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What makes Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter so good?
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<blockquote data-quote="TwoSix" data-source="post: 7432566" data-attributes="member: 205"><p>1) The damage bonus scales with the number of attacks you make. Getting lots of attacks and then finding a feature that adds to each attack is the best way to increase damage in 5e.</p><p></p><p>2) Chunky damage is splashy. Hitting for 20 damage is simply more noticeable than doing 2 hits for 10, despite the fact that 2 hits for 10 is technically better (less overflow damage). Additionally, one big hit tends to get your more kill shots. At low levels, doing 8 points of damage doesn't tend to drop enemies, but an 18 point hit will drop quite a few enemies with CR <1. Splashy and noticeable drive discussions.</p><p></p><p>3) Advantage is best at when your base hit chance is ~50%. With lower AC enemies, or moderate AC enemies with a little bit of a hit bonus (like bless), you fight an awful lot of encounters with about a 75% hit chance, or 50% with the -5 from GWM/SS. This is obviously purely anecdotal, but as an example, the last 5 combats I've done with my 9th level GWM hexblade, every attack roll I've made has been against an enemy with an AC of either 15, 16, or 17. (I take notes on stuff like this, because I'm a big nerd.) With my +10 to hit, that's a 70-80% hit chance, or a 45-55% chance with the -5/+10. </p><p>But with advantage, which is easy to get in my game with flanking rules or using shadow of moil, then it's a 93% chance to do an average 12 point hit or a 75% chance to do 22 damage. It's a massive damage disparity, in situations that are really pretty common and easy to set up. </p><p></p><p>4) The damage bonus is about equal to an ASI on its own, and GWM and SS both have ancillary features that are pretty great by themselves. Take out the damage bonus, and throw in a +1 to Dex, and I'd still take Sharpshooter on most archer characters. GWM probably would need another throw in, beyond a +1 Str, but a free bonus action every battle or two isn't bad.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TwoSix, post: 7432566, member: 205"] 1) The damage bonus scales with the number of attacks you make. Getting lots of attacks and then finding a feature that adds to each attack is the best way to increase damage in 5e. 2) Chunky damage is splashy. Hitting for 20 damage is simply more noticeable than doing 2 hits for 10, despite the fact that 2 hits for 10 is technically better (less overflow damage). Additionally, one big hit tends to get your more kill shots. At low levels, doing 8 points of damage doesn't tend to drop enemies, but an 18 point hit will drop quite a few enemies with CR <1. Splashy and noticeable drive discussions. 3) Advantage is best at when your base hit chance is ~50%. With lower AC enemies, or moderate AC enemies with a little bit of a hit bonus (like bless), you fight an awful lot of encounters with about a 75% hit chance, or 50% with the -5 from GWM/SS. This is obviously purely anecdotal, but as an example, the last 5 combats I've done with my 9th level GWM hexblade, every attack roll I've made has been against an enemy with an AC of either 15, 16, or 17. (I take notes on stuff like this, because I'm a big nerd.) With my +10 to hit, that's a 70-80% hit chance, or a 45-55% chance with the -5/+10. But with advantage, which is easy to get in my game with flanking rules or using shadow of moil, then it's a 93% chance to do an average 12 point hit or a 75% chance to do 22 damage. It's a massive damage disparity, in situations that are really pretty common and easy to set up. 4) The damage bonus is about equal to an ASI on its own, and GWM and SS both have ancillary features that are pretty great by themselves. Take out the damage bonus, and throw in a +1 to Dex, and I'd still take Sharpshooter on most archer characters. GWM probably would need another throw in, beyond a +1 Str, but a free bonus action every battle or two isn't bad. [/QUOTE]
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What makes Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter so good?
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