D&D 5E How do you handle a shield bash?

[Horwath]

I have homebrew feat for it.

Shield basher: requirements; must have shield proficiency
+1 str or con,
As a bonus action you can make one melee attack or shove attempt.
attack deals 1d4 damage and uses STR for attack and damage bonuses.
If the shield has any +X bonus to AC, apply that bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Damage is blunt, or if you add extra cost for shield spikes, it's blunt and pierce.

 

[Mannahnin]

By the rules, improvised weapon. The only adjustment I'd make is allowing proficiency bonus to attack if the user is proficient in shields.

I'd stick with d4 damage I think if making an actual rule for fighting with shields. They are unwieldy as weapons and I can see most of the effect coming from the power of the wielder. (Technically I'd probably think higher damage but harder to attack, but 5e weapons have a limited amount of knobs to turn.)
No special properties.

Shield Master feat allows an attack as a bonus action.

This is how I'd run it. Shield-punching isn't that unwieldy (depending on the angle/nature of the handle and strapping, if any), but it's a blunt implement and doesn't get the same leverage most weapons do.

I would not rule that attacking with the shield loses the AC bonus, but it'd be in place of a regular attack (Shield Master giving an exception).

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I run that smacking a foe with something you are wearing (shield, helm, boots, etc) is an unarmed attack.

 

[jasper]

Like a monster mash. Good food. Good music. And home by midnight.

 

[NotAYakk]

I have homebrew feat for it.

Shield basher: requirements; must have shield proficiency
+1 str or con,
As a bonus action you can make one melee attack or shove attempt.
attack deals 1d4 damage and uses STR for attack and damage bonuses.
If the shield has any +X bonus to AC, apply that bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Damage is blunt, or if you add extra cost for shield spikes, it's blunt and pierce.

See, in my opinion, feats should be character defining. Like, half a subclass, narratively.

Shield Master is supposed to be someone who is really good at using a shield, and is marginal. This is "I hit things with a shield". Which is something people should just be able to do? And is a bit narratively thin (even moreso than shield master).