Powerful great sword build?

[Sir cryosin]

One of my favorite weapons is a two handed great sword. I always pick up a greatsword in any game I play. But I haven't played a greatsword user in 5e yet and I know there is so many builds out there. And don't know which one to go with. So I would like some pro's and con's and tips tricks for the different options for a greatsword user.

[SMac8988]

First you need to ask your DM if savage crit from the barb and half orc works for both dice of the 2d6 or not.

By some people's standards it does not and only does one of the dice, this doesn't ruin the weapon by any means but does lower it's damage output some.

My experience so far. I am a greatsword fan as well, I love the idea of running around cleaving people in two. From what I have played and seen Barbarians, fighters and Paladins are the kings when it comes the these weapons and honestly I feel the barbaian is where it shines the best.

Taking a half orc barb, going any path, but frenzy gets you the third attack you get bonus crit dice and reckless. Reckless increases dice rolled, which increase crit chance. This can make those hits so so good.

Paladin had the option of adding some smite to his damage and this allows you to attack with only one weapon and still deal out a rather large amount of damage.

And fighter has the champ to increase crit chances of multiple attacks or battle master to sway combat more.

You will need to pick up great weapon master and the great weapon fighting style, just to improve damage more. Paladins and barbs have a good bump with the feat: channel devinity for devotion can negate the negative for the great weapon attack, free 10 damage. And reckless attack will normally bump you up enough to ignore the small negative.

Hope this helps. I play a barb/pally multiclass whom uses a great sword and I love it!

[Talionis]

Ranger, Fighter, Rogue, Warlock, Paladin allcanbe viable and fun. Warlock probably wants to start first level as either a Fighter or Cleric. If you can multi class, I wouldn't Warlock, but Warlock is really fun if you can. The heavy armor is important, Especially since you aren't running a shield.

Rogue seems like an odd choice but with Sneak Attack, Assassinate, and a lot of mobility and ways to mitigate damage, Rogue can be impressive with and without multiclass.

I have no experience with a Barbarian, but I'm sure they are viable too.

[The Shadowdove]

I think a lot of them are pretty straight forward.

Sentinel and great weapon mastery are obviously great options for many reasons. Great weapon for damage and smashability, while sentinel helps you keep enemies on you/off of others.

Want to tank and have advantage while being strictly a face mashing chopping machine? Great weapon it while reckless attacking as a barbarian.

Want to have some cool battlefield management and maneuvers to hinder your opponent or strategically position your allies to better crush your foes? Battle master fighter.

Want to be able to support, heal, tank, and nova foes? Vengeance or ancient paladin. Don't forget that you can choose to smite after you confirm a critical, meaning selective huge damage boosts!

Want to scout, have an animal buddy, dip and dodge around foes like Aragorn? Want to hinder foes or assist allies in avoiding movement impairments/stealth/surviving the wild? Ranger is actually a good option!!!

Want to have wicked flavor, lifeleeching, a spectral blade, control of shadows and death itself while being a solid blaster with replenishable abilities? Go blade lock with a level or two of fighter!


There are loads of optiond and any one of them can be a blast / serve more roles than a blade swinging meatbag. Work your story into how they wield their blade and abilities, character flavor makes every eviscerating slice feel that much more satisfting !

[Sir cryosin]

Ranger, Fighter, Rogue, Warlock, Paladin allcanbe viable and fun. Warlock probably wants to start first level as either a Fighter or Cleric. If you can multi class, I wouldn't Warlock, but Warlock is really fun if you can. The heavy armor is important, Especially since you aren't running a shield.

Rogue seems like an odd choice but with Sneak Attack, Assassinate, and a lot of mobility and ways to mitigate damage, Rogue can be impressive with and without multiclass.

I have no experience with a Barbarian, but I'm sure they are viable too.

You know you can't sneak attack with a greatsword. It is neither a light, finesse or ranged weapon.

[Pex]

Paladin and Fighter can choose as an option a feature called Great Weapon Style. That allows you to reroll 1s and 2s on the damage dice, once. It definitely works on both d6s. It's annoying to reroll a 2 only to get a 1, but it doesn't happen often enough to worry about. Rerolling a 1 to get a 4, 5, or 6 is sweet.

If you go Paladin, ask your DM if he will allow Great Weapon Style to apply to smite damage dice. By the book it does but Sage Advice says no. Some DMs do allow it and others don't. It does spike smite damage, but many players including DMs find that a feature. Paladins are supposed to be heavy on single target spike damage.

