D&D 5E Polearm Mastery bonus action attack - does it have reach?

[RangerWickett]

The flavor of the feat seems to be that you stab with one side, then thwack with the butt of the polearm, but I suppose it could also be read to let you poke with one side, then shift your grip and poke with the other side.

So, when you take your bonus action attack with Polearm Mastery, if the weapon you're using has reach, does the extra attack have reach?

 

[Desh-Rae-Halra]

That's the way we have been playing with it (that it has the same reach as the main attack)

 

[Shiroiken]

RAW says yes (since limiting the reach isn't mentioned) but RAI is unknown (probably yes, or it would have been in an errata or sage advice by now). The DM could easily decide otherwise, however.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Yes, of course it does. The weapon reach remains the same.

 

[Valador]

There was a sage advice or a tweet from one of the developers stating that yes the bonus attack has reach and does add STR to roll/attack.

 

[Pickles III]

Also magic - not that any ******* would find a magic polearm in MY campaign

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Also magic - not that any ******* would find a magic polearm in MY campaign

I thought the whole point of D&D was to fill adventures with magic polearms when no-one used polearms so the players really value that longsword +1 when they finally get it? Judging from '80s and '90s adventures you can see how I might think that, eh?

 

[Blue]

I'm with the people who say it has the same reach as the weapon (so no reach with a quarterstaff). Rules make no mention of otherwise, and do specifically call out that you are attacking with the weapon, so it would have the weapon's properties (Heavy, Reach and Two-Handed for the non-quarterstaff) and magic bonus.

That said, while I wouldn't rule it like that I could see a DM wanting it that way for the realism/feel. It's one of the more powerful feats and as long as that house rule was known at character creation I'd find it reasonable. But I would consider that a house rule.

 

[PnPgamer]

Also magic - not that any ******* would find a magic polearm in MY campaign

that's why you go bladelock.