armor master feat. Maneuvers I chose are Riposte, Distracting Strike, and Feinting Attack (which does use a bonus action)

 Wondering if I should take a feat at lvl 4 even though my str and wis are odd scores. Was planning on increasing them on next ASI So my question to all of you is, what am I not thinking of to use my bonus actions more often on a straight (no multi class) fighter during combat? I feel like I am missing something that I should be doing more often. Or do I just need to get a feat that helps like shield master? Definately not a fan of min maxing, but I do feel like I could be doing something more while staying true to my character/class type.

You are not alone in that feelings. The base fighter class doesn't have much that takes up bonus action or even reaction (unlike the monk). What are curent stats if I may ask? There are many different ways you can obtain usage of your bonus action:

Shield master - bonus action shove is a fun option to keep on deck. Also you gain evasion.

multiclassing: depending on the class, you can find some helpful feature and spells

Str 17, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 10

The only multiclass I am thinking of doing is possibly cleric. I waffle back and forth on staying straight fighter or not as I look ahead at how my character develops. I won’t just go into another class unless there is a valid character reason to do so. If I do go fighter/cleric it will mainly be for buffs and healing and prob no more than a few levels. That should help with options for bonus actions, but I won’t consider multiclassing until I get fighter to lvl 5 and pick up 2nd attack. That will take a while to get there.

Dual Wielder, get two longswords, use your bonus action for extra attacking every turn.

Problem with Shild Master Shove is, you can only use it it after your attacks.

You're basically praying for a crit or the bonus action attack you get for killing someone using Great Weapon Master.

Another good one is taking magical initiate and grabbing Hex.

I think you're better off raising stats this go round, although I too like the idea of Magic Initiate.

Don't sweat the Bonus Action, its called bonus for a reason.

Yeah not a huge fan of that ruling on shield master, makes it good for other party members attacks (unless they are ranged). Really sucks if the enemy is next in line in initiative after you, because he just stands back up (movement penalty is pretty situational).

Quote from Madsheep >>

You're basically praying for a crit or the bonus action attack you get for killing someone using Great Weapon Master.

Another good one is taking magical initiate and grabbing Hex.

Taking MI for Hex would be a waste. You can cast your 1st level spell once a day. Hex once a day is not worth a feat, alternatively taking Wizard and Find Familiar would make more sense. Plus you could take either booming blade or green flame blade.

Quote from Quasimojo >>

I think you're better off raising stats this go round, although I too like the idea of Magic Initiate.

Don't sweat the Bonus Action, its called bonus for a reason.

I agree, don’t worry about not having a bonus all the time. I play recanted characters often so I rarely have a reaction, but I don’t think about it.

I know this is an older post but I'm hoping the developers will listen. All that bonus damage handed out through things like rage, sneak attack, and hex over the years, some even increase with levels. 10d6 for a Rogue at level 19? None for the fighter champion especially. I thought about Hex and that is rechargeable after a long rest now. It would only last 1 hour for me, and you have to concentrate. I am definitely new to spells, but it seems stupid to have to use a feat for one d6 of extra damage. Magic users need a long rest to regain all their spells back but just 1 seems unfair. Also, I don't want to use dual wielder to gain something that should be standard anyway, except for the +1 AC. Plus it does less damage after getting the 2nd extra attack than 2 handed weapons. Or a shield, drawn and equipped from the back. That should take longer to draw than two weapons from a belt!

People will say fighters get 7 ASI's and 1 more extra attack but you must wait until level 19 and 20.  Plus, I find myself drawn to feats that don't grant a + to ASI's. How many people play to 20?  If you do you might get one final epic battle or maybe 1 more level to use them. I think a rework of every set of leveling bonuses should happen. Barbarians get 2 bonuses with 3 out of 4 of the first 4 level bonuses. Fighters get 2, one very late.

Some classes get very high AC even without armor. Adding 2 ability score mods to unarmored characters can reach 20. Especially lucky rollers. We have a max of 21 with +3 heavy plate, w/ disadvantage to stealth checks.  Even if you have +3 studded leather and a +5 Dex bonus, That's 20. You can do a bit better by taking defense fighting style. Again, you have to do extra things to get something others get by just doing what they would normally do to advance. Monks can put 20 in Dex and get better AC and can unarmed fight using Dex. Convenient...

