D&D 5E Rune Knight Is The Best Fighter Overall IMHO.

[Distracted DM]

It's a level 3 game, but Cloud Rune has so far been very effective.
Fire Rune restraining a Gelatinous Cube was very frustrating as the DM, but oh well- there could always be more cubes

 

[Seramus]

Additionally, you also have PB uses available for your reaction with Runic Shield and these compete with Storm Rune once you have activated it (and if you activate it you want to use it).

As a result I have found these runes to be very situational in play and I think both Cloud and Stone are generally more effective in combat.

I consider Storm to be predominantly for skill challenges. It certainly CAN be used in combat to solid effect, but is often more useful outside of combat in most situations except Deadly fights.

 

[Stoutstien]

Also to consider, the bonus action traffic jam - i like how you put that - but it means bonus action attack feats are much less good.

That's a thing good right? It's a different option that doesn't just fall in the typical better/worse* paradigm so it allows more diversity in players options rather than "Im GWM/PAM with X class" clones.

 

[Ancalagon]

Also to consider, the bonus action traffic jam - i like how you put that - but it means bonus action attack feats are much less good.

Yup. I played a shield and board one, so I ended up taking things like lucky, ritual caster and chef...

 

[ECMO3]

That's a thing good right? It's a different option that doesn't just fall in the typical better/worse* paradigm so it allows more diversity in players options rather than "Im GWM/PAM with X class" clones.

Do people really see that many GWM/PAM builds. Don't get me wrong I have seen some but most melee characters do not have these two feats.

Outside of fighter stuff, I think the bonus actions it is most likely to compete with are from races (Eladrin, Shaddar Kai, Goblin, Genasi), bonus action spells (Hex, Misty Step) or bonus actions from other feats like Telekenetic or Shield Master.

 

[Zardnaar]

Do people really see that many GWM/PAM builds. Don't get me wrong I have seen some but most melee characters do not have these two feats.

Outside of fighter stuff, I think the bonus actions it is most likely to compete with are from races (Eladrin, Shaddar Kai, Goblin, Genasi), bonus action spells (Hex, Misty Step) or bonus actions from other feats like Telekenetic or Shield Master.

Early in 5E bit I think sword and board is more iconic and magical polearms are few and far between.

Snerhing similar to CBE feat+SS. Good luck finding a magic hand crossbow.

Sword and board, sentinel feat and hex/hunters mark mostly negates PAM advantages.

 

[Stoutstien]

Do people really see that many GWM/PAM builds. Don't get me wrong I have seen some but most melee characters do not have these two feats.

Outside of fighter stuff, I think the bonus actions it is most likely to compete with are from races (Eladrin, Shaddar Kai, Goblin, Genasi), bonus action spells (Hex, Misty Step) or bonus actions from other feats like Telekenetic or Shield Master.

I think it depends on your local table culture but when I was GMing Al, PaM at least was extremely prevalent but that was much earlier in the additions life cycle before there was a lot of racial options that had built-in bonus actions.

 

[Seramus]

Do people really see that many GWM/PAM builds.

Not really. Across about a dozen tables I've noticed... a player will do it. Cool! Then that player doesn't do it again even if they play another melee, and because the first player did it the rest of the players at the table seem less likely to also do it. I did see it happens twice at one table, but that was with a new player who was not around for the first instance of GWM/PAM.

I did see a player migrate across several tables and do GWM/PAM three times (same player from the earlier example). He enjoyed playing the same few character types over and over again, and might not have felt like that one was "done justice" in the prior games.