The Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter 5e House Rule

So, you’re giving D&D a try? You’ll love it.

It might seem like a lot if you’re new to the game. You’ve got character sheets, spells, combat rules, and let’s not forget the dice! All these things can make the game feel pretty overwhelming at first.

But trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’s one of the most fun, creative experiences you can have.

The great thing about D&D is that you can change the rules and story to suit you. Sure, there are official rules in the Player’s Handbook, but you and your friends can tweak them to make the game work for your group.

House rules are one of the best ways to make the game feel unique, and Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter are perfect examples of how to do this.

These two feats are often seen as must-haves for players who love to hit hard, and they can really boost your damage output in combat.

The downside is that both of these cool tricks make it easier for you to miss. It’s a bit of a gamble.

Do you risk missing your attack for a shot at bigger damage? It’s a question every player has to answer at some point.

Luckily, there’s a way to make these decisions easier: a house rule calculator. This simple tool helps you figure out whether it’s worth it to take that penalty and go for the damage boost.

In this post, we’re going to break down Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter, explain how they work, and show you exactly how the calculator can help you make the right choice.

So let’s get into it!

1. What Are the Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter Feats?

Let’s start with the basics. Feats are special abilities in D&D that give your character an extra boost in some aspect of their combat or skills.

Some feats make you better at hitting enemies, some help with casting spells, and others, like Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter, are all about making your attacks hurt more.

We’re going to go over both of these feats so you understand how they work before we talk about how to make the most of them.

Great Weapon Master

If you love swinging around heavy weapons like greatswords or mauls, Great Weapon Master is the feat you need. This feat only works with a heavy weapon.

Here’s how it works:

Penalty to Attack Roll: When you decide to use Great Weapon Master, you take a -5 penalty to your attack roll. This means that in order to land your hit, you need to roll higher on a d20, making it harder to actually connect with the enemy.
Bonus Damage: If you do land the hit, the reward is huge. You get +10 bonus damage on your attack. So, even though you risk missing, if you do hit, it’s a major payoff.
Bonus Attack: Here’s where it gets even better. If you drop an enemy to 0 hit points OR score a critical hit with a melee weapon, you can make another attack as a bonus action. This bonus action attack adds your ability modifier to damage normally (unlike Two-Weapon Fighting attacks, which don’t add the modifier unless you have a specific feature)

To sum it up, Great Weapon Master is for players who are confident they can deal massive damage with their melee attacks.

The penalty to hit can be a problem, but if you land the hit, the reward is often worth it.

Important: The -5/+10 power attack feature only works with heavy weapons. The bonus action attack can be triggered by any melee weapon attack (critical hit or dropping an enemy to 0 HP) and can be made with any melee weapon, but you can only apply the -5/+10 power attack to the bonus action attack if you’re using a heavy weapon for that bonus attack.

Sharpshooter

If you prefer ranged combat and like firing off longbows or crossbows, Sharpshooter is the feat you want.

Like Great Weapon Master, Sharpshooter lets you trade accuracy for extra damage, but it has some unique perks that make it perfect for ranged fighters.

Penalty to Attack Roll: Sharpshooter works similarly to Great Weapon Master in that it gives you a -5 penalty to your attack roll. But here’s the twist: you get a +10 bonus to your damage if you hit, just like with Great Weapon Master.
Ignore Cover: One of the best things about Sharpshooter is that you can ignore half cover and three-quarters cover when shooting at enemies. This means that even if your target is behind a wall, a barrel, or any kind of obstacle, you can still hit them as if they weren’t covered at all. This can be huge, especially when you’re facing enemies who love to hide behind things.
Long Range Combat: Sharpshooter is also especially useful when you’re attacking at longer ranges. When attacking at long range (beyond your weapon’s normal range but within maximum range), you normally have disadvantage. Sharpshooter removes this disadvantage, letting you shoot accurately at maximum distance.

So if you’re a ranged fighter and you want to make sure your arrows or bolts pack a serious punch, Sharpshooter is the feat that will make your ranged combat incredibly deadly.

Important: Both Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter require you to be proficient with the weapon you’re using.

2. The Problem with These Feats

Okay, so both of these feats sound great, right? They give you the chance to deal crazy damage. The problem is, doing either of those things makes your attack less accurate.

With Great Weapon Master, you take a -5 penalty to hit with your melee weapon, and with Sharpshooter, you do the same with your ranged weapons.

The penalty makes these feats risky to use because the more powerful your weapon or ranged attack is, the more you want to hit with it.

Missing your attack feels bad, especially when you could have just made a regular attack with a higher chance to hit.

So, how do you know when it’s worth it to take the risk? That’s where the house rule calculator comes in.

This tool helps you make smarter decisions about when to use these feats, so you’re not gambling with your damage every time you attack.

By factoring in things like your attack modifier, the enemy’s AC, and the potential damage bonus, the calculator gives you a better idea of whether to risk it or play it safe.

3. How the Calculator Helps You

So now you’re probably wondering, “What exactly does the calculator do?”

