D&D 5E Quick Battle Master question

[DND_Reborn]

I've never played a BM and decided in my next game I might give it a try. But, from the text of Combat Superiority when you learn additional maneuvers it doesn't specify it must be "in this class" when you gain levels.

I've looked in the errata and online and cannot find confirmation one way or the other.

Do you only gain additional maneuvers when you gain higher levels in the Fighter class or when your character level advances to the level required?

I am sure the RAI is for it to be only when you gain levels as a Fighter... but since it doesn't specify that, I could see it going either way.

Has anyone found anything more definitive on this?

Thanks!

 

[Flamestrike]

Its Fighter.

Class features are self referential to the class they belong to. They never refer to character level only class level.

The only thing that scales with character level is cantrips.

 

[cmad1977]

Get the martial adept feat as well when you can.

 

[houser2112]

Spellcasting (and thus, cantrips) is specifically called out (along with Channel Divinity and Extra Attack) in the multiclassing rules as being total level based instead of class-based.

Come again? Spellcasting is the only feature that has any cross-class stacking at all.

Channel Divinity: You gain variety by multiclassing, but explicitly don't gain extra uses.
Extra Attack: No stacking at all, multiclassing among classes with this feature delays acquiring/advancing the feature.

While you didn't mention it in your post, I'll take the time to complain about this now anyway, because I didn't notice it until now:
Unarmored Defense: "If you already have the Unarmored Defense feature, you can't gain it again from another class."

So it seems not only can you not stack DEX + CON + WIS as a Barb/Monk, but you can't even choose which one you can use! You're stuck with the one you get first.

 

[FrogReaver]

While you didn't mention it in your post, I'll take the time to complain about this now anyway, because I didn't notice it until now:
Unarmored Defense: "If you already have the Unarmored Defense feature, you can't gain it again from another class."

I've never noticed that before either. WOW. I've always done the pick your AC formula method.

You know, I'm going to blame Mandala Effect on this one

 

[DND_Reborn]

I've never noticed that before either. WOW. I've always done the pick your AC formula method.

You know, I'm going to blame Mandala Effect on this one

LOL we actually allow them to stack if you want to. shrug It doesn't hurt anything really since it is pretty rare for a PC to have really high DEX, CON, and WIS.

The general rule in the game is anytime a feature has the same name as another feature, the benefits won't work together.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The only thing that scales with character level is cantrips.

And proficiency bonus. And some of the subclasses in Tasha's tie ability uses to proficiency bonus. Presumably with the intent that they scale with character level when multiclassed.

 

[Ancalagon]

The increases are at the exact same levels as fighters get "martial archetype features" as detailed on the fighter's level table. It's preeeeeety clear that was the intention of the designer was "per fighter level".

Otherwise a 3 level dip for battlemaster would be amazing. It's a good find though, and I wonder if only the fighter has this oversight....

 

[DND_Reborn]

Otherwise a 3 level dip for battlemaster would be amazing. It's a good find though, and I wonder if only the fighter has this oversight....

I guess that is my point. When I've worked on house-rules and homebrew, I always specify levels "in this class" if that is what I mean. Without it, the implication is that you would continue to learn maneuvers at later class levels.

There is no section on subclasses in general, so no overarching rule that would otherwise cover this.

Of course you could really make this worse:

Take 3 Levels of whatever class
Take 3 Levels of Fighter with BM subclass (learning three maneuvers)
Next level is "7th" level, so you immediately learn two more maneuvers.

 

[Shadowedeyes]

I think the intention would be fighter levels. Warlock Invocations had similar wording but got errata changing it to Warlock levels I think.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think the intention would be fighter levels. Warlock Invocations had similar wording but got errata changing it to Warlock levels I think.

Class features do have such wording, but not subclass features (none I have found yet, anyway).