Question:TWF/crossbow expert

[Desteplo]

During my attack action, am I only able to attack with "main hand"weapon or an I able to switch between attacking with whatever weapon?

3:1 ratio for a fighter seems odd
Or could I attack with sword once and shoot twice?

[nickl_2000]

During my attack action, am I only able to attack with "main hand"weapon or an I able to switch between attacking with whatever weapon?

3:1 ratio for a fighter seems odd
Or could I attack with sword once and shoot twice?

You can't shoot twice because you need to have a hand free to re-load the crossbow.

[DivisibleByZero]

Generally speaking, you can mix and match as you see fit, as long as at least one attack comes from each weapon.
That's for TWFing.
But for melee weapon / hand crossbow combination, things are a little muddier. For this particular combination, you need to use the attack action (and any potential extra attacks) with your melee weapon, and then a bonus action with the hand crossbow. Or you can use your attack action (and any potential extra attacks) with the hand crossbow, and still get a bonus action with the hand crossbow.

Normally you can mix & match TWF as you see fit. But this particular weapon pair requires specific combinations, because you aren't actually using the TWF rules at all (they require two melee weapons), you're using the XbX rules instead. They are very similar, but different, rules.


You can't shoot twice because you need to have a hand free to re-load the crossbow.

Technically this is also true, but most DMs I know waive it, myself included.

[Desteplo]

With shield master feat the shield becomes a tower shield from 3.5
-I figured the crossbow would change (since it doesn't have the loading quality due to feat) to a repeater

[PeteNutButter]

TWF and Crossbow expert are two separate mechanics.

In general whenever you make the attack action you can use whatever weapon you want.

An example would be: I'm a character with extra attack and GWM. I start the turn with my greatsword in hand. I attack once and get a crit so I immediately use my bonus action attack from GWM to attack a second time. The second attack kills my only nearby target, so I move up and still out of range, use my once per turn interaction to draw a javelin and second attack from extra attack to throw the javelin.

TWF: Using the above as a guide you can certainly attack with whatever weapon you want, but keep in mind there isn't much of a mechanical difference or incentive for a 50/50 split. If you have the fighting style, they are the same. If you have magic weapons just attack thrice with the better one.

Crossbow expert: The main use of this is just crossbow attack and follow up with more crossbow attack using the same hand crossbow. Your DM could hand wave the need to have free hand to load, but it really makes no sense. RAW and IMO you have to load it somehow. If you have extra attacks and start the turn with a heavy crossbow in hand, you can actually make some attacks with it before switching, provided you make the last two attacks with the hand crossbow.

[DivisibleByZero]

With shield master feat the shield becomes a tower shield from 3.5
-I figured the crossbow would change (since it doesn't have the loading quality due to feat) to a repeater

The Ammunition property still exists, and that's the one that requires a free hand to load it.
Removing the Loading property only does one thing: It removes the restriction on the number of attacks you can make with it.
Technically you don't have a free hand to load it if you are using a shield.
But like I said, many DMs waive that.

[rooneg]

Technically this is also true, but most DMs I know waive it, myself included.

That may be true in home games, but don't walk into an Adventurers League game expecting this. I've never encountered an AL DM who waived the requirement for an open hand to reload a hand crossbow.

[DivisibleByZero]

That may be true in home games, but don't walk into an Adventurers League game expecting this. I've never encountered an AL DM who waived the requirement for an open hand to reload a hand crossbow.

Obviously.
Never assume that an official game run by official rules will ever waive anything at all.