D&D 5E Polearm Master + quarterstaff...+ shield?

[Paul Farquhar]

Yeah, twirling a 6 ft long stick in one hand and being effective in combat is part of what I have a problem envisioning. I'm okay with a fair amount of silliness in D&D, but a quarterstaff is not a baton.

What about a baguette?

 

[delph]

Sure, but then you're negating the shield bonus, which is kind of the point.

It was just donkey bridge (It's wording for idea twist when some idea comes to other by minor part of first), so it havn't nothing to do with shield only use of quarterstaff.

 

[loverdrive]

Well, actually, there's not much of a problem swinging a quarterstaff with one hand (and the impact is actually stronger than when holding it with two hands, since leverage and naughty word.

But, anyway, polearm master allows using spear, which historically was used with shields, like, everywhere in the world, so I don't see any reason to use quarterstaff here.

Edit: oh, right, shilelagh.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Did you watch the movie Troy? Both Hector and Achilles clearly had both Polearm Master and Shield Master feats. They fought with spear and shield, mind.

I am SO glad you mentioned it. I was going to, but I have done it several times when Polearm Master threads pop up and am tired of repeating it.

FWIW, one of the best fight scenes in cinematic history IMO. Everything about it is great.

 

[Helldritch]

I too have watched Troy. And no where did they use the butt of the spear while using a shield. It would put the fighter doing that at a disadvantage. With two hands without a shield, sure. It is a perfectly valud technique. And spears can come in different length. An awl pike is just an extremely long spear after all...

 

[DND_Reborn]

I too have watched Troy. And no where did they use the butt of the spear while using a shield. It would put the fighter doing that at a disadvantage. With two hands without a shield, sure. It is a perfectly valud technique. And spears can come in different length. An awl pike is just an extremely long spear after all...

Hector didn't use the butt-end, but then again he was pretty much on the defensive during the spear fighting. shrug

Achilles's spear doesn't have a "butt-end" (it has heads on both ends), but he swings the end of the spear and thrusts with it often. Using a staff in a similar fashion would be easily possible. Since the butt-end only does 1d4 in Polearm Master, to me that more than represents any "disadvantage" the PC would have in the attack when making a swinging attack.

Anyway, swinging a quarterstaff one-handed is a perfectly valid technique as well. As @loverdrive mentions, the force at the end is greater due to the acceleration the tip has passing through a longer arc.

 

[Don Durito]

A staff in one hand with a shield fully occupying the other hand is pretty impractical. You might be able to have greater force but you have less control and it's much more easily knocked out of position and takes longer to pull back into position.

 

[Oofta]

A staff in one hand with a shield fully occupying the other hand is pretty impractical. You might be able to have greater force but you have less control and it's much more easily knocked out of position and takes longer to pull back into position.

There are techniques with most weapons such as claymores where a single attack is completed with one hand for reach. That doesn't mean you can effectively use those weapons one handed for all but special maneuvers now and then.

 

[Don Durito]

There are techniques with most weapons such as claymores where a single attack is completed with one hand for reach. That doesn't mean you can effectively use those weapons one handed for all but special maneuvers now and then.

Yes that's what I mean by saying it makes a big difference if your other hand is occupied. You can extend your reach with a greatsword by lunging with one hand, but you want to then put the other hand back on the hilt if you need to defend.

 

[ph0rk]

and the impact is actually stronger than when holding it with two hands, since leverage and naughty word.

A human or human shaped creature with makeup (so, most races in 5e) will absolutely far more damage with a staff used two handed rather than one handed.