D&D 5E Great Weapon Master Feat Question

[Kikuras]

Nope. Not "after". There's no word "after" present in the feat description. The keyword that is present is "when". It occurs "when you score a critical hit or drop.... etc". Which falls exactly under the "unless the bonus action’s timing is specified" clause.

Now we're delving into RAW vs. RAI. It is possible that the intent was to let you move and they just forgot to word it properly.

It is also possible the intent was only to use it when surrounded by a horde of enemies. Who are we to know? If you're the DM, feel free to interpret their intent as you will, of course, but if the question is about what the rule actually is, there can be only one answer - the actual rule is that you must take the bonus attack immediately.

Fair points, but now you made me have to go delve into texts.

Page 190, PHB, under the heading "Breaking Up Your Move", sub-heading 'Moving Between Attacks':
"If you take an action that includes more than one weapon attack, you can break up your movement even further by moving between those attacks. For example, a fighter who can make two attacks with the Extra Attack feature and who has a speed o f 25 feet could move 10 feet, make an attack, move 15 feet, and then attack again."

(I applied bold to the important term).

Page 167, PHB, under the rules for Great Weapon Master:
"On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee w eapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action."

(I applied bold to important term)

So, by RAW any series of events that takes place within an action, specifically an Attack Action, where a weapon attack occurs, then it is allowed that movement may also occur, so long as the character in question is able to move.

 

[Thyrwyn]

...Also, the word 'when' is not "specified timing", at least not in the English language.

eg: "When you go to the store, get some eggs", does not mean "Immediately upon arriving at the store, without moving beyond the entryway, acquire some eggs"; it does not even mean "upon arriving at the store, acquire some eggs before acquiring anything else"; it means "at some time, while you are at the store, acquire some eggs".

 

[DMCF]

If the feat's extra attack is made as a bonus action and movement isn't allowed then your players have a good case to argue that the cleric can't disengage then move, then cast healing word. Last thing I'd want to do is bring up player vs. Player conflict.

Martial classes can't do much. They already have limited options compared to spell casters. I think allowing movement is both RAW and RAI so martial classes can have better mobility.

 

[Mouseferatu]

In this particular case, is the bonus action's timing indeed specified? Yes, it is: "when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points ..."

So it seems that, by RAW, you must take the bonus action attack right there and then.

The monk's flurry of blows states, "Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action."

That sounds like the timing is pretty strictly defined, right? But you don't actually have to take the attack "immediately." They've confirmed, via Twitter, that you can move before or between those two unarmed strikes, if you have movement remaining.

It's not the exact same phrasing as GWF, but I think it's fair to argue the gist and spirit are the same.

 

[DMCF]

RAW You spend the Ki point immediately, but do not expend the bonus action immediately. So you couldn't attack, move and see if you draw AoO so you can decide dodge or attack, and if lucky attack. Makes sense with the monk to keep it from gaming the system.

 

[jgsugden]

The clear answer is: It is ambiguous. Ask your DM to make a ruling and stick with it until you get errata.

Assuming that every nuance of the written language is intended is a fool's errand. When it comes to RAW, unless it is absolutely clear, it is ambiguous. There are many ways to read into the language of GWM. There is no single clear RAW interpretation.

As for RAI, I see two concepts here: Cleave (where the blade passes through an enemy and into another on the same blow, which would lead towards the 'no move' interpretation) and Not Resisted Blow (where your strike passes through an enemy so easily that you're left more time to attack others during the round, which is an interpretation that allows for movement before the extra blow). As either concept fits with the vague description, I see no clear RAI to lean on, either.

To that end, until we get the inevitable errata (that limits this to attacks with weapons in two hands and clarifies whether the movement is allowed before the bonus attack), ask your DM and get on with having fun.