Let's Maximize the Sentinel Feat

[FrogReaver]

If you were building a PC that could get the most out of the sentinel feat, how would you build the PC?

I'm leaning toward barbarian 3-5 / rogue X. Any other suggestions?

 

[Gladius Legis]

I'd add Fighter 3 to that because of Riposte. That way you attack with your reaction whether the enemy attacks your ally OR you.

 

[FrogReaver]

I'd add Fighter 3 to that because of Riposte. That way you attack with your reaction whether the enemy attacks your ally OR you.

Do you think the ability to rage or to riposte is more important? I guess what I'm actually asking is, do you think the barbarian abilities by level 3 are better for this than the fighter abilities by level 3 for a sentinel user?

 

[CydKnight]

I play a variant human Battlemaster with Great Weapon Fighting, the Polearm feat at Level 1, riposte as one of my maneuvers, and Sentinel as the next feat at ASI level up. I find this combination can be quite lethal in melee combat through at least level 5 as that as high as I have progressed with it so far.

 

[FrogReaver]

I've decided personal defense is more important to a sentinel feat user than counter attacks. This is in large part based on my experience of a 2-3 encounter day with questionable short rests as opposed to a 5-8 encounter day with a fairly consistent 2 short rests.

Why? Because if the enemy is being reaction attacked by you no matter what you do then presumably it will attack you instead of your ally. I say that because generally from it's perspective you are doing by far the most damage to it and so it should finish you off quickly as you are the most dangerous target. This will cause your limited superiority dice to be burned through quickly, while you make very few sentinel attack. The biggest incentive to going fighter/rogue is that it allows you to stay dex based instead of strength based.

Barbarian with rage on the other hand offers the enemy a worse catch 22. It provides a scenario where the proper course of action isn't as easily deduced as it was with the riposte fighter/rogue. Then the ability to reckless attack gives you an additional disincentive of attacking your ally and an extra incentive for attacking you.

At some point later it's likely worth adding on fighter for superiority dice. I just don't think it's the better start

 

[FrogReaver]

A ranger with dueling style and colossus slayer could be a promising multiclass too.

Barbarian / Cavalier could be an interesting strategy on it's own without sentinel feat.

 

[Blue]

Barbarian with rage on the other hand offers the enemy a worse catch 22. It provides a scenario where the proper course of action isn't as easily deduced as it was with the riposte fighter/rogue. Then the ability to reckless attack gives you an additional disincentive of attacking your ally and an extra incentive for attacking you.

Reckless Attack can only be done on your turn. "When you make your first attack on your turn..."

So it isn't granting advantage on any Sentinel attacks.

 

[FrogReaver]

Reckless Attack can only be done on your turn. "When you make your first attack on your turn..."

So it isn't granting advantage on any Sentinel attacks.

Good catch I missed that.

 

[FrogReaver]

So reckless doesn't help you land both attacks, it just helps you on your on turn attack. However it does give enemies advantage to hit you which does increase their incentive for attacking you over your ally.

 

[Blue]

So reckless doesn't help you land both attacks, it just helps you on your on turn attack. However it does give enemies advantage to hit you which does increase their incentive for attacking you over your ally.

It seems you'd either want a very high AC to discourage people from attacking you and the Sentinel feat, or a low AC and/or Reckless plus the Battlemaster Riposte maneuver.