Shield master feat.

[Doomwhispo]

• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use
a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet
of you with your shield.
• If you aren’t incapacitated, you can add your shield’s AC
bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against
a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.
• If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to
make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half dam -
age, you can use your reaction to take no damage if
you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your
shield between yourself and the source of the effect.


OK guys I have 3 questions. One for each ability of the feat.

Q1 can I use my shield shove action before I attack? That makes a big difference.

Q2 am I correct that there are almost no spells that target only.me that require a dex saving throw? Would this work with traps if I'm the only one triggering them? For example darts shooting from the wall?

Q3 same darts shooting from the wall. Assuming I take half damage on save dc can I avoid taking damage by interposing my shield?

[EKruze]

• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use
a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet
of you with your shield.
• If you aren’t incapacitated, you can add your shield’s AC
bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against
a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.
• If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to
make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half dam -
age, you can use your reaction to take no damage if
you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your
shield between yourself and the source of the effect.


OK guys I have 3 questions. One for each ability of the feat.

Q1 can I use my shield shove action before I attack? That makes a big difference.

Q2 am I correct that there are almost no spells that target only.me that require a dex saving throw? Would this work with traps if I'm the only one triggering them? For example darts shooting from the wall?

Q3 same darts shooting from the wall. Assuming I take half damage on save dc can I avoid taking damage by interposing my shield?

A1: Yes. https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/557816721810403329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

A2: There is a small handful of spells that have only one target and require a Dex Save but if for some reasons you should be the only one in the area of a spell that can target many but only targets you I do believe you'd get the bonus. As for your traps they are certainly a 'harmful effect' and if only targeting you then the bonus should apply.

A3: Probably, yes. One might make an argument that if you're not in combat that you have no Reaction to interpose your shield but I think that might be an overly litigious reading of things and that at most tables you'd get the advantage of the feat.

[ad_hoc]

A3: Probably, yes. One might make an argument that if you're not in combat that you have no Reaction to interpose your shield but I think that might be an overly litigious reading of things and that at most tables you'd get the advantage of the feat.

I would say no if you were surprised by the trap.

[clash]

Where does the feat ever say the effect has to only target you for blocking it with the shield work?

Never mind. You were asking about the second point not the third one. The third one works against area spells

[tkuremento]

I would say no if you were surprised by the trap.

That is how surprise works, no reaction to use. However being surprised and a surprise round are different and ultimately the DM needs to decide that firstly--literally.

"Surprise

The DM determines who might be surprised. If neither side tries to be stealthy, they automatically notice each other. Otherwise, the DM compares the Dexterity (Stealth) checks of anyone hiding with the passive Wisdom (Perception) score of each creature on the opposing side. Any character or monster that doesn’t notice a threat is surprised at the start of the encounter.

If you’re surprised, you can’t move or take an action on your first turn of the combat, and you can’t take a reaction until that turn ends. A member of a group can be surprised even if the other members aren’t."

[Doomwhispo]

Ok. But would I then be able to add my AC shield bonus to the dex saving throw? The trap.isn't really targeting anyone or can I consider myself being targeted by it? In that case I can only add the ac as long as I am the only one targeted by the trap?

[tkuremento]

Where does the feat ever say the effect has to only target you for blocking it with the shield work?

Never mind. You were asking about the second point not the third one. The third one works against area spells

• If you aren’t incapacitated, you can add your shield’s AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.

[poolio]

I've had a couple characters take this feat, and my DMs have always let me use the reaction to prevent all damage on successful dex saves, on traps as well as non-single target spells, i believe the reasoning was that if this feat is to represent ones ability to defend themselves with a shield then the situation and number of targets shouldn't affect my ability to protect myself,

But hey, to each their own.

[Tanarii]

I would say no if you were surprised by the trap.surprise is a combat rule, and determined by failure to detect creatures's stealth with perception. Are you saying you extend that to failure to detect traps with perception.


That is how surprise works, no reaction to use. However being surprised and a surprise round are different and ultimately the DM needs to decide that firstly--literally.
Being surprised is determined the DM using the following sentenced in the surprise section, ie comparing stealth and perception score. 'DM determines' doesn't mean 'DM makes it up on if he thinks you should be surprised' or 'DM decides based on a whim'.

Second, there is no such thing as a surprise round in D&D 5e. There is only the first round of combat.

[ad_hoc]

surprise is a combat rule, and determined by failure to detect creatures's stealth with perception. Are you saying you extend that to failure to detect traps with perception.


Yeah, I might.

I think it is a reasonable extrapolation. If the trap was a creature that was animated for 1 round only it would work that way.

[Tanarii]

Yeah, I might.

I think it is a reasonable extrapolation. If the trap was a creature that was animated for 1 round only it would work that way.
Didn't mean to imply it was unreasonable. I was curious if it was something you already do at the table.

[ad_hoc]

Didn't mean to imply it was unreasonable. I was curious if it was something you already do at the table.

The specific instance of a trap firing with someone who has a reaction for it hasn't actually come up.

[Doomwhispo]

Meh as it is my DM won't even allow me to shove with my shield first and then attack =(

[djreynolds]

Yes, you can shove first... Mr Crawford says so.

Yes, disintegrate is one of the worst spells, I would rule being caught up in a chain of chain lightning, being targeted by yourself with fireball or lightning bolt

One of the best feats in the game

[Doomwhispo]

Crawford is the God of the DM's I presume? =p

[Caskwell]

• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use
a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet
of you with your shield.
• If you aren’t incapacitated, you can add your shield’s AC
bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against
a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.
• If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to
make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half dam -
age, you can use your reaction to take no damage if
you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your
shield between yourself and the source of the effect.


