Best use of Polearm Master + Sentinel, Best Control/Skill Bard, Level 6

[Saren]

As the title, I have two character questions. A couple of the players know what type - mechanically - of character they want to play, they just don't know the best way to get there (our DM has promised a particularly nasty campaign and encourages a certain level of min/maxing). How would you go about making the two titled characters?

The Polearm + Sentinel combo wants to go Variant Human for the extra feat.

The Bard likes Half-Elf, but she's open to other races.

 

[RulesJD]

Polearm + Sent + GWM you mean?

1. Variant Human (obviously) Battlemaster Fighter.

2. Champion is also a possibility but BM is almost always more useful with the PSG combo. Battlemaster gets Precision, which is the most useful thing because it helps GWM strikes connect (+10 damage rather than just +4.5 (the 1d8). It also lets you Trip enemies that hit your PAM + Sent, which means they're stuck 10ft away from you, while Prone, until their next turn. That means a fully turn of advantage against them. Frightened will help you tank.

3. Start with PAM, then grab Sent, then GWM. 1 level dip into Cleric for Divine Favor + Bless (make those GWM strikes count) and you're good to go. This is probably one of the most combat effective builds in the game when it comes online at level 4 and then fully online at level 6.

4. If you don't want to level dip Cleric (I highly recommend that you do), grab 2-3 levels of Barbarian. Extra +2 damage on each hit from Rage + Advantage at will for GWM + 1/2 damage from almost anything + Advantage on Dex Saves = you are super tank but super damage. BM die work while raging as well so woohoo.

 

[Blue]

Best Control/Skill Bard, Level 6. The Bard likes Half-Elf, but she's open to other races.

This one is tricky, I'd go with: Half-Elf Bard (Lore) 6.

Really, bard is one of the strongest classes, and half-elf is a great fit. Lore bard is more control of the subclasses with both Cutting Words and magical secrets at 6th for spells from other lists.

No feats needed, I'd probably keep pumping Charisma (and then Dex) instead, but that's not hard and fast. Actually, depending on the campaign I'd take the Actor feat, because it's just dang cool in the hands of a high-Charisma roleplayer.

 

[Blue]

[MENTION=6808367]RulesJD[/MENTION] has some good ideas there, here's a few alternatives. Polearm Master gives a reliable extra attack, and that works well with classes that do more with each attack. Paladin (for delivering smites) and Barbarian (for bonus rage damage, plus hitting with the extra more often with Reckless attack) are both good at taking advantage of that.

Now Sentiniel can change that. If the DM allows the Unearthed Arcana entries, the Underdark one has an alternate fighting style hat uses your bonus action (no bonus attack, boo!) and allows you to make unlimited opportunity attacks that round (amazing with Sentinel, even more so with Sentinel and reach). Barbarian can't take that, but Fighter, Paladin and Ranger can.

I would also think about spreading those out a bit in order to get the Str up. High strength improves expected damage both chance to hit (+5% all damage) and damage (+1 damage on hit). More attacks again multiplies that.

 

[Kithas]

Are these things you want to do anyways and are asking to get the most out of the concept, or are you assuming based on general here say that these build types are more powerful than othrs? I ask because especially pm fighter seems to have a lot of hype around it and it does some things very well but as Ive learned 5e better eve realized that as a build it is sub optimal. However if these are concepts that you want to play anyways id be more than happy to help.

 

[RulesJD]

Are these things you want to do anyways and are asking to get the most out of the concept, or are you assuming based on general here say that these build types are more powerful than othrs? I ask because especially pm fighter seems to have a lot of hype around it and it does some things very well but as Ive learned 5e better eve realized that as a build it is sub optimal. However if these are concepts that you want to play anyways id be more than happy to help.

Please explain how it is sub-optimal.

 

[Kithas]

Please explain how it is sub-optimal.

We've already been over this in other threads. Please refer to those points.

 

[RulesJD]

We've already been over this in other threads. Please refer to those points.

Yes, and in those threads (that I've seen) PSG is overwhelming agreed to be one of the top tier most powerful builds. No other build gets as many attacks between main Action, Bonus, and Reaction. No other build has as high sustainable DPS without expending resources, and the resources that are spend (assuming battlemaster) are short rest anyways.

The OP asked for the best way to get a PAM + Sent combo and he was provided with variant human which is clearly the answer. So far you've contributed nothing to this discussion. You claimed that Polearm Master Fighters are a suboptimal build and provided nothing for your reasoning why, or even what it was suboptimal at exactly.

 

[RulesJD]

*double post*

 

[Saren]

Are these things you want to do anyways and are asking to get the most out of the concept, or are you assuming based on general here say that these build types are more powerful than othrs?

These are the concepts that we were wanting to do anyway. Our soon-to-be Bard wants to play a support/skillful type character and doesn't want to be a cleric, and I want to smack things with a halberd.

I appreciate the tips so far!