Hey, I am looking at making a sword and shield fighter. I was wondering the best feats, and point buy spread to really help this play style shine. I plan on playing battle master so another thing I'd like to ask is which fighting style would be best dueling or the one that gives a maneuver?
The Shield Master feat is worth consideration. Protection Fighting Style despite being situational is good to protect nearby ally but overall the best return on investment is usually Dueling Fighting Style as it's static damage bonus.
It really depends how you want to play - sword 'n' board battle masters have a lot of flexibility, so you can play offensively just as easily as staying on the defensive. I can give you some general recommendations, though:
Stat Spread
If you're playing with a traditional set up (i.e. longsword and shield) you'll want STR to be your highest stat, followed by CON and/or DEX. You could lean full into physical stats, but that's a little boring, plus mental saves come up more often than you'd think. Ideally you're looking for something like;
STR 15 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 10
Toss a +1 into STR and a +2 into CON from your racial scores, and you're good to go. Alternatively, you can play a DEX-based fighter using a rapier or similar finesse weapon. That gives you the benefit of a higher armor class if you avoid heavy armor, and lets you invest a little more heavily in a mental stat - WIS is usually a good pick, given how often Perception checks come up. That would be something like;
STR 10 DEX 15 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 14 CHA 10
Like before, put your +1 into DEX and your +2 into CON.
Fighting Styles
Defense: Gives you a bonus +1 to AC. A good pick for any type of fighter, and means you don't have to remember anything extra.
Dueling: +2 weapon damage when you're wielding a melee weapon one-handed. Good at early levels, but can feel a little 'meh' when you get stronger.
Interception: Lets you reduce damage against allies standing next to you. Good if you have other frontline fighters in your party.
Protection: Lets you impose disadvantage on attacks against allies next to you. Good if you have other frontline fighters in your party.
Superior Technique: Gives you an additional battle master technique and superiority die.
Feats
Shield Master: Shield Master is great - it lets you shove an enemy with your bonus action, it lets you add your AC bonus to certain DEX saves and it gives you an Evasion-style ability that negates damage when you succeed on a DEX saving throw.
Tough: Simple and easy to use. You get 2 extra hitpoints per level, making you even harder to kill.
Alert: Another simple one, and especially good if you're a DEX-based fighter. +5 to Initiative and you can't be surprised.
Defensive Duelist: Another good one if you're DEX-based, this lets you add your proficiency bonus to your AC as a reaction if you're using a finesse weapon. Good for tanking.
Strike of the Giants: I like this one, though others might disagree. It's bonus damage, plus an additional effect depending on which type of giant you're associated with.
Medium Armor Master: Good for DEX fighters, this lets you at +3 DEX to your AC when you're wearing medium armor, rather than +2. It also means you don't get disadvantage on Stealth rolls.
Sentinel: Great for tanking and keeping your allies safe, this makes creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they disengage. If you hit them with an opportunity attack, their speed becomes 0, meaning they can't run away or go hassle your friends. You can also use your reaction to attack an enemy if they attack someone else while they're within 5 feet of you.
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Hey, I am looking at making a sword and shield fighter. I was wondering the best feats, and point buy spread to really help this play style shine. I plan on playing battle master so another thing I'd like to ask is which fighting style would be best dueling or the one that gives a maneuver?
Thanks.
The Shield Master feat is worth consideration. Protection Fighting Style despite being situational is good to protect nearby ally but overall the best return on investment is usually Dueling Fighting Style as it's static damage bonus.
It really depends how you want to play - sword 'n' board battle masters have a lot of flexibility, so you can play offensively just as easily as staying on the defensive. I can give you some general recommendations, though:
Stat Spread
If you're playing with a traditional set up (i.e. longsword and shield) you'll want STR to be your highest stat, followed by CON and/or DEX. You could lean full into physical stats, but that's a little boring, plus mental saves come up more often than you'd think. Ideally you're looking for something like;
STR 15
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 8
WIS 10
CHA 10
Toss a +1 into STR and a +2 into CON from your racial scores, and you're good to go. Alternatively, you can play a DEX-based fighter using a rapier or similar finesse weapon. That gives you the benefit of a higher armor class if you avoid heavy armor, and lets you invest a little more heavily in a mental stat - WIS is usually a good pick, given how often Perception checks come up. That would be something like;
STR 10
DEX 15
CON 14
INT 8
WIS 14
CHA 10
Like before, put your +1 into DEX and your +2 into CON.
Fighting Styles
Defense: Gives you a bonus +1 to AC. A good pick for any type of fighter, and means you don't have to remember anything extra.
Dueling: +2 weapon damage when you're wielding a melee weapon one-handed. Good at early levels, but can feel a little 'meh' when you get stronger.
Interception: Lets you reduce damage against allies standing next to you. Good if you have other frontline fighters in your party.
Protection: Lets you impose disadvantage on attacks against allies next to you. Good if you have other frontline fighters in your party.
Superior Technique: Gives you an additional battle master technique and superiority die.
Feats
Shield Master: Shield Master is great - it lets you shove an enemy with your bonus action, it lets you add your AC bonus to certain DEX saves and it gives you an Evasion-style ability that negates damage when you succeed on a DEX saving throw.
Tough: Simple and easy to use. You get 2 extra hitpoints per level, making you even harder to kill.
Alert: Another simple one, and especially good if you're a DEX-based fighter. +5 to Initiative and you can't be surprised.
Defensive Duelist: Another good one if you're DEX-based, this lets you add your proficiency bonus to your AC as a reaction if you're using a finesse weapon. Good for tanking.
Strike of the Giants: I like this one, though others might disagree. It's bonus damage, plus an additional effect depending on which type of giant you're associated with.
Medium Armor Master: Good for DEX fighters, this lets you at +3 DEX to your AC when you're wearing medium armor, rather than +2. It also means you don't get disadvantage on Stealth rolls.
Sentinel: Great for tanking and keeping your allies safe, this makes creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they disengage. If you hit them with an opportunity attack, their speed becomes 0, meaning they can't run away or go hassle your friends. You can also use your reaction to attack an enemy if they attack someone else while they're within 5 feet of you.