What is the most powerful Strength based melee build?

[Ravinsild]

I created a homebrew Gnoll (link in my signature) that I hope is neither OP nor UP, but just right, exactly where a regular book race would be. My concept for him is something of a Nosferatu Zod, just a total legendary fighter, king of all fighters, god at melee damage.

I've been looking at Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, even STR Ranger. I just want like the top DPR melee strength build of ultimate HULK SMASH REEEE. I know it involves Polearms, GWM, and Sentinal, but as far as just raw numbers just getting juiced up and slamming as hard as humanly possible what build is the king of melee strength builds?

[Fable Wright]

Consider the following. (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JIrEV1RFv6yxWEdqG6zP3z-ZONDTacquGyqYj8G-CdE/edit#gid=1769534668)

[Mongobear]

I thinkit's GWM/PAM/Sentinel Half-Orc Barbarian, but I havent really kept up with the ranking since new books came out. If nothing else, I'd say Barbarian fits Zod well, maybe Bear Totem refluffed to account for his insane resilience.

Alternatively, the new Fight UA, Rune Knight might surpass it, and be more fluff themed to your concept. It gets a "Rage" type skill that makes you Large size and adds to your damage. You could refluff that as Zod's demon form, and the bonus damage isn't limited to once per round, iirc.

[Expected]

Technically speaking, for a single attack, the most powerful is a Half-Orc Zealot Barbarian with a great axe and a crit.

I think we can do better, though. Variant Human GWM/PAM/Sentinel Battle Master Fighter with Gauntlets of Ogre Power/Belt of Giant's Strength. Use Trip Attack to knock a Large or smaller enemy prone and proceed to unload Attack+Extra Attack+Bonus Action Attack with GWM (-5 atk, +10 dmg). Until you get a Str magic item, just keep Str at 16 and use ASI's for feats to come online sooner.

[Neoh]

I created a homebrew Gnoll (link in my signature) that I hope is neither OP nor UP, but just right, exactly where a regular book race would be. My concept for him is something of a Nosferatu Zod, just a total legendary fighter, king of all fighters, god at melee damage.

I've been looking at Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin, even STR Ranger. I just want like the top DPR melee strength build of ultimate HULK SMASH REEEE. I know it involves Polearms, GWM, and Sentinal, but as far as just raw numbers just getting juiced up and slamming as hard as humanly possible what build is the king of melee strength builds?

I recently made myself a nice little build, probably not the best, but it doesn't involve any magic and it's probably the cheapest you can get Feat wise.

I present to you Kayn, the Half-Orc Fighter Battlemaster (17) and Barbarian Berserker (3).

He wears Medium Armor and uses, obviously, a 2 Handed Weapon (I went for a Greataxe).

Start with 16 Str & Con, 14 Dex, 12 Wis and 8 Cha & Int.

Feats : Great Weapon Master, Sentinel. You may add Resilient (Con), Mage Slayer, Tough or even Mobile to your liking, but GWM & Sentinel are the core.

So you basically have the Barbarian's advantage on attacks with 4 attacks a turn just like a Fighter but it comes earlier (3 attacks at lvl 11 Fighter + Bonus Action Frenzy lvl 3 Barbarian) and 5 with a reaction.
Resistance to physical.
Battle maneuver.
Action Surge x 2 / short rest, which comes to a grand total of 7 attacks a turn, 8 with a reaction (The ennemy running away, Sentinel if he attacks an ally or Maneuveur Riposte if he misses you).

GA Hit(+11/-5)
(1d12 + 5 + 2) x 4 = 32-76 (~54) Without GWM.
(1d12 + 5 + 2 + 10) x 4 = 72-116 (~94) With GWM.
(1d12 + 5 + 2 + 10) x 7 = 126-203 (~164,5) With Action Surge.
(1d12 x 3) + 5 + 2 + 10 = 20-53 (~36,5) One Attack Crit.

I also had a little fun with a calculation on a paralyzed target with a Flame Weapon :
20-53 + 4-24 = 24-77 x 7 = 168-539 (~353,5)

Let's hope you have a nice little Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard friend.

A Barbarian 17 / Fighter 3 does way more damage on a crit, but since it's pretty much RNG, I went with the Fighter and got more constant damage.

Well, that's pretty much how I want to play my Warrior kind of character.

[Benny89]

I think the best one would be:

Variant Human Zealot Barbarian 14/3 Champion Fighter.

Feats: PAM, GWM, 20 STR.

You have Rage resistances, bonus damage, advantage, Zealot bonus damage every turn, you can be revived without any material cost, at level 14 you are unkillable unless they get some mind-spell on you, you have 3 attacks per turn, 10 feet reach, PAM OA, 19-20 crit range, Action Surge, great weapon fighting style, advantage on Dex saves, advantage on initiative...

Other one would be Variant Human PAM GWM Battlemater Fighter with splash of 2-3 levels of Bear Barbarian for resistance to everything. Less direct power like the build above but tons of utility with his manouvers.

[Ravinsild]

I think the best one would be:

Variant Human Zealot Barbarian 14/3 Champion Fighter.

Feats: PAM, GWM, 20 STR.

You have Rage resistances, bonus damage, advantage, Zealot bonus damage every turn, you can be revived without any material cost, at level 14 you are unkillable unless they get some mind-spell on you, you have 3 attacks per turn, 10 feet reach, PAM OA, 19-20 crit range, Action Surge, great weapon fighting style, advantage on Dex saves, advantage on initiative...

Other one would be Variant Human PAM GWM Battlemater Fighter with splash of 2-3 levels of Bear Barbarian for resistance to everything. Less direct power like the build above but tons of utility with his manouvers.

Nah, my race would be my homebrew Gnoll, but yeah Zealot Barb/Champ Fighter sounds great. That's just right for a king of all warriors.

[Ravinsild]

I thinkit's GWM/PAM/Sentinel Half-Orc Barbarian, but I havent really kept up with the ranking since new books came out. If nothing else, I'd say Barbarian fits Zod well, maybe Bear Totem refluffed to account for his insane resilience.

Alternatively, the new Fight UA, Rune Knight might surpass it, and be more fluff themed to your concept. It gets a "Rage" type skill that makes you Large size and adds to your damage. You could refluff that as Zod's demon form, and the bonus damage isn't limited to once per round, iirc.

Yeah that sounds great. I'm not trying to play Zod himself, just the archetype of god of the battlefield turbo monster in melee that's tough and scary. haha. "Based on" but not 1 for 1, if that makes sense.

[Mongobear]

Yeah that sounds great. I'm not trying to play Zod himself, just the archetype of god of the battlefield turbo monster in melee that's tough and scary. haha. "Based on" but not 1 for 1, if that makes sense.

Id do Rune Knight or Battle Master, they have so many utility things that you have a possible answer to a lot of situations. Alternatively, Champion for easy passive stuff and crit range could work, especially if you have something like Half-Orc to boost crit damage.