Tunnel Fighter+PAM+Relentless Avenger makes one of most fun control mobile tanks

[Benny89]

https://i.pinimg.com/236x/d4/bd/62/d4bd62568f393691003952ed2226a806--warriors-game-dynasty-warriors.jpg

Build requirements:

Class: Vengeance Paladin level 7 (for that Relentless Avenger)
Fighting Style: Tunnel Fighter (UA)
Required Feats: PAM, GWM (Sentinel optionally as it block enemies from running into your range again in same turn but if you like to be hard CC tank - go ahead!)
Race: Any really, doesn't matter.

I know not all DMs allow Tunnel Fighter, so this build depends on your DM decision -but when when they do allow it and you are only solo tank of the party (or solo melee front liner) the Vengeance Paladin Relentless Avenger talent + Tunnel Fighter makes one of the most epic fights in 5E while also protecting your whole team with hyper-mobility 360 degrees around them.

It's like mixing Chinese kung-fun master with paladin :D.

Explanation:

Relentless Avenger allows you to move half your speed each time you do opportunity attack without provoking OA from enemies. PAM allows you do do OA whenever somebody steps into your reach. Tunnel Fighter allows you do do OAs without using your reaction.

Now pair that up with Haste on Vengeance Paladin + Glaive/Halberd/Pike and:

Synergy:

You position yourself far in front of your team. Horde is coming at you. You enter defense stance of tunnel fighter. When enemies get into your range- make OAs against all of them. Upon last attack use your Relentless avenger talent to move away from them up to 30 feet away (because with haste you have 60 speed). Best backwards to still keep them between you and your team. Now depends if enemies used their full movement to get to you or not. If not they will try to attack again, getting into your range- you do OAs against them again (since you do not use reaction to do this) and move away from them again, basically dancing around them in deadly polearm dance. Now they wasted all their movement.

Now you can on your turn move to them (you have 60 feet movement range), using your 10 feet weapon range to attack one or two of them (possibly killing them or wounding seriously), then use your rest movement to move back from them and go back to dancing again.

Since Tunnel Fighter stance last until YOUR next turn, it will still be active even if enemies have initiative before you.

Then you can dance like that vs hordes of enemies all the way you want. You can even jump from one to other group of enemies.

You are like one-man 300-Spartans battalion when they defended Thermopylae

If you pair that with Sentinel you are basically a an AOE horde-CC tornado that runs around your team, protecting it from all melee enemies.

Yes, it's super strong, yes, Tunnel Fighter synergy is OP but it's hell of a fun and works superb when you are single front liner.

It also works good vs one strong enemy via kiting or Command (Approach). Not really as good as simple unleashing 5x Smites but still fun to use to mock enemy.

Conclusion:

That synergy makes Vengeance Paladin best melee-horde slaying class in game, overcoming the single biggest weakness of paladin- fight vs hordes. Tons of utility, killing power and fun as it's very unique tank that excels at avoiding and controlling battlefield using hyper-mobility instead of classic hard CC or damage mitigation. It also works on 100% effectiveness from level 7 :).

Sure you are still vulnerable for magic and range attacks but you have Aura of Protection, proficiency in Wisdom saves, 20 AC minimum (Plate + Haste) + Misty Step, advantage on DEX saves and hyper mobility.

If you are against Tunnel Fighter in your game- that is fine, just sharing a fun build :). I wouldn't recommend it if you have other melee fighters in your team as your will make them really underpowered, but if you are solo melee fighter in team- this is really great build to protect your team and fence away hordes.

[Wildarm]

Reason why Tunnel Fighter is not allowed - It breaks action economy. Don't break action economy. It leads to bad things.

I had a player super keen on using this UA. I said they could take it as a feat called Hold the Line and limit it to 1/SR. It made for a very nice flavor for the character. He'd essentially brace for the first rush of in the fight to protect others. It was an effective tactic without being dominating. Basically provided a first round breather for the squishies as long as the fighter got to act before the monsters to position himself and activate it.

[Benny89]

Reason why Tunnel Fighter is not allowed - It breaks action economy. Don't break action economy. It leads to bad things.

I had a player super keen on using this UA. I said they could take it as a feat called Hold the Line and limit it to 1/SR. It made for a very nice flavor for the character. He'd essentially brace for the first rush of in the fight to protect others. It was an effective tactic without being dominating. Basically provided a first round breather for the squishies as long as the fighter got to act before the monsters to position himself and activate it.

I know why it's not allowed, but if it is- here is a build to use it fully. Some tables don't care that much for pure balance if everything is fun or if something is epic.

While this build is very dominating as melee class, it's a bless for my group where everyone else are back-line squishes and nobody ever complained that I can fence hordes away from them :).

But I would never use it in game where it is another front line melee character as it would outshine him in every scenario- hard.

Still sometimes is worth to just play for fun with something.

[Wildarm]

I guess it all depends on your DMs style. If he/she is good to let you go whole hog with this then that is fine. It's just generally a bad idea balance wise to let an ability break action economy in a somewhat unlimited way. In this case you break it both with reactions and moves which is double badness(IMO).

It's still manageable from a DM point of view. Lots of monsters can grapple or knock prone which shuts down most of the combo. Spells and abilites which shut down reactions also work. Simply taking the disengage action before moving adjacent would also work.

[Benny89]

I guess it all depends on your DMs style. If he/she is good to let you go whole hog with this then that is fine. It's just generally a bad idea balance wise to let an ability break action economy in a somewhat unlimited way. In this case you break it both with reactions and moves which is double badness(IMO).

It's still manageable from a DM point of view. Lots of monsters can grapple or knock prone which shuts down most of the combo. Spells and abilites which shut down reactions also work. Simply taking the disengage action before moving adjacent would also work.

Yup, There is always a way to counter something. Grapple or knock prone is hard though as you need to get close and it's hard to get close to this build as OA ignore enemy turn and then he moves away. But prone long range attacks from battlemaster work, spells that incapacitate or deal damage, range attacks. They can also use disangage to get past Paladin straight to the party but then they lose their turn, which another part of this being a good tank as it forces enemies to burn action for disangage or for dash (to get around) action.

Blindness, Darkness etc. can also work here. Another counter is misty step from enemies as if you teleport inside his range - you don't provoke OA as you are suddnely inside his zone. Same with summoning hostile creature inside his "safe zone".

While it's without a doubt on broken side of builds - it can still be fun to play with and can be countered. Also it's a matter of if PC abuse it or just use it when necesarry for a fun.