D&D 5E Battlemaster Maneuvers - only 3-4 good ones?

[Al2O3]

Regarding ranged trip attacks: if I remember and understand things right they are great for bringing flying enemies to the ground.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Usually start with 2 top tier maneuvers (Precision Attack, Riposte) and a damage adder.

Then fill in with situational maneuvers at 7th and 11th. Eventually use can have 9 (or 11) of the 16.

Nothing wrong with having variety.

 

[Ancalagon]

I see now that disarming attack has to be done with a combo. Perhaps at higher level: disarm, then menacing, then shove away?

 

[Al2O3]

Have a hand free, disarm the enemy spellcaster, take the focus and prevent spells with material components.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Anything that forces any kind of save is great against legendary creatures, making them use up all their legendary saves so the casters can jump in and wreck havoc. I had a battlemaster fighter halfling, and after action surging against a white dragon, I had managed to force five saving throws on it on my single turn alone.

It should be noted, that's due to how your DM chooses to use Legendary Resistance, rather than saving them for more significant effects. With a narrative ability designed to make the fight interesting, I wouldn't have used them like that. It's hardly universal.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I assume that Lunging Attack was probably invented for the sake of casual players who aren't good at pre-planning movement. It's sort of a free "Oopsie!" so that you're never just five feet out of range of an enemy. I can see that being a frustrating moment for certain kinds of players.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

It should be noted, that's due to how your DM chooses to use Legendary Resistance, rather than saving them for more significant effects. With a narrative ability designed to make the fight interesting, I wouldn't have used them like that. It's hardly universal.

I dunno, Menacing Strike is a pretty powerful effect that might be worth blowing a Legendary Resistance on. If an archer hits you with a Menacing Strike and imposes fear on you, a non-spellcasting dragon basically has two options:

(1) Blow a Legendary Resistance;
(2) Become frightened, receive disadvantage on attack rolls/ability checks this round, and be unable to approach the archer. Depending on geometry, that might mean I'm totally ineffective this round and the party gets a free round of attacks unless I choose to just up and run away for now.

As a DM, for a dumb white dragon I'd probably choose #1. For a green or red I'd choose #2 with the aim to take a short rest to regain HP, and then use my superior mobility and knowledge of terrain and high Stealth to surprise the party at some future point in favorable (close) terrain, so I can be the one getting a free round of attacks (breath weapon + whole bunch of tail attacks on a soft target + grapple + fly away with one PC). And I'd save my legendary resistance for that fight instead.

 

[Sacrosanct]

It should be noted, that's due to how your DM chooses to use Legendary Resistance, rather than saving them for more significant effects. With a narrative ability designed to make the fight interesting, I wouldn't have used them like that. It's hardly universal.

The DM ran the dragon as it would be expected to react, and not by metagaming knowledge (saving them for some later worse attack by the players). The dragon didn't know our party composition, or what exact spells we used like the DM did. To be honest, if you metagamed the dragon's reactions for what you felt was more cinematic rather than how it would naturally react, I'd probably not be happy with your DM style.

In this particular example, we laid a trap for it, and I was the first to go. The dragon didn't know we had a wizard waiting in the wings. And the prideful (and stupid) dragon wasn't going to allow itself to be goaded into attacking a little halfling. So it used it's legendary resistance on my attacks.

 

[AverageCitizen]

Disarm and then pick it up. Or kick it away if your hands aren't free.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

The DM ran the dragon as it would be expected to react, and not by metagaming knowledge (saving them for some later worse attack by the players). The dragon didn't know our party composition, or what exact spells we used like the DM did. To be honest, if you metagamed the dragon's reactions for what you felt was more cinematic rather than how it would naturally react, I'd probably not be happy with your DM style.

In this particular example, we laid a trap for it, and I was the first to go. The dragon didn't know we had a wizard waiting in the wings. And the prideful (and stupid) dragon wasn't going to allow itself to be goaded into attacking a little halfling. So it used it's legendary resistance on my attacks.

So the dragon got to be hundreds (thousands?) of years old by being dumb in a fight? Sorry, my v-tude hurts. And if there werent any casters present, why wouldnt the dragon just attack the halfling? I've seen you trot out this example like at least 10 times. "One time my DM played a dragon real stupid and I cheesed the fight and you can too!" Things that force saves arent great in many games for blowing LR's. It depends on the DM.