Great weapon master feat work with druid beast form attacks - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Great weapon master feat work with druid beast form attacks

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Markus.l
Sep 21, 2014 17:27:47 Does the FIRST BULLET point of the Great weapon master feat work with druid beast form melee attacks? RAW seems to point to yes but not sure how WotC intended RAI.
#2
obsid
Sep 21, 2014 17:39:54
Seems like yes to me. All it says is that it needs to be a "melee weapon" and if you look at the stats for the animals (say a brown bear) it says it is a "Melee Weapon Attack."

#3
miles2912
Sep 21, 2014 17:46:32
This has to be some kind of oversight. An animal attacks with Natiral weapons. The Great weapon master feat implies that you need a weapon in your hand. This is the same logic that people use for the crossbow master feat. You need to hold a crossbow. It is not all ranged weapons. If your DM is fine with this, by all means have at it, In my game you need a weapon/crossbow.

#4
obsid
Sep 21, 2014 17:48:58
Who says natural weapons are not weapons? Why doesnt thier claw in thier hand count as a weapon?

#5
Novacat
Sep 21, 2014 18:28:10
Didn't you already post this exact question?

#6
2Chlorobutanal
Sep 21, 2014 18:50:31
Not necessarily all bullet points of a feat must apply to a specific weapon or weapon group. Feats are broad in scope, often encompassing the power of several 3E or 4E feats by comparison.

Great Weapon Master gives the "cleave" (first) ability (which works with any melee weapon, including unarmed strike and natural weapons), and the "power attack" (second) ability, which only works with heavy melee weapons in which the user is proficient. The feat is better for heavy-weapon users, but it's not completely restricted to them.

Crossbow Expert gives a benefit to all crossbows (removing the loading property), hand crossbows (allows an extra attack with one), and all ranged weapons (removes the disadvantage for firing in close quarters). The feat is better for (hand) crossbow users, but it's not completely restricted to them.

I don't see a problem with this. If a spellcaster wants to take Crossbow Expert to fire in melee, I say let them. Much of the feat is going to waste but conceptually they spent time training with crossbows to steady their aim in close quarters.

Likewise, a Druid who trained with heavy weapons (Great Weapon Master) could adapt the "cleaving" technique for scimitars, clubs, or bear claws, and he or she is still losing half the benefit of the feat. I don't see this as an issue.

#7
Undrhil
Sep 21, 2014 20:29:35
And no one is saying that a Druid couldn't take advantage of the second bullet of Great Weapon Master when wielding a (Versatile) Quarterstaff which had Shilellagh cast upon it.

#8
2Chlorobutanal
Sep 21, 2014 21:02:52
Actually, I think the second feature requires a "heavy" weapon, which would rule out quarterstaves.

#9
Undrhil
Sep 24, 2014 12:47:45
Curse you and your "reading the rules", 2Chlorobutanal!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Markus.l Sep 21, 2014 17:27:47	Does the FIRST BULLET point of the Great weapon master feat work with druid beast form melee attacks? RAW seems to point to yes but not sure how WotC intended RAI.
#2 obsid Sep 21, 2014 17:39:54	Seems like yes to me. All it says is that it needs to be a "melee weapon" and if you look at the stats for the animals (say a brown bear) it says it is a "Melee Weapon Attack."
#3 miles2912 Sep 21, 2014 17:46:32	This has to be some kind of oversight. An animal attacks with Natiral weapons. The Great weapon master feat implies that you need a weapon in your hand. This is the same logic that people use for the crossbow master feat. You need to hold a crossbow. It is not all ranged weapons. If your DM is fine with this, by all means have at it, In my game you need a weapon/crossbow.
#4 obsid Sep 21, 2014 17:48:58	Who says natural weapons are not weapons? Why doesnt thier claw in thier hand count as a weapon?
#5 Novacat Sep 21, 2014 18:28:10	Didn't you already post this exact question?
#6 2Chlorobutanal Sep 21, 2014 18:50:31	Not necessarily all bullet points of a feat must apply to a specific weapon or weapon group. Feats are broad in scope, often encompassing the power of several 3E or 4E feats by comparison. Great Weapon Master gives the "cleave" (first) ability (which works with any melee weapon, including unarmed strike and natural weapons), and the "power attack" (second) ability, which only works with heavy melee weapons in which the user is proficient. The feat is better for heavy-weapon users, but it's not completely restricted to them. Crossbow Expert gives a benefit to all crossbows (removing the loading property), hand crossbows (allows an extra attack with one), and all ranged weapons (removes the disadvantage for firing in close quarters). The feat is better for (hand) crossbow users, but it's not completely restricted to them. I don't see a problem with this. If a spellcaster wants to take Crossbow Expert to fire in melee, I say let them. Much of the feat is going to waste but conceptually they spent time training with crossbows to steady their aim in close quarters. Likewise, a Druid who trained with heavy weapons (Great Weapon Master) could adapt the "cleaving" technique for scimitars, clubs, or bear claws, and he or she is still losing half the benefit of the feat. I don't see this as an issue.
#7 Undrhil Sep 21, 2014 20:29:35	And no one is saying that a Druid couldn't take advantage of the second bullet of Great Weapon Master when wielding a (Versatile) Quarterstaff which had Shilellagh cast upon it.
#8 2Chlorobutanal Sep 21, 2014 21:02:52	Actually, I think the second feature requires a "heavy" weapon, which would rule out quarterstaves.
#9 Undrhil Sep 24, 2014 12:47:45	Curse you and your "reading the rules", 2Chlorobutanal!