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Great Weapon Mastery - once more into the breach! (with math)
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<blockquote data-quote="Rod Staffwand" data-source="post: 7198661" data-attributes="member: 6776279"><p>I think fighter-types almost need damage boosts to chew through the sheer number of hit points of even low CR beasties. Everything has about x2 the hp of my B/X, 1e, 2e expectations so PCs need to inflict twice as much damage as those editions to keep pace. GWM helps with that. Should it take a 10th level fighter 3 rounds to drop a CR2 ogre? Not in my game it shouldn't. Even a greatsword wielding warrior with the maximum sinewnyess of a 20 Strength has a significant chance of not dropping the 15hp orc in one hit (too tired at the moment to calculate the chances with GWF style, without it its like 16% to one-shot).</p><p></p><p>My particular problem with GWM is that the choice it engenders (whether to use it or not) is pretty-much a straight math calculation. There is nothing thematic about it, clever or tactically interesting. Use it against low-AC opponents with break point at various ACs, factoring in advantage and other perks as necessary. You work out a table for when its optimal for you and you're good. It adds nothing of interest to the game and doesn't change how your character plays. Obviously it has antecedents in BECMI's fighter's smash attack and 3e's power attack so its not a particular failing of 5e, but it does perpetuate uninspired design. At least you lost initiative with the smash attack, making it a more interesting decision.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rod Staffwand, post: 7198661, member: 6776279"] I think fighter-types almost need damage boosts to chew through the sheer number of hit points of even low CR beasties. Everything has about x2 the hp of my B/X, 1e, 2e expectations so PCs need to inflict twice as much damage as those editions to keep pace. GWM helps with that. Should it take a 10th level fighter 3 rounds to drop a CR2 ogre? Not in my game it shouldn't. Even a greatsword wielding warrior with the maximum sinewnyess of a 20 Strength has a significant chance of not dropping the 15hp orc in one hit (too tired at the moment to calculate the chances with GWF style, without it its like 16% to one-shot). My particular problem with GWM is that the choice it engenders (whether to use it or not) is pretty-much a straight math calculation. There is nothing thematic about it, clever or tactically interesting. Use it against low-AC opponents with break point at various ACs, factoring in advantage and other perks as necessary. You work out a table for when its optimal for you and you're good. It adds nothing of interest to the game and doesn't change how your character plays. Obviously it has antecedents in BECMI's fighter's smash attack and 3e's power attack so its not a particular failing of 5e, but it does perpetuate uninspired design. At least you lost initiative with the smash attack, making it a more interesting decision. [/QUOTE]
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Great Weapon Mastery - once more into the breach! (with math)
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