D&D 5E How do you handle a shield bash?

[Voadam]

Say a barbarian with a sword and shield wishes to do blunt damage so he smashes a skeleton with his shield. How do you handle this? Are there explicit 5e rules for this?

Thanks.

 

[commandercrud]

Improvised weapon.

 

[Bacon Bits]

RAW the only thing available for a shield bash is the improvised weapon rules: no proficiency bonus, 1d4 damage, Str only. The rules are otherwise mute aside from the Shield Master feat.

 

[jgsugden]

Tavern Brawler feat does allow proficiency.

As a homebrew ruling in my campaign, if you John Walker an enemy with your shield, you get no defensive bonus from it until the end of your next turn.

 

[Baldurs_Underdark]

I would check the expected damage compared to a regular attack. If this is less than the normal attack (taking into account the relevant vulnerabilities/resistances/immunities), then I would not care because I would consider it flavor (i.e. roleplaying).

Likewise, if a player would be smart enough to discuss this while in a town with a smithy, and they might as well buy a warhammer or other bludgeoning-dealing-weapon, but would ask me to flavor it such that the shield would act as that weapon, then I'd allow it... on the condition that the shield does not give an AC bonus in the turn that it's used on the attack.

But if a powergamer would want to maximize damage right there on the spot, with no preparations, then I would likely explain that it is an improvised weapon and push back. I hate powergamers that are playing this game exclusively to be the most powerful player. But on that matter, I am probably not your average DM.

 

[Voadam]

It came up in a game where an ooze was splitting from slashing attacks so the player was thinking to switch up to bash it after having doubled its attacks already by splitting it with his axe. He said "I could punch for 1 point of damage but that would mean touching it, can I just bash it with my shield to avoid touching it directly? How will we handle that?"

 

[aco175]

I would not allow a bonus attack or even bonus push. Things like this would use your action. I guess I would allow a shield attack as a 2nd attack, maybe even allow proficiency for fighters.

 

[TwoSix]

A lot of ibuprofen and some gauze, mostly.

 

[auburn2]

Say a barbarian with a sword and shield wishes to do blunt damage so he smashes a skeleton with his shield. How do you handle this? Are there explicit 5e rules for this?

Thanks.

I think this is in the rules - improvised weapon.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Say a barbarian with a sword and shield wishes to do blunt damage so he smashes a skeleton with his shield. How do you handle this? Are there explicit 5e rules for this?

Thanks.

1d4 bludgeoning, proficient if they are proficient with the shield.