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Character Builds & Optimization
Advice on a Mountain Dwarf Vengeance Paladin
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<blockquote data-quote="Gavin O." data-source="post: 7430046" data-attributes="member: 6941440"><p>If you don't have advantage (remember, Vow of Enmity gives you advantage against one foe for a minute per short rest, you most often won't have advantage), then Great Weapon Master isn't adding much damage. Let's say you're at level 4, attacking a target with an AC of 16, and your bonus to hit is +5 (2 from Proficiency and 3 from Strength). You have to roll an 11 or higher to hit, which you have a 50% chance of doing. The average damage on a hit (using a greatsword) is 2d6+3, or 10, so your expected damage per round is 5. 10 damage per hit, 50% chance of hitting.</p><p></p><p>Compare to using Great Weapon Master: your bonus to hit is now +0, which means you need to roll a 16 to hit. You have a 25% chance of rolling 16 or higher. The average damage of your hit becomes 2d6+13, or 20, but since you only hit one quarter of the time, your expected damage per round is still 5. You've not gained anything by doing this and you've given up an ASI or a better feat to get it. </p><p></p><p>If you're using Polearm Master, you'd be using a glaive, so your first attack would be with a d10, 1d10+3 is 8.5, and since your chance to hit is 50%, your expected damage from that attack is 4.25.</p><p>You also get another attack. The damage dice is 1d4, so your expected damage is 5.5. You have a 50% chance to hit this attack, so the expected damage is 2.25. Add those two numbers together and your total expected damage is 6.5, a significant increase.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Gavin O., post: 7430046, member: 6941440"] If you don't have advantage (remember, Vow of Enmity gives you advantage against one foe for a minute per short rest, you most often won't have advantage), then Great Weapon Master isn't adding much damage. Let's say you're at level 4, attacking a target with an AC of 16, and your bonus to hit is +5 (2 from Proficiency and 3 from Strength). You have to roll an 11 or higher to hit, which you have a 50% chance of doing. The average damage on a hit (using a greatsword) is 2d6+3, or 10, so your expected damage per round is 5. 10 damage per hit, 50% chance of hitting. Compare to using Great Weapon Master: your bonus to hit is now +0, which means you need to roll a 16 to hit. You have a 25% chance of rolling 16 or higher. The average damage of your hit becomes 2d6+13, or 20, but since you only hit one quarter of the time, your expected damage per round is still 5. You've not gained anything by doing this and you've given up an ASI or a better feat to get it. If you're using Polearm Master, you'd be using a glaive, so your first attack would be with a d10, 1d10+3 is 8.5, and since your chance to hit is 50%, your expected damage from that attack is 4.25. You also get another attack. The damage dice is 1d4, so your expected damage is 5.5. You have a 50% chance to hit this attack, so the expected damage is 2.25. Add those two numbers together and your total expected damage is 6.5, a significant increase. [/QUOTE]
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