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<blockquote data-quote="Mouseferatu" data-source="post: 6916906" data-attributes="member: 1288">I'm looking for suggestions for fun and balanced changes to the Shield Master feat. As written, its primary offensive advantage is that you can take a bonus action to shove an opponent. This means that, 19 times out of 20, your most mechanically optimal strategy is going to be &quot;start the round with a shove, try to knock foe prone with shove, take all your attacks with advantage because foe is prone.&quot; I have two problems with this:1) It's mechanically sound, but it also leads to mechanical boredom. It means you're strongly encouraged to do the same thing round after round.2) One of the primary character archetypes that uses a shield--the knight (be it fighter or paladin)--doesn't fit with that. There's nothing honorable or chivalrous about constantly attacking downed opponents.So, leaving the other (defensive) traits of the feat alone, what would you do? I'm leaning toward saying the shove can only be used to move the foe, not knock them prone, but you can instead use the bonus action to make an off-hand attack with the shield. (Probably at 1d4 or 1d6 + Str.)But I'm looking for additional thoughts/options.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mouseferatu, post: 6916906, member: 1288"] I'm looking for suggestions for fun and balanced changes to the Shield Master feat. As written, its primary offensive advantage is that you can take a bonus action to shove an opponent. This means that, 19 times out of 20, your most mechanically optimal strategy is going to be "start the round with a shove, try to knock foe prone with shove, take all your attacks with advantage because foe is prone." I have two problems with this: 1) It's mechanically sound, but it also leads to mechanical boredom. It means you're strongly encouraged to do the same thing round after round. 2) One of the primary character archetypes that uses a shield--the knight (be it fighter or paladin)--doesn't fit with that. There's nothing honorable or chivalrous about constantly attacking downed opponents. So, leaving the other (defensive) traits of the feat alone, what would you do? I'm leaning toward saying the shove can only be used to move the foe, not knock them prone, but you can instead use the bonus action to make an off-hand attack with the shield. (Probably at 1d4 or 1d6 + Str.) But I'm looking for additional thoughts/options. [/QUOTE]

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