The math calculations that I've seen for GWM focus on the -5/+10 aspect of it. I'm finding that with my lvl 4 barbarian I'm getting an awful lot of extra damage being able to make use of my bonus action. It almost seems to me that that may be as much of a benefit to my DPR as the +10.
Does anyone know of the math regarding the DPR boost due to the bonus action?
On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
You have a 5% chance to deal a critical hit, which adds something like 1.05 extra DPR under predictable circumstance. (Greatsword, +4STR, guaranteed hit.) If your target is harder to hit, you're probably looking at closer to 0.525 extra DPR.
Against trash mobs, you'll have a ~21 point increase in DPR, but there is a very high probability that it most of that damage is getting wasted. (Substantially less against high AC targets) Against a BBEG, you'll have a 0 point increase in DPR, because there will be no one left hitting.
Overall, I'd roughly estimate the bonus action to be granting an average of 4~5 DPR, assuming you don't have something better to do with your bonus action.
This is all just armchair math that is highly dependent on your DM, party, and campaign, so take it with a grain of salt. (If you have a smaller party, you will be dealing the lethal blow on more monsters.)
The math calculations that I've seen for GWM focus on the -5/+10 aspect of it. I'm finding that with my lvl 4 barbarian I'm getting an awful lot of extra damage being able to make use of my bonus action. It almost seems to me that that may be as much of a benefit to my DPR as the +10.
Does anyone know of the math regarding the DPR boost due to the bonus action?
Yes, certainly. What would you like to know? I'll give you an example.
Suppose an S16 Barbarian at level 4 facing an AC 14 opponent (the recommended AC for level 4 PCs), wielding a Greatsword, with the GWM feat, during a rage, using reckless attack. I'm assuming nothing else that might improve the damage, like being a half-orc.
Base DPR without GWM: 10.7625
DPR with -5/+10, but no bonus action swing: 13.3875
DPR with GWM (including both the -5/+10 and the bonus swing, also at -5/+10): 14.6928
Of course, you're only at level 4, so your DPR looks wacky compared to what it will look in even one level. If you were dual wielding handaxes right now with a Str of 18, your DPR would be 13.845 (and would be less with just a Greatsword). The gap between a pair of handaxes and a greatsword with GWM will grow at level 5, and if you follow the standard progression to PAM at level 8, handaxes will completely fall off the radar.
You have a 5% chance to deal a critical hit
No, this is a barbarian. Reckless Attack grants advantage, which is a 9.75% crit rate.
The math calculations that I've seen for GWM focus on the -5/+10 aspect of it. I'm finding that with my lvl 4 barbarian I'm getting an awful lot of extra damage being able to make use of my bonus action. It almost seems to me that that may be as much of a benefit to my DPR as the +10.
Does anyone know of the math regarding the DPR boost due to the bonus action?
The problem is, how likely you are to get a crit can be calculated (as others have answered), but the likelihood of dropping an enemy to 0 varies depending on enemy HP. And of course you also need to be in melee with 2 targets to get the bonus damage and also not have anything else to do with your bonus action (which several subclasses try to use).
This is why most people ignore it when talking about the feat in general.
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The math calculations that I've seen for GWM focus on the -5/+10 aspect of it. I'm finding that with my lvl 4 barbarian I'm getting an awful lot of extra damage being able to make use of my bonus action. It almost seems to me that that may be as much of a benefit to my DPR as the +10.
Does anyone know of the math regarding the DPR boost due to the bonus action?
Are you referring to this?:
You have a 5% chance to deal a critical hit, which adds something like 1.05 extra DPR under predictable circumstance. (Greatsword, +4STR, guaranteed hit.)
If your target is harder to hit, you're probably looking at closer to 0.525 extra DPR.
Against trash mobs, you'll have a ~21 point increase in DPR, but there is a very high probability that it most of that damage is getting wasted. (Substantially less against high AC targets)
Against a BBEG, you'll have a 0 point increase in DPR, because there will be no one left hitting.
Overall, I'd roughly estimate the bonus action to be granting an average of 4~5 DPR, assuming you don't have something better to do with your bonus action.
This is all just armchair math that is highly dependent on your DM, party, and campaign, so take it with a grain of salt. (If you have a smaller party, you will be dealing the lethal blow on more monsters.)
Yes, certainly. What would you like to know? I'll give you an example.
Suppose an S16 Barbarian at level 4 facing an AC 14 opponent (the recommended AC for level 4 PCs), wielding a Greatsword, with the GWM feat, during a rage, using reckless attack. I'm assuming nothing else that might improve the damage, like being a half-orc.
Base DPR without GWM: 10.7625
DPR with -5/+10, but no bonus action swing: 13.3875
DPR with GWM (including both the -5/+10 and the bonus swing, also at -5/+10): 14.6928
Of course, you're only at level 4, so your DPR looks wacky compared to what it will look in even one level. If you were dual wielding handaxes right now with a Str of 18, your DPR would be 13.845 (and would be less with just a Greatsword). The gap between a pair of handaxes and a greatsword with GWM will grow at level 5, and if you follow the standard progression to PAM at level 8, handaxes will completely fall off the radar.
No, this is a barbarian. Reckless Attack grants advantage, which is a 9.75% crit rate.
The problem is, how likely you are to get a crit can be calculated (as others have answered), but the likelihood of dropping an enemy to 0 varies depending on enemy HP. And of course you also need to be in melee with 2 targets to get the bonus damage and also not have anything else to do with your bonus action (which several subclasses try to use).
This is why most people ignore it when talking about the feat in general.