D&D 5E (2014) Why everyone think that Battlemaster is better than Samurai?

[Istbor]

I think the Samurai is fun and cool. I just have a hard time adding Samurai in with my typically Western European Medieval fantasy settings. I would like to try out new or more diverse things, but I know the European stuff better, and it is easier to fall back on that foundation of knowledge.

I do have an order of guards that are all secretly the Samurai class. They players haven't had to fight them, or see them in action yet however.

 

[Bardbarian]

Samurai is kind of a misnomer. I would refer to them as the inexorable fighter. They are inevitable in their nature. Samurai was just a thematic element added but they play as the fighter that will not drop. Resistance to mind affecting magics that are the bane of the martial archetypes, temp HP 3 or more time a day in addition to the ability to strike back from near death. They are the fighter that never gives up, never surrenders.

 

[FrogReaver]

Only in certain circumstances is precision better than advantage, and, honestly, you're unlikely to encounter those circumstances in normal play.

The break point where +d8 beats reroll d20 is (iirc) above 15. IE, only when you need a 16 or better on the die. Given that a BM is attacking with proficiency and good stat, it will be very rate that you'd actually need to do this, meaning advantage is better.

However, the utility of being able to use the +d8 after seeing the d20 roll significantly increases it's use efficiency, but that also increases observer bias in estimating its overall effectiveness. Advantage is almost always going to be more effective.

And yet, precision attack is still better than the Samaruai's advantage because you can use it after seeing the die but with the Samaraui ability you must use it before seeing any rolls.

 

[Ovinomancer]

And yet, precision attack is still better than the Samaruai's advantage because you can use it after seeing the die but with the Samaraui ability you must use it before seeing any rolls.

Yes, as i said, it's better in the efficiency of use, but not in improving any one given roll.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

I'm not sure if BM is better than Samurai, but I do think BM makes a better Samurai than Samurai does.

While as previously mentioned, any of the current Fighter Subclasses could represent a Samurai, I've always considered the Champion to be a closer fit than the BM.

 

[BookBarbarian]

While as previously mentioned, any of the current Fighter Subclasses could represent a Samurai, I've always considered the Champion to be a closer fit than the BM.

Certainly. Certain Barbarians could be used too, and Oath of the Crown Paladin works well for a Samurai in a magical world.

BM is probably my favorite as I associate Samurai with dedication to mastery with their weapons and techniques.

 

[AmerginLiath]

I think the Samurai is fun and cool. I just have a hard time adding Samurai in with my typically Western European Medieval fantasy settings. I would like to try out new or more diverse things, but I know the European stuff better, and it is easier to fall back on that foundation of knowledge.

I do have an order of guards that are all secretly the Samurai class. They players haven't had to fight them, or see them in action yet however.

I think that a lot of folks are caught in the name, when it’s just a mark of what genre the mechanics emulate — not any sort of historical or cultural ties. I’ve argued that, with the influence of American Westerns on Japanese Samurai films, the class works just as well in emulating a gunslinger or other cowboy-duelist hero. A paladin doesn’t need to be a feudal French knight, a monk doesn’t need to a vowed ascetic, a barbarian doesn’t need to be from some border tribe, an assassin doesn’t need to kill for money. Classes and subclasses are named generally as signifiers of where the idea of the abilities stem from (usually from different pop culture or literature sources), not a straight-jacket of identity that a member of that class needs to play towards.

 

[delph]

Samurai is really good after 17th level - he can take 2 Action surges, have 3 attacks and if he is played good he will have OA too (and if he have good companion who gives him Haste, woha), add GWM and made 7 attacks per round with advance and + 10 dmg per hit. Next turn do it again... you can deal huge dmg. (yes here are better nova settings, but)

 

[dave2008]

Samurai is really good after 17th level - he can take 2 Action surges, have 3 attacks and if he is played good he will have OA too

Isn't that true of all fighter subclasses?

 

[delph]

Isn't that true of all fighter subclasses?

but sumurai will have advantage on all of this attacks.