I thought I had something with "Magic Stone", another Warlock spell. You create them with a bonus action, but you have to throw them with an action. Who wants to use their action as a fighter to use a spell!  Maybe make them conjured pebbles, pure magic maybe. Instead of a ranged spell attack, just a spell attack. I even equipped Eldritch blast thinking I could use it without needing a crossbow but every time the cantrip increases damage the crossbow does too, usually by more. I'd even take a bag of ball bearings or rocks to throw using a BA to do 1 d6 damage. Fighters only, HAH!

As for bonus actions not being a big deal, why not eliminate them all together. But then every magic class couldn't cast twice per turn. Anyway, I'm just a Fighter venting. Nothing will change. I'm going to ask my DM to give me something. Maybe just Magic stone can be thrown or slung with a BA the following turn after creating them.

@FoxMulder: if you are looking for ways to use a bonus action as a fighter and shield master shove is not your thing, then consider pole arm master. If you are willing to go "spear and board" rather than sword and board, pole arm master gives you an extra attack as a bonus action (that does a base damage of d4) with the back end of the spear. The other damage modifiers for the attack all apply, though, so if you have a shiny magic spear that does bonus damage (which, hopefully you have a nice weapon like that as a fighter at 19th level in your example above), that becomes d4 + XdY), which can add up. If you are playing a champion (as it seems you might be given your note above), that back-end spear attack can crit on your 18-20 range as well. All total, it adds a nice bit of damage to your round and gives you all of the OA utility that comes with the feat as well.

There are also several other bonus action options available to fighters depending on the race you play. Anything from teleporting (Eladrin and Shadur-Kai) to dashing (Orc), etc.

Thanks @DFDrake. I just noticed PaM. I'm considering it with a quarterstaff. I can take Dueling fighting style as well, which I'm hoping my DM allows the change since we started at level 3 and I just moved to 4. PaM also would combine nicely with the Crusher feat. Just wondering if you think I could choose when to use Crusher? If I hit on my action and knock back, so the enemy has to move back into melee range on their attack, I would then have to move myself to use the BA. That would not allow PaM to trigger again. I could use the BA if I missed, had another target within my remaining movement range, or if the target was larger than large. PaM and dueling would give me a chance to do 6-14 damage. With a +3 STR mod, that would be 12-20. Plus, I may be able to wield a shield. If I can flip the QS with one hand or use the shield hand to help flip. If I can do that without, say a Dex check, that would be great. Otherwise, no shield?

Good question as to when to use the crusher knock back. If that were my only knock-back ability, I think I would use it on my last attack against a target, which would be the bonus action extra attack in most cases. If my fighter was up against something that was harder to hit, and really dangerous, I might try to use the knock back as soon as possible (just in case following attacks miss), and then use the character's move to get them out of the way. (Knock backs can be handy as an aggressive disengage---I want all of my attacks but still not provoke an OA from a particular thing---when up against a single enemy with the same or less movement as your character, because they''ll have to move your full movement +5' to re-engage in melee).

Also, there is the martial versatility optional class feature which lets you switch your fighting style at 4th level and any level where you get an ASI/feat. That's described just before martial archetypes here: https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/fighter .  It's optional (so a DM's call), but it is not like you are asking for something way out there when hoping to change your character's fighting style.

Quote from FoxMulder >>

Thanks @DFDrake. I just noticed PaM. I'm considering it with a quarterstaff. I can take Dueling fighting style as well, which I'm hoping my DM allows the change since we started at level 3 and I just moved to 4. PaM also would combine nicely with the Crusher feat. Just wondering if you think I could choose when to use Crusher? If I hit on my action and knock back, so the enemy has to move back into melee range on their attack, I would then have to move myself to use the BA. That would not allow PaM to trigger again. I could use the BA if I missed, had another target within my remaining movement range, or if the target was larger than large. PaM and dueling would give me a chance to do 6-14 damage. With a +3 STR mod, that would be 12-20. Plus, I may be able to wield a shield. If I can flip the QS with one hand or use the shield hand to help flip. If I can do that without, say a Dex check, that would be great. Otherwise, no shield?