OK guys I have 3 questions. One for each ability of the feat.

Q1 can I use my shield shove action before I attack? That makes a big difference.

Q2 am I correct that there are almost no spells that target only.me that require a dex saving throw? Would this work with traps if I'm the only one triggering them? For example darts shooting from the wall?

Q3 same darts shooting from the wall. Assuming I take half damage on save dc can I avoid taking damage by interposing my shield?


Q1) I also use Crawford's ruling (bonus action allowed first) on this, but with this caveat: If shoving to push 5ft vs prone, you must make the attack first. Reasoning being, it's possible to shove them over a cliff/off a wall, thus making an attack impossible, thus making the shove illegal in the first place (since you must take the attack action in the turn).

Q2) You're correct that there a very few single target Dex save spells. Honestly only one off the top of my head is Sacred Flame. I would allow a trap that you triggered (darts, arrows, etc) targeting only you to apply, since you're just that good at reflexively raising your shield. I get the arguments about surprise, but this is such a limited perk of the feat already, I'm inclined to give it a bit broader interpretation.

Q3) Yes, based on my take in Q2, I'd allow it.

While laying out my take on the feat, I'll just say that I view the last perk as basically reading "If you make a Dex save vs a Fireball, you take no damage if you spend your reaction"

[ad_hoc]

Q1) I also use Crawford's ruling (bonus action allowed first) on this, but with this caveat: If shoving to push 5ft vs prone, you must make the attack first. Reasoning being, it's possible to shove them over a cliff/off a wall, thus making an attack impossible, thus making the shove illegal in the first place (since you must take the attack action in the turn).


The easier solution is to forfeit your action if you end up with no one to attack.

[Caskwell]

The easier solution is to forfeit your action if you end up with no one to attack.

I agree that that's a fine option if you find your self in that situation - honestly, the first time it happened, I think that was the ruling! Hmm, I just realized that ruling it this way basically means that you took your action to shove vs using the feat-granted bonus action + Attack, which is 100% correct. I'll have to reconsider how I run/use this!

[raspin]

Q1, The wording seems to indicate that it would work in a way that you attack a creature and then shove it away. Maybe if you had two creatures within 5 ft you could shove one away first and then attack the other. To me it seems like this attack and shove are a fluid action. It seems like the attack then shove order makes most sense as after you shove you might not have a creature within 5 ft. This is negated by ruling that having no creature to attack after the shove means you lose your action as stated above but can you move between the shove and attack;; irrespective of the order?

If you attack first and then shove it says the target must be within 5 ft but doesn't mention movement. To shove a creature it must always be within 5 ft, so it would seem odd to specify the distance for a shove again, unless it specifically relates to the distance the target must be from you after the attack, before you move.

In my minds eye, whether the attack or shove happen first, it's part of a combat move with the first creating an opening for the second.

[djreynolds]

Q1, The wording seems to indicate that it would work in a way that you attack a creature and then shove it away. Maybe if you had two creatures within 5 ft you could shove one away first and then attack the other. To me it seems like this attack and shove are a fluid action. It seems like the attack then shove order makes most sense as after you shove you might not have a creature within 5 ft. This is negated by ruling that having no creature to attack after the shove means you lose your action as stated above but can you move between the shove and attack;; irrespective of the order?

If you attack first and then shove it says the target must be within 5 ft but doesn't mention movement. To shove a creature it must always be within 5 ft, so it would seem odd to specify the distance for a shove again, unless it specifically relates to the distance the target must be from you after the attack, before you move.

In my minds eye, whether the attack or shove happen first, it's part of a combat move with the first creating an opening for the second. Attacking and then legging it 20 ft to shove as a bonus seems odd by I get that logic may well not apply.

Can use give up your attack to shove, and still get the bonus action from shield master to shove again?

[raspin]

Can use give up your attack to shove, and still get the bonus action from shield master to shove again?

You lost me...

[Plaguescarred]

Can use give up your attack to shove, and still get the bonus action from shield master to shove again?Yes since shoving use the Attack action you should be able to.


Shield Master: If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature

Shoving a Creature: Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature

[Coffee_Dragon]

I think if you do a double shove, you definitely shouldn't be allowed to shove before you shove.

[Occasional Sage]

I think if you do a double shove, you definitely shouldn't be allowed to shove before you shove.

That's a completely terrible way to read the rules, and contradicts both RAI and RAW. Clearly, the order of actions should be shove->shove, so as not to unfairly penalize clever players. You are encouraging badwrongfun!
Is the sarcasm thick enough?

[Plaguescarred]

I think if you do a double shove, you definitely shouldn't be allowed to shove before you shove.Why you shouldn't?

[Zalabim]

No one's mentioned the other big source of single target dexterity saves, so Beholders hate this feat. <---Not actually clickable

[djreynolds]

No one's mentioned the other big source of single target dexterity saves, so Beholders hate this feat. <---Not actually clickable

I did, it works versus disintegrate, if you make the save.

[Zalabim]

But you didn't say the name or make it click-bait. Every sorcerer from here to Silverymoon (silvermoon? I'm not up on current FR geography) has disintegrate.

[djreynolds]

But you didn't say the name or make it click-bait. Every sorcerer from here to Silverymoon (silvermoon? I'm not up on current FR geography) has disintegrate.

Can't argue that. No I did not say anything about beholders.