My DM and I are trying to figure out if the Bonus attack 1d4 bludgeoning attack of the PAM feat gets any modifyers on the attack roll. He considers it an off hand attack, despite the feats description
When you take the Attack action and attack with only a glaive, halberd, or quarterstaff, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. 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.
I feel like the bonus attack would get the Strength+Proficiency for attack and the +Strength for damage as it is considered a heavy two-handed weapon attack. Does anyone know the ruling on it?
It is not a two-weapon fighting situation, as the character has only one weapon.
In this case, the feat is the specific rule and you do not need anything else. The feat that you get a melee weapon attack and the attack deals 1d4 points of damage. So, you apply proficiency and ability modifier as you would for any other weapon attack.
this question is specifically asked in sage advice
Polearm Master Can I add my Strength modifier to the damage of the bonus attack that Polearm Master gives me? Yes. If you have the feat and use the Attack action to attack with a glaive, halberd, or quarterstaff, you can also strike with the weapon’s opposite end as a bonus action. For that bonus attack, you add your ability modifier to the attack roll, as you do whenever you attack with that weapon, and if you hit, you add the same ability modifier to the damage roll, which is normal for weapon damage rolls (PH, 196). A specific rule, such as the rule for two-weapon fighting (PH, 195), might break the general rule by telling you not to add your ability modifier to the damage. Polearm Master doesn’t have such a rule.
Remember, the general rule applies unless a specific rule overrides it.
The general rule for a melee weapon attack is that you add your Str mod, and if you're proficient in the weapon you add your Proficiency bonus. There's no rule contradicting this in the feat or anywhere else.
The general rule for rolling damage on a successful melee weapon attack is the damage die plus the same ability mod you used for the attack roll. The feat text specifies that the damage die is 1d4, and it says nothing to indicate that your Str mod doesn't get added. Lots of people seem to think that the rule about not adding your ability mod applies to any Bonus Action weapon attack, but it's specific(there's that word) to the Bonus Action attack you make when two-weapon fighting.
What about magical damage? With a +1 weapon does the d4 attack get the +1 on attack/damage or is that not included because you’re not using the “normal” end of the weapon?
Same for bane damage. If I had a dragon bane halberd does the d4 attack get the bane damage as well?
The feat seems to imply that magical damage isn’t included.
My DM and I are trying to figure out if the Bonus attack 1d4 bludgeoning attack of the PAM feat gets any modifyers on the attack roll. He considers it an off hand attack, despite the feats description
I feel like the bonus attack would get the Strength+Proficiency for attack and the +Strength for damage as it is considered a heavy two-handed weapon attack. Does anyone know the ruling on it?
It is not a two-weapon fighting situation, as the character has only one weapon.
In this case, the feat is the specific rule and you do not need anything else. The feat that you get a melee weapon attack and the attack deals 1d4 points of damage. So, you apply proficiency and ability modifier as you would for any other weapon attack.
Thanks!
this question is specifically asked in sage advice
Polearm Master
Can I add my Strength modifier to the damage of the
bonus attack that Polearm Master gives me? Yes. If you
have the feat and use the Attack action to attack with a
glaive, halberd, or quarterstaff, you can also strike with the
weapon’s opposite end as a bonus action. For that bonus attack, you add your ability modifier to the attack roll, as you
do whenever you attack with that weapon, and if you hit,
you add the same ability modifier to the damage roll, which
is normal for weapon damage rolls (PH, 196).
A specific rule, such as the rule for two-weapon fighting
(PH, 195), might break the general rule by telling you not
to add your ability modifier to the damage. Polearm Master
doesn’t have such a rule.
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
Remember, the general rule applies unless a specific rule overrides it.
The general rule for a melee weapon attack is that you add your Str mod, and if you're proficient in the weapon you add your Proficiency bonus. There's no rule contradicting this in the feat or anywhere else.
The general rule for rolling damage on a successful melee weapon attack is the damage die plus the same ability mod you used for the attack roll. The feat text specifies that the damage die is 1d4, and it says nothing to indicate that your Str mod doesn't get added. Lots of people seem to think that the rule about not adding your ability mod applies to any Bonus Action weapon attack, but it's specific(there's that word) to the Bonus Action attack you make when two-weapon fighting.
What about magical damage? With a +1 weapon does the d4 attack get the +1 on attack/damage or is that not included because you’re not using the “normal” end of the weapon?
Same for bane damage. If I had a dragon bane halberd does the d4 attack get the bane damage as well?
The feat seems to imply that magical damage isn’t included.
the bonus attack is done with the weapon AND attacks and damage get a +1 with this magical weapon. it does not specify how you use the weapon.
bane, I am not following
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.