 Don't use a quarterstaff and use a spear instead.  You can still trigger Crusher with your Bonus Action attack with the added benefit of being able to throw your spear as a ranged attack if it is too dangerous/impossible to reach your target.  If you really wanted to trigger the opportunity attack of Polearm Master safely and consistently I would suggest using the 2 handed polearms with the Reach property instead, as it lets you move into and out of attack range of your enemy which in most cases only have a attack reach of 5 ft without triggering their opportunity attack.

@ThelonelyMagi, the spear is interesting. I thought about it. I have a crossbow for distance. At this point, I wanted to use the QS because I could also use dueling fighting style, +2 to damage when you use a one-handed weapon. I think I'm better off using a 2-handed weapon with the Sentinel feat, if I want a feat. Being as low as I am with ability scores I'll need 5 ASI's to get 20 STR, 16 DEX, 20 CON. The DEX isn't that important, but I think 1 point to DEX and 1 to CON would be prudent, and convenient at some point. I'm really looking for max damage, a Glaive or Halberd won't do as much damage as a Maul. Also, I just don't like the -5 +10 thing. I would need some serious math to figure out how many times per battle the OA would trigger as opposed to Sentinel. The PaM / Crusher combo seems flawed, although anything with intelligence or a being that's not stubborn, would stop attacking me at some point and move to another target. I'm guessing PaM / Crusher would do more damage than Sentinel over time? Sentinel is harder to achieve its reaction attack. I can do the math and a 2-handed weapon will do more base damage than anything else. BTW, I think my DM may get pissed at me very soon because I keep bugging him with option after option.

@DFDrake, Irrelevant because I'm sticking with the Maul, Crusher does say "once per turn" so I wouldn't apply it with the BA if it was already on from the Action. The level 19 was referring to a Rogue having massive damage without any extra effort. I am a level 4 Human Champion.

P.S. The more I discuss this topic, the more I think PaM / Crusher is the way to go...

Quote from FoxMulder >>

@ThelonelyMagi, the spear is interesting. I thought about it. I have a crossbow for distance. At this point, I wanted to use the QS because I could also use dueling fighting style, +2 to damage when you use a one-handed weapon. I think I'm better off using a 2-handed weapon with the Sentinel feat, if I want a feat. Being as low as I am with ability scores I'll need 5 ASI's to get 20 STR, 16 DEX, 20 CON. The DEX isn't that important, but I think 1 point to DEX and 1 to CON would be prudent, and convenient at some point. I'm really looking for max damage, a Glaive or Halberd won't do as much damage as a Maul. Also, I just don't like the -5 +10 thing. I would need some serious math to figure out how many times per battle the OA would trigger as opposed to Sentinel. The PaM / Crusher combo seems flawed, although anything with intelligence or a being that's not stubborn, would stop attacking me at some point and move to another target. I'm guessing PaM / Crusher would do more damage than Sentinel over time? Sentinel is harder to achieve its reaction attack. I can do the math and a 2-handed weapon will do more base damage than anything else. BTW, I think my DM may get pissed at me very soon because I keep bugging him with option after option.

@DFDrake, Irrelevant because I'm sticking with the Maul, Crusher does say "once per turn" so I wouldn't apply it with the BA if it was already on from the Action. The level 19 was referring to a Rogue having massive damage without any extra effort. I am a level 4 Human Champion.

P.S. The more I discuss this topic, the more I think PaM / Crusher is the way to go...

 The spear is exactly the same as the quarterstaff, it has the versatile property so can be wielded in 1 hand.  It is superior to the quarterstaff in many ways is because it can also be thrown to make a ranged attack if necessary.

To the point of doing max damage, if you had Polearm Master the 2-handed polearms actually out damages the maul because it consistently allows you to make an additional attack with your Bonus Action.  On average the maul does 1 point more damage than the 2-handed polearms per attack but you would have a rather difficult time triggering a Bonus Action attack with it.