Help with creating a lvl 10 Minotaur Battle master

[NutellaCrepe]

Hey!

Somewhat newbie here. This will be my second character ever. He's coming in mid-campaign because I was struggling to have fun with a ranger (my first character). I'm not opposed to multiclassing, but I'd rather focus all 10 levels on Battlemaster for now and learn I am doing. I'd multiclass later if it would also make sense RP wise.

I'm reaching out looking for ANY tips on how to build him, what weapons to use, how to spend ASI/get feats. I could use tips on cool maneuvers to use, general combat tips, and ideas on how to make it all work as a hulking minotaur and their fun racial tools.

The current party: a Moon Druid, a Totem Barbarian, a ?? Bard, a Swashbuckler Rogue, and a Vengence Paladin.

A little more about my character:
His tribe members were hunted down, killed and dispersed when he was ~8 years old. A magic-user with the hunting party took pity on him and took him in as her own. Fearing for his safety, she cast a long term spell that rendered him human and made him forget his past. He grew up thinking he was human. Growing up in society was a shallow good looking playboy. He was a proud man with aspirations of fame and glory for killing all sorts of monsters and beasts. He has a military background and eventually joined adventuring parties. Two months ago, his shape reverted back to that of a minotaur. He became the type of monster that he so proudly hunted. He believes it is a curse that needs to be dispelled to restore his human form.

He is now extremely self-conscious about his beastly form. He wears a hooded cape to hide his features, though the hood fails to hide much and gets caught on his horns. Though he's learning to enjoy his Minotaur size and shape as he gets lost in the heat of battle starts instinctively using his horns. I intend to add a little bit of roleplay flavor in combat in his first couple of encounters where he gets into a type of bloodlust from getting attacked or insulted about his looks. This could mean charging out of position, for example.

I'm picturing him with a great weapon and a sword/ax + shield readily available. I'm also open to the idea of sword/shield as a main weapon. I'd like him to be a good damage dealer, but I also want him to dash and control the battlefield to the extent that he can. I'd rather be out damaged and help set up the rogue/paladin/barbarian for awesome kills.

Thanks!

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

A one-hander does 1d8 damage, but your horns do 1d6 damage. You won't be doing quite as much damage, but go with a shield and an empty hand, and make attacks with your horns. Use the grapple + shove prone trick to significantly debuff the strongest opponent each fight. Also, unarmed strikes such as attacks with your horns can be used with anything that calls for a weapon attack (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/608776737917263872).

Take Shield Master, use the attack action to grapple an opponent and then hit them with your horns (or try again if the first grapple fails), then use a bonus action to shove them prone with your shield. While grappled their speed is zero and they can't stand back up. You can drag them around all you want while you go after other opponents, just make sure they don't get out of your reach or the grapple will end. Even if they have multiattack they can only attempt to escape once per turn by spending an action, and any attacks they make will be at disadvantage plus any melee attacks will have advantage to hit them.

You can use Commander’s Strike to give your rogue buddy a reaction attack, but only do it if he has advantage on the attack, such as if he's adjacent to the enemy you've knocked prone. A rogue can sneak attack twice per round, once on their own turn and once on someone else's turn if they can use a reaction to make an attack. So you'll effectively be doubling the rogue's damage per round by giving him reaction attacks for more sneak attacks, which is a lot more damage than you would have been doing.

[Sorinth]

If you want to kite enemies, make a shove or trip attack to knock them prone, extra attacks just wail away and then hammering horns to knock them 10ft away. Step 10ft back yourself and you are now out of range (Assuming 30' movement).

[Man_Over_Game]

You have a large melee lineup. Note that you're actually one of the best archers in the group, due to the fact that almost all of your Battlemaster maneuvers can be used with ranged weapons. Consider packing a large number of throwing weapons and don't disqualify them just because it's not "optimal".

Getting a round of ranged attacks in while before your enemy while backing up is optimal. Getting a second round of attacks in because you halved their movement speed by knocking them prone is perfection.

[Iku Rex]

Some thoughts...

The most interesting minotaur ability seems to be Hammering Horns, letting you push an enemy away as a bonus action if they fail a Str save with a dc based on your Str.

Ability scores: High Str.

Weapons: Glaive or Halberd (they're basically the same weapon). Ok damage, reach, works with Polearm Master. Spears for ranged attacks and shorter reach polearm?

Interesting feats (max 3, probably 2 in order to boost Str):
Brawny (UA (https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/UA-SkillFeats.pdf), must ask DM): +1 Str, Athletics expertise and (sort of) powerful build. Not a super-strong feat, but plays to your strength(s). Athletics is used for grapples and shoves.

Grappler: Better grapples.

Great Weapon Master: Boring but solid.

Magic Initiate (Warlock): Hex, 2 cantrips. Hex is interesting because of the disadvantage on ability checks with one ability. If you pick Str your Str based attacks become a lot more effective. Wis is also an option for some maneuvers.

Polearm Master: The main attraction is the opportunity attack (OA) when opponents enter your reach. Note that many Battle Master maneuvers can be triggered on a weapon attack. I'd get this one.

Sentinel: Common combo with Polearm Master.


Polearm Master + Sentinel are the obvious picks.

Fighter:
"Defense" style looks good. Make sure you have the Athletics skill from somewhere.

Maneuvers:

Disarming attack: Could work well with Hammering Horns. Make them drop their weapon, then push them back. Now they have to advance into your reach (triggering an OA if you have Polearm Master) again if they want their weapon back.

Goading Attack: Keeps enemies from easily bypassing you. I don't see this getting used a lot (?), but might be handy to help protect a spellcaster or wounded party member.

Lunging Attack: There are probably situations where it's useful.

Menacing Attack: A Frightened creature "can't willingly move closer to the source of its fear". Which is unfortunate if it has 5 ft reach and you have 10 ft reach. Or if it's trying to get past you and attack someone else. The creature also has "disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of sight", making further maneuvers or shoves or grapples easier.

Precision Attack: Could be nice for important attacks.

Pushing Attack: Overlaps with Hammering Horns, but does damage and can push further.

Trip Attack: Seems especially useful in a party with many melee characters. Knock opponents down and let the rest of the group stab them to death with Advantage. You can combine this with Hammering Horns, possibly delivering a prone enemy in front of an ally. Keep in mind that you get Disadvantage on attack rolls if your target is prone and further away than 5 ft.



Grapple and Shove are options, especially if you're short on superiority dice.

[BurgerBeast]

My basic battle master nova routine looks like this:

1. Bonus action: Feinting Attack
2. Action: Trip attack taking the -5 for GWM, offset from advantage (feinting attack) and if you think the roll is too low to hit use Precision attack to add a d10 to your attack roll -> if you hit, add 2d10+10 damage (feinting attack superiority die and trip attack superiority die) and hope the trip succeeds
3. If the trip failed, consider trying it again; if the trip succeeded then all further attacks have advantage, to use the GWM -5/+10 feature, and action surge to get in more attacks at -5/+10
4. If you did not use Feinting attack and you crit or kill an enemy, remember to use the GWM feat to bonus action attack

Aside from that, use Riposte whenever the opportunity arises.

So I’d go with Great Weapon fighting style and Great Weapon Master feat.

Maneuvers: feinting attack, precision attack, riposte, trip attack; the last could be commander’s strike, pushing attack, or rally.

- - -

I find all of this fun, regardless of whether you go PAM. But PAM and Sentinel May be the path to go for added fun.