D&D 5E Feat combo: Polearm Master + Shield Master?

[Blue]

I imagine they are trying to make a hoplite. Or at least thinking about it. Still PAM and UA Spear Mastery would probably do it better.

The UA Spear Mastery also wants your bonus actions. I do like the +1 to hit and increase to d8 damage, but neither do anything special with PAM.

 

[Quartz]

Do you recall the duel between Hector and Achilles in the movie Troy? I'm thinking that both of them had both feats.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Polearm Master has always given a Reaction attack with the Quarterstaff. From the first printing of the PHB page 1658:
Spear now works with it too.
It is however much easier to get someone to trigger that opportunity attack with a reach polearm however.

Unless you keep knocking them away from you with your bonus action, while remaining the person they have to get through to get to anyone else.

Oh right, I forgot that one. But it still does that on it's own, it doesn't have anything to do with shield mastery, or being combined with shield mastery. I'm still perplexed by what the OP expects to happen by involving shield mastery.

Attack, push back, wait, reaction attack if they come back in. Or, attack, knock down, step back, reaction attack if they get up and come back in.

I imagine they are trying to make a hoplite. Or at least thinking about it. Still PAM and UA Spear Mastery would probably do it better.

Yep, that's what I would use it for. And honestly, on a fighter I'd feel comfortable spending the feats to do it. Protection Fighting Style, those two feats, maybe Spear Mastery in the distant future after a couple ASIs or non combat related half feats, on a Battle Master, and you've got basically a 4e style fighter with light control. Especially if you take Goading Strike. Shield Mastery lets you spare your Manuevers for Disarm, Goading, Lunging, maybe Commanders, and Parry.

Sounds fun.

Thing is, most of your bonus action options are situational. They won't always be the best option. I don't need for a bonus action option to be used every single round to be worth it. I need it to be meaningful when it comes up. I like having multiple options for each of my actions in a round.

 

[Blue]

Thing is, most of your bonus action options are situational.

Except this isn't true for PAM and Shield Master. If you take the Attack action (and still have live opponents adjacent after) you WILL be able to use them. And if you don't take the Attack action, you won't be able to use either. So they have 100% overlap for the situation you can use them. They aren't filling in gaps where one could be used and the other can't.

They won't always be the best option. I don't need for a bonus action option to be used every single round to be worth it. I need it to be meaningful when it comes up. I like having multiple options for each of my actions in a round.

This is all true in a vacuum. The question is if this is still true when you have a opportunity cost? Even with a fighter's bonus ASI/Feats, taking two feats early on will slow down your ASIs. If you are starting at a high level that's not a concern, but playing through the levels wouldn't it make more sense to have one, take the ASIs you want, and then take the other at higher levels when you have your 20 STR and such?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Except this isn't true for PAM and Shield Master. If you take the Attack action (and still have live opponents adjacent after) you WILL be able to use them. And if you don't take the Attack action, you won't be able to use either. So they have 100% overlap for the situation you can use them. They aren't filling in gaps where one could be used and the other can't.

You misunderstand. They are both situational, because neither is always the best option. I’d rather thought that was obvious, but it seems it isn’t, so my bad for not clarifying.

This is all true in a vacuum. The question is if this is still true when you have a opportunity cost? Even with a fighter's bonus ASI/Feats, taking two feats early on will slow down your ASIs. If you are starting at a high level that's not a concern, but playing through the levels wouldn't it make more sense to have one, take the ASIs you want, and then take the other at higher levels when you have your 20 STR and such?

It’s all true at an actual table, in play. I’ve taken feats and I’ve taken ASIs at low levels, depending entirely on whether part of my concept relied on feats or not. There isn’t a noticeable difference in basic efficacy. I don’t care, ever, about whether I get a maxed out main stat. It doesn’t matter.

 

[BookBarbarian]

The UA Spear Mastery also wants your bonus actions. I do like the +1 to hit and increase to d8 damage, but neither do anything special with PAM.

Yep. I forgot that Spear Master extended reach only as a bonus action, making it still in conflict.