D&D 5E Shield Master tweak suggestions?

[Mouseferatu]

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.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

An offhand attack that deals 1d4 damage seems fine. Any more than that and you make the feat mechanically better than Dual Wielder, as you get your full +2 AC bonus (Dual Wielder you only get a +1), the off-hand attack, the bonus to dex saves, and the evasion ability. Keeping it at d4 helps keep it balanced with Dual Wielder as you can make an off-hand attack with a d8 weapon, which I'd say is high enough to even it all out.

Alternatively, you could specify that the Shield Master feat only allows you to shove an opponent 5' away, rather than knock them prone.

 

[Leatherhead]

Well, you could always make them toss the shield like a boomerang

Or maybe, you could stun the target for a round, but only have it work once per target per rest or something like that. A bit gamey, but at least they have to think about when to use it.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

How about removing the ability to knock targets prone, and instead adding an ability for the shield master to use his reaction to impose disadvantage on one ranged attack?

 

[WarpedAcorn]

As someone who uses Shield Mastery, I appreciate your concern about it. Its definitely prioritized as THE thing to do with my bonus action. There is one drawback to the knockdown feature though, ranged attacks are at Disadvantage. So depending on your group and the attack order, knocking the enemy prone isn't always the best course of action.

I do like your idea to just turn the "Shove" into a 1d4+Str optional attack. But I also think that maybe that is "too good" of an option. Maybe just let it be damage as a Str modifier without the 1d4.

 

[Salamandyr]

(edit: post was only slightly germaine to the original posters request, so deleted...not sure how to delete my actual post)

 

[jaelis]

I like the off-hand attack with no Str mod better than the shove prone. But it leaves the same monotony in place. Another option might be that you can use a bonus action to gain +1 AC until the start of your next turn.

Actually, you could offer all three choices if you want:
- Bonus action to shove (but not prone)
- Bonus action to attack
- Bonus action to gain AC

That would be interesting to me, but probably more complicated than a lot of people would want.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

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.

You're overlooking the other Shield Master option, which is "use it as a pseudo-Mobile feat". Attack the enemy, then Shove him away and retreat. Now he can't attack you this round (unless he's faster or has a reach weapon) because he has to Dash.

It still isn't very in keeping with the stereotypical chivalric idiom, but (1) you get "free" attacks without taking damage in return, (2) at least you're not attacking a prone enemy! (3) now you have a choice between two tactics which are both "optimal" for different situations, which is less boring.

 

[bedir than]

I do like your idea to just turn the "Shove" into a 1d4+Str optional attack. But I also think that maybe that is "too good" of an option. Maybe just let it be damage as a Str modifier without the 1d4.

I like the idea of just STR modifier for damage on the bonus action. Maybe STR+proficiency?

 

[Xeviat]

Options for what you do with the bonus action would be nice. You could also flavor the prone as not prone, but hindered in some fashion by the shield bash (same condition as prone, just not described as falling over). A very common shield tactic is to press your shield against the opponent and try to pin their weapon, so disadvantage to attacks, advantage on melee attacks against them, disadvantage on ranged attacks against them (they're locked in hyper melee), and costing movement to reorient themselves, all fits.


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