D&D 5E (Analysis) Shield Master

[FrogReaver]

I often hear that Shield Master is a very good feat because it increases party DPR. This thread is an attempt to quantify this. I understand there are many variables relating to shield master and so I'm not going to propose a one size fits all approach. Instead an attempt will be made to calculate it's effectiveness under various sets of assumptions. In the end we may then be able to objectively make some claims about the feats impact to DPR for a "normal" party. Most probably by being able to tie the party DPR increase to a range. If all goes well that DPR range will be small enough for us to draw some interesting conclusions.

First I would like to list all the variables that affect Shield Master's contribution to party DPR.

1. How often can a character attempt the Shield Master bonus action attack?
Variables include how often a PC is in position to attack a qualifying target with shield master. We will try to estimate this later.

2. How often is the shield master bonus action attack successful at knocking the enemy prone?
Variables include whether the PC gets advantage or expertise on the athletics skill check and whatever athletics or acrobatics score the monster has.

3. How many party members are in a good position to be able to attack the prone enemy before it stands back up?
Not only must you have melee allies. Those melee allies must be in the correct initiative order relative to you and the monster so it doesn't stand up before they get to attack. They must not already have advantage against the creature you proned or another creature they could attack. They also must be in a position on the combat field where they can move to attack the prone enemy without taking OA's or causing other problems for the party (letting enemies through a doorway, etc)

4. How much does having advantage increase the melee characters DPR?
This is highly dependent on the exact character the melee character is playing.

5. How often will proning an enemy hurt a ranged party members damage?

6. How much DPR do such ranged characters typically lose?


I would like to say thank you to anyone that wants to provide some calculations to help answer any of these questions.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Most of those variables have a huge possible range, dependent upon all sorts of unpredictables/unknowables. It kind of reminds me of trying to value a pre-revenue company: you build a careful spreadsheet modeling all sorts of expenses and revenue drivers...then you basically make up a value for each cell. Garbage in, garbage out.

But you don't need numerical analysis. I can prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Shield Master is an awesome Feat, and well worth the ASI: I've had it on several characters and always had a ton of fun using it. Q.E.F.D.

 

[FrogReaver]

Most of those variables have a huge possible range, dependent upon all sorts of unpredictables/unknowables. It kind of reminds me of trying to value a pre-revenue company: you build a careful spreadsheet modeling all sorts of expenses and revenue drivers...then you basically make up a value for each cell. Garbage in, garbage out.

But you don't need numerical analysis. I can prove, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Shield Master is an awesome Feat, and well worth the ASI: I've had it on several characters and always had a ton of fun using it. Q.E.F.D.

This thread isn't about whether it's a good feat or whether you can have fun with it even if it isn't. This thread is an attempt to quantify it's contribution to party DPR.

 

[Guest 6801328]

This thread isn't about whether it's a good feat or whether you can have fun with it even if it isn't. This thread is an attempt to quantify it's contribution to party DPR.

Ok. Good luck.

 

[Blue]

I see where you're going with this, and I think the best - well, the "most honest" is to break down the parts so that each party can understand what it means based on their individual make-up.

A few sub-points, are any of these big enough to include:

Additional crits from melee attackers due to advantage (a big deal with Sneak Attack, a moderate deal with GWM because in addition to it's better chacne to land it also grants a bonus action attack on a crit).

Casters (at range) switching from spell with attack rolls (which would be disadvantaged) to saves (which are neutral).

Focus fire/speed to eliminate in terms of action denial.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Ranged weapon attackers can go up next to the prone enemy to cancel their disadvantage. (Attacking a prone enemy within 5 feet, even with a ranged attack, gives advantage, which cancels the disadvantage from using a ranged attack up close.)

 

[FrogReaver]

Ranged weapon attackers can go up next to the prone enemy to cancel their disadvantage. (Attacking a prone enemy within 5 feet, even with a ranged attack, gives advantage, which cancels the disadvantage from using a ranged attack up close.)

True, but that still does hurt rogues.

 

[Gladius Legis]

True, but that still does hurt rogues.

They still get Sneak Attack if you're still next to the enemy they're attacking (which with Shield Master you should be).

 

[FrogReaver]

They still get Sneak Attack if you're still next to the enemy they're attacking (which with Shield Master you should be).

Not if they have disadvantage.

 

[Gladius Legis]

Not if they have disadvantage.

p. 173: "If circumstances cause a roll to have both advantage and disadvantage, you are considered to have neither of them, and you roll one d20. This is true even if multiple circumstances impose disadvantage and only one grants advantage or vice versa. In such a situation, you have neither advantage nor disadvantage."