what character makes the best use of the shield master feat?

[Rfkannen]

I like the idea of building a master of sheilds, someone who focuses on there shield, takes the shield master feat and makes great use of it, but I'm not sure what would be the best way to build that. Any ideas?

[Amnestic]

Any (sub)class that doesn't have a lot of bonus action stuff otherwise. Barbs and paladins probably make good use of it. Barbs especially if you can get your DM to agree to let you do the shove prone before your attack action, since the advantage might save you from having to be Reckless.

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Any (sub)class that doesn't have a lot of bonus action stuff otherwise. Barbs and paladins probably make good use of it. Barbs especially if you can get your DM to agree to let you do the shove prone before your attack action, since the advantage might save you from having to be Reckless.
Largely this. I had a Paladin with a Rogue dip (Expertise Athletics) and a DM who let me shove first (Which in my view they should as it brings Sword and Board closer to some of the other big damage doing options). It was fun and worked well on appropriately sized opponents.

[darkrose50]

Largely this. I had a Paladin with a Rogue dip (Expertise Athletics) and a DM who let me shove first (Which in my view they should as it brings Sword and Board closer to some of the other big damage doing options). It was fun and worked well on appropriately sized opponents.

I played a Paladin from level 1 to level 20, and the Shieldmaster feat gave me something to do with my bonus action! I also agree that the shove should come before the attack action. Often times the shoved down opponent would just stand up with no measurable difference in the combat. The penalty for standing up (it costs 1/2 your movement) is a little too tame if you ask me.

Before the ruling changed, it was quite fun knocking down an opponent and gaining advantage.

I also picked the Sentinel feat to give me something to do with my reaction.

It is just fun to be able to do stuff ... I with that they baked more of this bonus and reaction stuff into the core game.

[Unoriginal]

I saw an incredible Shield Master Cavalier in a livestream.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I played a v.human life cleric 1/ lore bard for the rest, shield master, heavy armor with high str low dex, expertise on athletics. I'd grapple and shove prone the most dangerous opponent, then stick to verbal-component-only combat spells like vicious mockery, command, faerie fire, healing word, dissonant whispers, blindness/deafness, even aura of vitality via magical secrets.

[solidork]

Conquest Paladin has a unique benefit due to their ability to reduce people's speed to 0, making it so they can't get back up.

(Grappling also does this, but Conquest Paladins can affect many targets.)

[Unoriginal]

Conquest Paladin has a unique benefit due to their ability to reduce people's speed to 0, making it so they can't get back up.

(Grappling also does this, but Conquest Paladins can affect many targets.)

Conquest Paladin: "I've fallen, and YOU can't get up!"

[ImproperJustice]

Champion seems to do pretty well with it. The extra advantage and surge on a prone enemy helps with the crit factor, especially if the weapon has any bonus damage dice attached to it.

Ours also took resilient Dex so they could better dodge fireballs with it.

[Quietus]

With the Slasher feat from Tasha's, you can significantly limit an opponent's mobility this way. -10 speed, and then they have to spend half to stand up. Anything that has a 30 foot move speed will only be able to move 10. Do this on a Sentinel as well, and you can lock down one opponent by speed penalties, and keep another nearby via AoO's. Of course, that's three feats, and only one has a +1 ASI. And I would consider Skill Expert to get another +1, and expertise on Athletics.

Alternatively, combine this with a character packing spirit guardians and the Slasher feat - an elven cleric with a longsword, or the like. Something with 30 speed, sees that speed reduced by 10 (20 remaining), then cut in half via Spirit Guardians (10 remaining). They then spend half to stand up, and can move 5 feet. And this is the more permissive order; if Spirit Guardians applies first, by the time they stand up they have less than 5 feet of movement left, and can't go anywhere.

Something starting with 50 speed, using that permissive order above, can move a total of 10 feet, or 5 with the harsher order of operations.

[heavyfuel]

Conquest Paladin has a unique benefit due to their ability to reduce people's speed to 0, making it so they can't get back up.

(Grappling also does this, but Conquest Paladins can affect many targets.)

I wonder. Does reducing speed to 0 means targets can't stand up?

By RAW I think you can spend zero feet of movement (the half of zero) standing up.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I wonder. Does reducing speed to 0 means targets can't stand up?

By RAW I think you can spend zero feet of movement (the half of zero) standing up.

Nope: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/combat#BeingProne
"You can't stand up if you don't have enough movement left or if your speed is 0."

[CheddarChampion]

I wonder. Does reducing speed to 0 means targets can't stand up?

By RAW I think you can spend zero feet of movement (the half of zero) standing up.

Under the Movement and Position Rules (Chapter 9: Combat) it says "You can't stand up if you don't have enough movement left or if your speed is 0."

[DarknessEternal]

I submit using the other portion of Shield Master: Invulnerable Gnome.

Svirfneblin Gnome (you know, the coolest race in all D&D)
Fighter 1/Abjuration Wizard the rest

feats:
Shield Master
Svirfneblin Magic

Now we have plate+shield (+staff of power if you can wrangle it). Proficiency on Str/Con save, +shield on Dex save, advantage on Int/Wis/Cha saves. 2xWizard level in temp hp that can accrue at 12 per action infinite times.