Simply put, the house rule calculator helps you weigh the risks of taking the -5 penalty with the possible reward of a +10 damage boost.

It calculates your chances of landing a hit with that penalty and compares that to how much damage you’ll do if you succeed.

I’ll explain how the calculator figures things out.

Input Your Attack Modifier: This includes your Strength or Dexterity modifier (depending on the feat), plus your proficiency bonus. Note: You must be proficient with the weapon to use either feat.
Input the Target’s AC: This is the enemy’s armor class. It’s the number you need to beat in order to hit the target.
Weapon Damage: What’s the damage roll for your weapon? A greatsword uses 2d6, while a longbow uses 1d8.

Once you’ve input all the details, the calculator will show you the odds of hitting the target with the -5 penalty and the potential damage you’ll deal if you succeed.

It gives you a clear number to work with, so you don’t have to make decisions based on guesswork.

This tool is perfect for when you’re on the fence about whether to go for the extra damage or stick with a safer attack.

4. Using the Calculator for Great Weapon Master

Now, let’s dip into how the calculator works, especially for Great Weapon Master.

Input Your Attack Modifier: Let’s say your character has a Strength modifier of +3 and a proficiency bonus of +2. This gives you a total attack modifier of +5.
Input the Enemy’s AC: Suppose the enemy has an AC of 15. Normally, you would need to roll a 10 or higher to hit with a normal attack (because 15 – 5 = 10).
Account for the -5 Penalty: With Great Weapon Master, you’re taking a -5 penalty to your attack roll, which means your effective attack modifier becomes +0, so you now need to roll a 15 or higher to hit.
Input Weapon Damage: For example, let’s say you’re using a greatsword that deals 2d6 damage. The calculator will then calculate the total damage with the +10 bonus from the feat, assuming you hit.

The calculator will then tell you whether it’s worth taking the risk. If the odds of missing are too high, it might suggest you skip the feat and just go for a more reliable attack. But if the bonus damage is big enough, the calculator will show you that the reward outweighs the risk.

5. Using the Calculator for Sharpshooter

Let’s switch gears and look at how the calculator works for Sharpshooter:

Input Your Attack Modifier: If you’re using a longbow and have a Dexterity modifier of +4 and a proficiency bonus of +2, your attack modifier will be +6.
Input the Enemy’s AC: If your enemy has an AC of 17, you would normally need to roll an 11 or higher to hit (since 17 – 6 = 11).
Account for the -5 Penalty: With Sharpshooter, you’re taking a -5 penalty to your attack roll, which means your effective attack modifier becomes +1, so you now need a 16 or higher to hit.
Input Weapon Damage: Let’s say you’re using a longbow (1d8 damage). The calculator will factor in the +10 bonus for Sharpshooter and calculate how much damage you’ll do if you land the hit.

Once you enter this information, the calculator will show you your chances of hitting with the penalty and the resulting damage.

If the odds of hitting are high enough, the calculator will tell you it’s worth going for it. If not, I advise you to play it safe with a regular attack.

6. When Should You Use These Feats?

So now you know how the calculator works, but when should you actually use Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter in battle? This is when you should really go for it.

When You Have Advantage: If you’ve got advantage on your attack roll (from a spell or an ally helping you out), your chances of hitting increase. This makes it safer to use these feats because the penalty to hit becomes less of a concern when you have two dice to roll.
When the Enemy Is Low on HP: If your enemy is close to death, then it’s worth taking the risk. Even if you miss, you have a good chance of finishing them off with a massive damage boost.
When You Have Extra Attacks: When you have multiple attacks, consider using the -5/+10 on your most accurate attacks (when you have advantage or against low AC enemies) while making normal attacks otherwise

7. The Big Picture: Does It Work?

When it comes down to it, Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter are risky feats, but they can be incredibly rewarding.

The calculator helps you make better decisions, but ultimately, it’s up to your playstyle. If you like taking big risks for huge rewards, these feats will make you feel like a beast.

But if you’re more about reliability, they might not always be the best option. It’s all about finding the right balance for your character and knowing when the risk is worth it.

Tell me your thoughts.

Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter are feats that can turn your character into a powerhouse, but they’re not without their risks.

The house rule calculator is a great tool to help you make smart decisions about when to use them. These special moves can totally turn the game around, whether you’re fighting up close with a massive weapon or using a bow from a distance.

Just be sure to use them wisely.

FAQs

Do I need to use the calculator every time?

Nah, you don’t have to use it all the time. But it’s super useful when you’re trying to make a big decision, like when you’re facing a tough enemy and need to know if it’s worth taking the penalty.

Can I use both feats at the same time?

You can’t use both -5/+10 features on the same attack since they’re for different weapon types (melee vs. ranged). However, you can have both feats on the same character and switch between them depending on which weapon you’re using.

What if I miss the attack using these feats?

That’s always a risk! The calculator helps you decide if it’s worth the gamble, but there’s always the possibility of missing.

Are there other feats I should consider?

For sure! There are lots of feats that work well with Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter. Look into Polearm Master for some sweet bonus attacks or Crossbow Expert if you want to specialise in ranged combat.