D&D 5E Polearm Master feat: very good?

[Psikerlord#]

So this begs the question whether foes can tell they will draw an OA from engaging opponents with Polearm Master or attacking others when near a character with Sentinel?

I would say yes, they know, because the guy is actively threatening them at the time. But I can see why others might rule they dont, or require a check of some kind to recognise the danger at the last moment.

 

[Scorpio616]

Forking the OA issue...

 

[Rycor]

Pole-arm Master

Are you able to do a reaction (attack of opportunity), and a bonus action (pummel strike, 1d4+str) in the same round? I was under the impression that you only get to do one or the other. The pole-arm master feat is still great because of the versatility it offers, but its not game breaking assuming I am right.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Played a one-shot last weekend, and one PC had the Polearm Master feat. This feat provides two advantages:

1) you get to make one extra attack dealing 1d4+ABILITY (STR) modifier as a bonus action
2) other creatures that enter the PC's reach provoke an OA

Granted, we played in a game where there were a lot of mooks and melee combatants. Still, this feat provided one extra attack on the PC's turn, and usually one extra attack outside of his turn, every round. That's a lot, no? I haven't experienced a lot of feats as of yet, but at least some appear like they wouldn't compare to this one. Or are there a bunch of solid choices like this?

It's very good. There are other feats that are in the same ballpark of goodness, but Polearm Master is probably the single easiest one to use, and one of the top three offensive-oriented feats.

-Max

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Are you able to do a reaction (attack of opportunity), and a bonus action (pummel strike, 1d4+str) in the same round? I was under the impression that you only get to do one or the other. The pole-arm master feat is still great because of the versatility it offers, but its not game breaking assuming I am right.

You can do both in the same round.

 

[TwoSix]

What about necromancers? Are they a good subclass?

 

[I'm A Banana]

I would say yes, they know, because the guy is actively threatening them at the time. But I can see why others might rule they dont, or require a check of some kind to recognise the danger at the last moment.

The way I generally play it (fighter IMC has Polearm Master) - the enemy doesn't know until it's happened once in the fight, but any enemy who sees it knows it happened.

So the FIRST orc to take a pike to the face in a charge serves as warning to the OTHER orcs not to charge this guy with the pike. Though they can if they want, still.

I find that this lets my fighter get some mileage out of his feat, but keeps the enemy from doing a conga line of death in his direction.

 

[zaratan]

What about necromancers? Are they a good subclass?

if there is no problem in your campaing or other PC if you have a dead army, and you do this a lot, they are.

 

[TwoSix]

I find that this lets my fighter get some mileage out of his feat, but keeps the enemy from doing a conga line of death in his direction.

"Conga line of death?" Now I'm picturing orcs in tuxes trying to get to a buffet past a fighter. Thanks!

 

[hejtmane]

The feat works while A Bear Totem barbarian is a force with the feat. Then again depends on what your goal as a player is are you dps focused or concept focus etc etc

Psikerlord# mentioned one of my favorite when I build a fighter with a shield is shield master