If the DM says no, consider the feat Great Weapon Master. The main benefit is to take a -5 penalty to hit for +10 damage. Paladin can mitigate that through class features. The Bless spell adds +1d4 to hit if the party's cleric didn't cast it. Oath of Devotion allows you to Channel Energy to add your Charisma modifier to hit. Oath Of Vengeance allows you to Channel Energy to get advantage on attack rolls. The feat is good to take for any great sword user of a Barbarian, Fighter, or Paladin regardless, but the -5 to hit is a big deal you need to deal with. If you can reroll 1s and 2s on smites you don't need the feat as much for damage if the poor accuracy is a problem for you.

[Jarlhen]

The strongest build, assuming it's self-contained, that does not rely on external stuff like spells or spell-like effects is frenzy barbarian. However, the frenzy barbarian suffers exhaustion when they frenzy rage which is in play a major issue. Totem barbarian is largely considered a stronger choice because of its survivability. But the reason barbarian is so strong is rage for half damage and reckless attack which gives you advantage (and everyone gets advantage to hit you). Combine this with the GWM feat and you'll be able to use the -5/+10 on almost every fight and every round. Most other classes will be reliant on highly finite resources, like the battlemaster who doesn't get enough maneuvers to last a whole battle. Or they will have to rely on the rest of the party to give you advantage. You rely on no one as a barbarian. You're entirely self-sufficient.

Other classes like warlock or paladin has a lot more flexibility. The paladin or the paladin/sorcerer are widely considered one of the best if not the best big burst builds in the game. There's a guide somewhere on this forum. This due to smite. But you have to remember, so much of what is discussed on these forums is theoretical.

[Foxhound438]

battlemaster fighter with precision attack, tripping attack, and great weapon master

or just barbarian.

[Citan]

One of my favorite weapons is a two handed great sword. I always pick up a greatsword in any game I play. But I haven't played a greatsword user in 5e yet and I know there is so many builds out there. And don't know which one to go with. So I would like some pro's and con's and tips tricks for the different options for a greatsword user.
Hi!
Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin and even Rangers or Warlocks can make great handlers!
You should choose depending on how you envision your character usually behaves and fight.
Rageous man that always goes right into the heat? Go Barbarian.
Experienced warrior that likes to play tactically? Battlemaster Fighter.
Pious man that want to slay creatures that goes against his moral compass? Paladin.

Ranger and Warlock are a bit harder to qualify though, so I would recommend them only if you are looking for a specific tactic only them can provide. ;)

[Gignere]

I like battle master fighter for a great sword user with GWM feat. Precision attack and Riposte can up your DPR to ridiculous levels of damage. The best thing about precision attack is that you can use it after you see the roll so it is rarely wasted. Riposte increases chance of extra attack off turn.

Maybe after level 6 multi into war cleric to get bless and +10 to hit channel divinity which can also be used after the roll.

At 6 F / 2 C I would pretty much just -5/+10 on every attack. With +10 + 1d4 + 1d8 you can potentially convert any roll above a 3 into a hit.

I would recommend the defense fighting style over great weapon fighting style.

[djreynolds]

If you are inquiring if a war cleric could make a powerful great sword build, I say yes.

But the only issue is magic weapon competes with bless, divine favor, and spirit guardians.

I prefer the good OoD paladin, sacred weapon is good for a minute, is short rest channel divinity and easily makes up for GWM -5.

And if you don't mind running around in medium armor, some barbarian is always nice to grab for very "passionate" paladin trying to convert the Sword Coast or Underdark

Nothing wrong with a paladin/fighter/barbarian build. 12 paladin and 4 of the others, still 5 ASI/feats

[Pex]

If you are inquiring if a war cleric could make a powerful great sword build, I say yes.

But the only issue is magic weapon competes with bless, divine favor, and spirit guardians.

I prefer the good OoD paladin, sacred weapon is good for a minute, is short rest channel divinity and easily makes up for GWM -5.

And if you don't mind running around in medium armor, some barbarian is always nice to grab for very "passionate" paladin trying to convert the Sword Coast or Underdark

Nothing wrong with a paladin/fighter/barbarian build. 12 paladin and 4 of the others, still 5 ASI/feats

Tangent: A raging barbarian can't cast spells, but can a raging barbarian/paladin multiclass still smite?

[Gignere]

Tangent: A raging barbarian can't cast spells, but can a raging barbarian/paladin multiclass still smite?

Definitely but with smite and extra rage damage the GWM feat may not add a lot of DPR depending on target AC.