D&D 5E Shield Mastery Feat

[Agamon]

Moving is no longer a type of action, it's just something you can do as part of your action. So really, as soon as you start moving, you've begun your action, whatever it is.

I'll just leave that there as some food for thought.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Regardless of the interpretation, I love this feat.

My halfling heavy armored fighter shield master, busting knee caps from here to The Pomarj

 

[ambroseji]

I believe some people are thinking about this too hard. The bash becomes part of your attack sequence, much like an extra attack. You can do it before or after the actual main attack, but if you do the bash first, your committed to attacking.

This was my assumption when I read the feat the first time. I also think it's the most fun, so it's what I'm gonna run with if the feat ever pops up in my game.

 

[Dausuul]

I read it as Juriel does: As soon as you commence the Attack action, you get the bonus action. You can then use it before making any actual attack rolls.

So, yes, you can shove a creature down and then whale on it with advantage; and no, you can't fail the shove attempt and then change your action as a result. You're already committed to the Attack action at that point. You could decline to take your attacks, of course, but then you just wasted your turn.

 

[Runny]

I'm not sure that it grants any shove. It says shove five feet, not simply shove, which would give you the option of shoving prone or five feet.

 

[Eirikrautha]

I'm not sure that it grants any shove. It says shove five feet, not simply shove, which would give you the option of shoving prone or five feet.

Good point. Which would make this a great feat for a one-handed reach weapon. Shove then hit. Or, better yet, with normal reach, hit, then shove, then AoO!

 

[KarinsDad]

I read it as Juriel does: As soon as you commence the Attack action, you get the bonus action. You can then use it before making any actual attack rolls.

So, yes, you can shove a creature down and then whale on it with advantage; and no, you can't fail the shove attempt and then change your action as a result. You're already committed to the Attack action at that point. You could decline to take your attacks, of course, but then you just wasted your turn.

This.

I've changed my mind on this one.

Commence the attack action. Do whatever you want within that action including the shove and including any movement.

Shove, Attack, Move, Attack.
Attack, Shove, Move, Attack.
Attack, Move, Shove, Attack.
Attack, Move, Attack, Shove.
Attack, Move, Shove, Move, Attack.

 

[Runny]

Oops, I miss read it. The five feet is the range. It does Grant a generic shove. For the record, I see this the same as two weapon fighting, and I would allow bonus attacks first or second.

 

[Scorpio616]

Sure looks to me the attack of the attack action occurs when the action is taken rather than the attack action enabling you to take an attack on some part of your turn. One doesn't have the bonus shove until after that.

And it looks like 2 weapon fighting works the same way.

 

[DEFCON 1]

For me, I also look at what kind of cinematic combat action are they trying to get across in the fiction, and which actions, feats, or maneuvers are ones that can best illustrate those ideas? The concept of a warrior knocking his opponent's feet out from under him before then ramming his weapon into the prone body is one that is shown all the time... so what maneuvers, feats, or whatever could be best used to illustrate that? The Shield Master feats is written such that it definitely could give us what we want and need out of it-- a shove prone + weapon attack. If there's little to no other methods of getting this combo (especially for PCs who won't get Extra Attack at some point)... then seeing a Feat made that would accomplish it makes me believe that was part of it's intent. And I'd allow it to occur if for no other reason than it looks cool.

Besides quite frankly... PCs are going to find ways to get Advantage on their attacks all the time (like all the ones who will go into Hiding), so if someone wants to spend a Feat to do it via Shove... then why should I consider that cheesy or not allow it? Spending a Feat on the ability is kinda a big deal... so why not let them do it? That's how I feel at any rate.