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Great Weapon Master

Complete guide to the Great Weapon Master feat in D&D 5e. Learn how to maximize the power attack feature, trigger bonus action attacks, and build devastating melee damage dealers.

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BenefitMechanicsSynergiesCommon MistakesDM TipsSources

Benefit

You can sacrifice accuracy for massive damage bonuses and gain bonus action attacks when you score critical hits or reduce enemies to 0 HP.

Mechanics

Great Weapon Master provides two powerful benefits when wielding heavy melee weapons: **Power Attack (-5/+10):** Before you make a melee attack with a heavy weapon that you're proficient with, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you add +10 to the attack's damage. **Bonus Action Attack:** When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. **Important Details:** - Power attack works with greatsword, greataxe, maul, pike, glaive, halberd, and other heavy weapons - You decide to use power attack before rolling, not after seeing the result - The +10 damage is flat bonus, not extra dice (not multiplied on crits) - Bonus action attack works with any melee weapon, not just heavy weapons - You can use power attack on the bonus action attack as well - Power attack applies to each attack separately if you have Extra Attack

Synergies

  • *Polearm Master feat - Bonus action attack from PAM gives more chances to trigger GWM's bonus attack
  • *Barbarian Reckless Attack - Advantage offsets the -5 penalty, making power attack more reliable
  • *Battle Master Precision Attack - Add superiority die to attack roll when you really need to hit
  • *Bless spell - +1d4 to attack rolls helps offset the -5 penalty
  • *Samurai Fighting Spirit - Advantage on all attacks for one turn makes power attack very strong
  • *Champion Improved Critical - More crits means more bonus action attacks
  • *Great Weapon Fighting style - Reroll 1s and 2s on damage dice, maximizing that +10 bonus
  • *Elven Accuracy - If you can get advantage (half-elf/elf only), triple advantage for better hit chance
  • *Paladin Divine Smite - The +10 damage stacks with smites for devastating single hits

Common Mistakes

Common Mistake
Using power attack when you need a low roll to hit - only use it when your bonus is high enough
Common Mistake
Forgetting the bonus action attack works with any melee weapon, not just heavy weapons
Common Mistake
Not realizing you can choose whether to use power attack on each individual attack with Extra Attack
Common Mistake
Thinking the +10 damage is multiplied on critical hits - it's a flat bonus, not dice
Common Mistake
Using power attack against high-AC enemies when you're unlikely to hit
Common Mistake
Forgetting to declare power attack before rolling the attack
Common Mistake
Not using power attack against low-AC enemies where you'd hit anyway

DM Tips

DM Tip
This feat dramatically increases damage output - design encounters with more HP or more enemies
DM Tip
High-AC enemies naturally counter GWM - use a mix of AC values to keep things interesting
DM Tip
The bonus action attack makes this feat very powerful against groups of weak enemies
DM Tip
GWM users struggle against enemies with high AC and few HP (they miss and waste the -5)
DM Tip
Consider that GWM users will kill minions and get extra attacks - balance accordingly
DM Tip
Magic items that grant advantage (like a Cloak of Displacement) make GWM extremely powerful
DM Tip
This feat is significantly stronger than most others - other players might feel overshadowed
DM Tip
Environmental effects that impose disadvantage shut down GWM effectively

Sources & Further Reading