D&D 5E A tweak for the Battlemaster fighter

[Quartz]

action surge is at least as ordinary as hunter's mark. I would argue more so.

Action Surge lasts 1 round; Hunter's Mark can last 8 hours or even all day if cast with a higher level slot..

 

[Quartz]

The downloads section is working yet, but I can post it to my google drive later and post a link (after work in about 10 hrs or maybe at lunch).

Downloads were working fine: you were able to download my spreadsheet, weren't you?

 

[Quartz]

First, simply "base damage" as @Quartz put it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but that table is missing the Bonus Attack. You're also limiting combats to 3 rounds.

 

[dave2008]

Downloads were working fine: you were able to download my spreadsheet, weren't you?

I meant the downloads section of the website. I attached a link to the updated spreadsheet.

 

[dave2008]

Correct me if I'm wrong but that table is missing the Bonus Attack. You're also limiting combats to 3 rounds.

I have the hunter's mark damage and I incorrectly gave colossal to every attack, so that needs to be corrected. What are doing to get bonus action damage, I didn't see that specified. I am happy to add it.

 

[dave2008]

Action Surge lasts 1 round; Hunter's Mark can last 8 hours or even all day if cast with a higher level slot..

Yes, but almost everyone uses AS to cause damage every time. Not only can a ranger loose concentration, if they want to use another concentration spell - no hunter's mark. And hunter's mark is optional. A ranger could not have that spell or have it prepared. If we are assuming hunter's mark, then it is equally reasonable to assume Action surge is used for damage.

 

[Esker]

I have the hunter's mark damage and I incorrectly gave colossal to every attack, so that needs to be corrected. What are doing to get bonus action damage, I didn't see that specified. I am happy to add it.

I think the difference is that you switched the ranger to sword and board with dueling style, which I think is slightly better for them than dual wielding with TWF style, since they get the upgrade from d6-->d8 on two attacks, the +2 on two attacks, which is worth +6 every round, compared to 2d6+abi on half or so of the rounds that they aren't using their bonus action for casting/moving Hunter's Mark. Depending on how often you think they'll have to cast/move HM it could be slightly better for them to use TWF, of course they give up 2 AC for that (in addition to whatever AC they're down by to start with due to not having heavy armor).

Plus if the ranger isn't going to use a shield, then the battlemaster may as well use GWF for slightly more damage too.

 

[dave2008]

No. Because it is a 1 round surge. As such I discount it for the same reason I discount Paladin smites.

It is one round per short rest. And it is a huge amount of damage, why would you discount it? It is a class feature, not even an optional subclass feature.

 

[dave2008]

Colossus Slayer is limited to once per round, isn't it?

Edit: Once per turn, rather. So should be there on the OAs, but only one on-turn attack per round.

Oops, I will get that corrected!

Two relatively simple possibilities:
(1) assume distracting strike, so that you upgrade one attack per round from non-advantage to advantage, assuming the other character has the same ability mod as the ranger, and use a conservative attack damage amount (1d6+ability, say, with no fighting style).

At 65% baseline to hit, advantage becomes 87.75% to hit, for a net gain of 22.75% of 3.5+abi; between 1.5-2.0 extra damage per die, as a lowball estimate.

or (2) assume riposte. If you have at least as many opportunities as dice, then you get 0.65 * (normal damage + die value) out of each one. To be conservative, you could assume that the proportion of the time it triggers is something like 25%, and if this number times the number of rounds per short rest is less than the number of superiority dice, then use that amount instead as the number of uses you get

Or a more complex possibility:
(3) See the thread I posted a while back comparing arcane trickster to eldritch knight, where @FrogReaver and I had a side conversation where we worked out the damage value of Precision Attack

OK, I will take a look if I get more free time.

You need two ASIs to do that if using point buy or standard array, so the Fighter will max their attack stat at 6th, but the ranger has to wait until 8th.

OK, I will add that to the assumptions - thanks!

 

[dave2008]

I think the difference is that you switched the ranger to sword and board with dueling style, which I think is slightly better for them than dual wielding with TWF style, since they get the upgrade from d6-->d8 on two attacks, the +2 on two attacks, which is worth +6 every round, compared to 2d6+abi on half or so of the rounds that they aren't using their bonus action for casting/moving Hunter's Mark. Depending on how often you think they'll have to cast/move HM it could be slightly better for them to use TWF, of course they give up 2 AC for that (in addition to whatever AC they're down by to start with due to not having heavy armor).

Plus if the ranger isn't going to use a shield, then the battlemaster may as well use GWF for slightly more damage too.

Quarts stipulated the dueling style so that is what I used.