Is Great Weapon Master Still Worth It at Higher Levels? A Deep Dive
The short answer is a resounding yes, Great Weapon Master (GWM) remains incredibly powerful and valuable at higher levels in both D&D 5e and Baldur’s Gate 3. While its efficacy might seem questionable at first glance due to the -5 penalty to hit, the reality is that its damage output far outweighs the accuracy reduction, especially as characters gain more ways to mitigate that penalty. This article will explain why GWM remains a top-tier choice, explore its nuances, and address some common questions surrounding its use.
Why Great Weapon Master Shines at High Levels
The core of GWM’s power lies in its secondary ability: a -5 penalty to hit for +10 damage. This exchange might seem foolish initially, particularly at low levels when hit chances are already precarious. However, as characters progress, several factors shift the scales dramatically in GWM’s favor.
Mitigating the Hit Penalty
Firstly, higher levels generally mean higher proficiency bonuses and ability score modifiers. Fighters, for example, gain multiple opportunities to increase their primary attack stat and can even acquire feats like Weapon Master to further augment it. Additionally, other classes with martial prowess like Barbarians and Paladins will see increasing to-hit modifiers. Furthermore, many sources of Advantage, which essentially doubles your chance to hit, become readily available through character abilities, spells, and environmental factors. Advantage can effectively negate the to-hit penalty and then some.
The Power of Flat Damage
Secondly, the +10 damage is a flat bonus that scales more effectively than dice rolls against enemies at higher levels. The base damage of most weapons is determined by dice rolls like d10 or 2d6 and this is only doubled on a critical hit. However, the +10 damage from GWM isn’t affected by critical hits meaning it remains a constant damage boost that isn’t reduced by resistances as damage dice can be. With base damage rolls often being small relative to the raw +10 damage, it contributes massively to your damage output making it significantly more potent than relying on the variability of dice. This flat damage is incredibly useful against enemies with high HP, and at higher levels, these will be very common.
Critical Hits and Bonus Action Attacks
Thirdly, GWM also has a bonus component: if you crit or drop an enemy to 0 HP with a heavy weapon attack, you get a bonus action attack. This secondary effect provides additional attack opportunities to make the most of your increased damage potential. Crit-fishing with advantage and bonus action attacks is a big part of the GWM equation. The ability to potentially double the dice rolled for your damage (if you get a critical hit) and get a bonus attack on the same turn is a massive boon.
When to Consider Great Weapon Master
While GWM is fantastic, it’s essential to understand its ideal application. The provided text suggests holding off on GWM until character modifiers are reliably above +5 and that generally falls around level 8-9 for most builds. Waiting until your proficiency bonus is a +4 or higher ensures that the trade-off of -5 to hit isn’t too debilitating, especially if you don’t have easy access to Advantage.
Low AC, Low HP Enemies
The text correctly notes that GWM is most effective against low-AC, low-HP enemies. While this is true at low levels, at higher levels, “low AC” becomes relative. Any target that doesn’t have exceptionally high AC becomes a perfect target for GWM. When facing such enemies, the increased damage from GWM more than makes up for any lost accuracy, allowing you to quickly mow down hordes or even take down bigger enemies with less overall hits. This is particularly true in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3), where many encounters involve mobs of lesser enemies in addition to higher HP bosses.
The Heavy Weapon Requirement
Great Weapon Master requires that you wield a heavy weapon. These are typically the largest and most damaging melee weapons, like greatswords, greataxes, mauls, and halberds, making the feat particularly suitable for martial classes that excel in dealing significant damage. Versatile weapons like longswords and warhammers work with GWM so long as they are wielded in two hands.
GWM in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)
BG3 faithfully translates the power of GWM from D&D 5e. What’s more, it offers a toggle to enable or disable the feat. Players can drag the GWM passive ability to their action bar and freely toggle it on and off, making it less risky for low AC enemies but also allowing you to activate it against heavier enemies. In BG3, GWM remains a central strategy for any melee build focused on damage output. It synergizes well with other combat systems in BG3, like equipment, class abilities, and spells, making it just as dominant, if not more so, than in tabletop D&D.
Final Thoughts on GWM at Higher Levels
Ultimately, Great Weapon Master is a powerful feat that only gets better at higher levels. The trade-off of -5 to hit for +10 damage becomes less risky as your character gains proficiency and stat bonuses, and when combined with ways to achieve advantage, it makes the feat an incredible asset for any melee damage build. GWM’s capability to decimate low HP enemies quickly and make a significant impact against high-HP targets makes it an almost indispensable choice for those looking to maximize damage output with heavy weapons. When used strategically, it’s far more than just a numbers increase; it’s a game-changing tool that makes your martial character a formidable force.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Great Weapon Master
1. Does Great Weapon Master work with all two-handed weapons?
No, GWM works with melee weapons that have the “heavy” property. Versatile weapons work as long as they are wielded in two hands.
2. Does GWM damage double on a critical hit?
No, only the damage dice are doubled on a critical hit. The flat +10 damage bonus from GWM is not doubled.
3. Can I turn off Great Weapon Master in BG3?
Yes, BG3 allows you to toggle GWM on or off by dragging the passive ability to your action bar.
4. Does Great Weapon Fighting style apply to GWM?
No, Great Weapon Fighting only applies to the dice rolled for a weapon’s damage and does not affect the flat +10 bonus from GWM.
5. When should I take the Great Weapon Master feat?
Generally, aim to take it around level 8-9 when you have a proficiency bonus of +4 or higher and a reasonable strength or dexterity modifier.
6. Does GWM work with Polearm Master?
Yes, GWM works with polearms if they have the heavy property, like glaives and halberds, in combination with the Polearm Master feat.
7. Is dual-wielding better than GWM?
Dual-wielding is generally weaker than GWM at higher levels unless specifically optimized for it. GWM is generally a more effective method of dealing higher damage overall.
8. Does GWM work with a Lance?
No, a Lance is not a Heavy weapon and is therefore not compatible with the Great Weapon Master feat.
9. Can Small races use heavy weapons effectively with GWM?
Yes, Small races can use heavy weapons with GWM. While they do attack with disadvantage, the damage potential can be incredibly high.
10. Does the -5 hit penalty stack with other penalties?
Yes, the -5 hit penalty from GWM stacks with other attack penalties, such as disadvantage, which is why it’s important to have mitigation strategies.
11. How can I get advantage to offset the -5 penalty?
Advantage can be obtained through spells, abilities, and environmental conditions such as flanking (in BG3) or knocking an enemy prone.
12. Is GWM the most powerful feat for martial classes?
GWM is certainly one of the most powerful choices for maximizing damage with melee martial builds, particularly those focused on heavy weapons. However, other feats can have more situational use.
13. Does the bonus action attack from GWM stack?
No, the bonus action attack from GWM can only be triggered once per turn, even if you score multiple critical hits or reduce multiple enemies to 0 HP.
14. Does GWM work with Divine Smite?
Yes, GWM works with Divine Smite, enhancing a Paladin’s damage output. Divine Smite damage isn’t affected by Great Weapon Fighting.
15. Is it worth giving up an ASI for GWM?
While it depends on your specific build, GWM is often worth forgoing an Ability Score Increase (ASI) due to its dramatic impact on damage output. Optimizing for damage over stat bonuses can be a more efficient method of fighting.