D&D 5E Trying to build a pole arm fighter

[zaratan]

Sadly, no. My toon is for AL only, so no UA content. Plus Tunnel Fighter is quite broken in it's current incarnation.

Not so broken, you lose your bonus action, so you need to get at least two OA each round to worth it. But no, is no.

I would go as fighter only to lvl 11 (or 12 if you need another ASI) , two lvl in paly will be better than the rest (3 if you want . Get another fighting style, divine smite and bless. Than go deeper in warlock or go sorcerer or bard for extra spell slots and another cool stuffs.

 

[Yunru]

Secondly, Sentinel is overrated. I very rarely get to use all or even part of that feat in a fight, when I do it's nice but usually it's a waste..

If you're using Sentinel right, you're not using Sentinel. It is, after all, a discouragement, meant to allow you soft control.

 

[Kithas]

If you're using Sentinel right, you're not using Sentinel. It is, after all, a discouragement, meant to allow you soft control.

I get that, what I mean is that with this kind of build you are a viable target to kill first regardless. On a tank sentinel is pretty great, on a damage dealer it makes less sense.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

If you're using Sentinel right, you're not using Sentinel. It is, after all, a discouragement, meant to allow you soft control.

What does soft control mean?

 

[Yunru]

What does soft control mean?

Hard control is things like paralysis and unconscious; it doesn't give them a choice.
Soft control is things that merely impose penalties for doing an action, not prevent them.

Kinda.

 

[pdegan2814]

Hard control is things like paralysis and unconscious; it doesn't give them a choice.
Soft control is things that merely impose penalties for doing an action, not prevent them.

Kinda.

Not kinda, you pretty much nailed it.

Hard Control - "Congrats, you're paralyzed, now stand still and take your auto-crits!"
Soft Control - "Sure, you can attack the squish instead of big ol' tanky me, IF you're willing to let me take a swipe at you with my greataxe!"

 

[RulesJD]

1. Sentinel is not even remotely underrated. It is one of the most powerful feats in the game, especially on a Polearm Master Battlemaster because you can stick enemies prone as their approach for free advantage throughout your next turn against that target.

2. Again, GWM is not even remotely underrated. Against tougher targets you are, BY A LARGE MARGIN, better off using -5/+10 and letting Precision die make up for when you miss. That turns your bonus Polearm attack from an average of 5.5 damage to an average of 15.5. On every strike, whenever you want. The combo of Precision BM die + GWM + Sentinel is gamebreaking to a large extent, especially at the lower levels when you're dishing out 60+ damage per round without even trying. Sure your DM can (try) to focus fire you down, but then you are literally doing your job. Even as a 2h Fighter your tanking abilities will be pretty decent, especially with BM die able to keep enemies prone, reaction attacks (which you can do if an enemy within 10ft attacks someone else), second wind, Plate, etc.

3. Definitely agree on the Barbarian levels for a Polearm Fighter past level 6 (when PGS comes fully online). The PSG combo becomes absurdly powerful when you can generate advantage at-will. Danger Sense shores up your Dex saves against damage and of course raging makes you super tanky with your D10/12 hit die.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

How many barbarian levels are we talking here?

Barbarian won't allow you to dump DEX in point buy, and level 11 fighters are much better IMO than level 6 fighter/5 barbarians.

 

[LapBandit]

I've played both a Beat Totem Barbarian with a pike and a Battlemaster Fighter with a halberd. Both had the Polearm Master feat and I found the Fighter more fun to play and the Barbarian the most mechanically powerful due to Rage and Reckless. One caveat; being able to impose Frightened, Prone, or Disadvantage at key points in a battle is sometimes worth it's weight in gold and the Battlemaster allows you to do that.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

I thought the Heavy Armor Mastery feat was amazing when I first saw it. Around levels 6 or 7, almost any humanoid enemy was rocking a magical weapon against me though. If I could turn back the clock, and redo my polearm fighter, I wouldn't have chosen that feat.

Here's how I'd build a polearm fighter, if I could do it over again (point buy):

Human Fighter:
STR and CON 16, distribute the other stats how you see fit.

Level 1: Polearm Master, Great Weapon Fighting style
Level 3: Battle Master (Lunging Attack, Sweeping Attack, Trip Attack)
Level 4: Sentinel (Please make sure you step back 5' after this, so the enemies provoke more Opportunity Attacks!)
Level 6: Great Weapon Master

Yeah, you're set by then.

I actually think defense fighting style is better than great weapon fighting fighting style now.

Now that I understand moving in combat more in this edition, a 5’ step provokes AoO, so stepping back after getting sentinel isn’t really worth it.