Great Weapon Master SUCKS!

[GrandMajora]

Even with Svartlebee's Woundseeker giving me a +1D4 on attack rolls, Lae'zel misses more often than she hits after taking this feat.

The +10 damage sounds enticing, but extra damage is irrelevant if you can't actually hit the damn target!

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Even with Svartlebee's Woundseeker giving me a +1D4 on attack rolls, Lae'zel misses more often than she hits after taking this feat.

The +10 damage sounds enticing, but extra damage is irrelevant if you can't actually hit the damn target!

It depends on what your base to-hit percentage is. Mathematically, it can either increase your expected damage or decrease it. The higher your base to-hit percentage is, the better it is to accept the penalty to hit in exchange for the increased damage.

WotC reworked this in the D&D2024 rules, IIRC.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

It depends on what your base to-hit percentage is. Mathematically, it can either increase your expected damage or decrease it. The higher your base to-hit percentage is, the better it is to accept the penalty to hit in exchange for the increased damage.

WotC reworked this in the D&D2024 rules, IIRC.

She's level 12 with 20 points in Strength. So pretty much the best she's gonna get when it comes to wielding strength weapons, like a greatsword.

There have been times, when she missed every attack, even after using Action Surge to give her a second go at it.

[Mike Garrison]

To see why, if the only way you can miss, even with the penalty, is by rolling a 1, then it is obviously best to take the penalty and get the extra damage.

Although, I suppose on the other end it also actually works to increase your penalty. If the only chance you have to hit is to roll a nat 20, then you might as well take the penalty and also get the bonus damage, because a 20 is a 20 no matter how many minuses you take on your to-hit.

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

There have been times, when she missed every attack, even after using Action Surge to give her a second go at it.

Just yesterday I was pissed AF at Lae'zel for having an 80% chance to hit, using action surge, and only hitting *one* of the four times. Like, WTF Lae'zel????

But that's randomness, you know?

[hamilcar602]

If she is level 12, your best bet is probably to itemize for advantage.

Gloves of the Growling Underdog, Gloves of the Automaton, and Risky Ring are the ones that first come to mind.

[Detective Costeau]

I also find that Oil of Accuracy is surprisingly helpful for helping counteract the attack penalty. Additional +2 to hit that (as far as I know) stacks with stuff like Bless.

[Oozy Monster]

Originally posted by hamilcar602:

If she is level 12, your best bet is probably to itemize for advantage.

Gloves of the Growling Underdog, Gloves of the Automaton, and Risky Ring are the ones that first come to mind.

Is there any drawbacks in being considered a construct when using the Gloves of the Automaton?

[hamilcar602]

Originally posted by Oozy Monster:

Originally posted by hamilcar602:

If she is level 12, your best bet is probably to itemize for advantage.

Gloves of the Growling Underdog, Gloves of the Automaton, and Risky Ring are the ones that first come to mind.

Is there any drawbacks in being considered a construct when using the Gloves of the Automaton?

Yes, but it's minimal. You can't be targeted by healing spells, but you can still heal yourself by taking potions.

[Lethan]

Fighting style, gear and stat are all important parts of the mathematics.
+10 Damage is huge, as that's +20 on crits and you have riders.

End game without the feat, your crits would hit around 50 if lucky
With the feat, this is reaching 80.

It does not suck.

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by Lethan:

Fighting style, gear and stat are all important parts of the mathematics.
+10 Damage is huge, as that's +20 on crits and you have riders.

End game without the feat, your crits would hit around 50 if lucky
With the feat, this is reaching 80.

It does not suck.

My problem with it is generally that I tend to have Lae'zel be the only candidate for it, but I also tend to have Lae'zel use Nyrulna. Which ... isn't a "great weapon" despite being a *great* weapon. If you see what I'm saying there.

I know, Lae'zel "should" be using the Silver Sword, which is a "great weapon". But often she's my only potential Nyrulna-user, and that trident is just so very, very good.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by Lethan:

End game without the feat, your crits would hit around 50 if lucky
With the feat, this is reaching 80.

It does not suck.

I repeat my previous statement, that extra damage is irrelevant if you can't hit the damn target.

I just went and respec'd her into an Oath of Vengeance Paladin and swapped out GWM with Savage Attacker.

So now, when she hits an enemy, she rolls her damage twice and takes the higher result. Much better alternative, in my opinion.

[[TG] zac]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

It depends on what your base to-hit percentage is. Mathematically, it can either increase your expected damage or decrease it. The higher your base to-hit percentage is, the better it is to accept the penalty to hit in exchange for the increased damage.

WotC reworked this in the D&D2024 rules, IIRC.

She's level 12 with 20 points in Strength. So pretty much the best she's gonna get when it comes to wielding strength weapons, like a greatsword.

There have been times, when she missed every attack, even after using Action Surge to give her a second go at it.

As a gith she doesn't have dark vision.
So that could be effecting her attacks.

It could also just be really crappy RNG on your end.

[FunkyMonkey]

With Advantage, Great weapon master is nearly always worth it. So, I take it on all Barbarians (I don't play with throwing builds). On a Fighter I like it too, you miss more, but lategame, it's easy to get Advantage or buff your chance to hit enough for the penalty to not really matter.

Also, GWM gives you the bonus action attack after a kill, so there is always that. You don't need to use the -5/+10 for that, I don't think.

Savage attacker is nowhere near as good as GWM. I do like it on single-class Paladins, though. They get to add d8 on every attack after level 11, and with some gear or other buffs that add d4's, Savage attacker ends up with nice extra damage or at least it smooths the damage out.

[FunkyMonkey]

Originally posted by Lethan:

Fighting style, gear and stat are all important parts of the mathematics.
+10 Damage is huge, as that's +20 on crits and you have riders.

End game without the feat, your crits would hit around 50 if lucky
With the feat, this is reaching 80.

It does not suck.

I don't think the +10 bonus gets doubled with crits, it's only dice that get doubled.

[IRMcG]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Even with Svartlebee's Woundseeker giving me a +1D4 on attack rolls, Lae'zel misses more often than she hits after taking this feat.

The +10 damage sounds enticing, but extra damage is irrelevant if you can't actually hit the damn target!

That's why you only have it active attacking targets that are disabled or at least attacking with advantage. Even with that off, the ability still gives you the extra attack if you kill something.