What is the Shield Master feat in D&D 5e?
Shield Master is a feat designed to grant extra benefits to shield users. In 5e, feats are optional perks for PCs (player characters) that add new abilities and buffs to their overall skill set. And Shield Master, specifically, makes shields more useful (and fun to use) than they are normally since they just grant a flat +2 armor class (AC) bonus when equipped. Shield Master offers the following benefits: After taking the attack action, you can use a bonus action to shove a creature within 5 feet using your shield. As long as your PC isn’t incapacitated, you can add the shield’s AC bonus to all Dexterity saving throws against a spell or harmful effect targeting you alone. If an effect allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take half damage, you can use a reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw instead.
How to Use Shield Master
Push enemies toward dangerous terrain or harmful effects. Since Shield Master allows you to shove a creature using a bonus action, you can set up some devastating tumbles by shoving enemies into an area-of-effect spell from an ally or into a hazardous space on the battlefield. You can deal even more damage by tactically pushing enemies on top of your regular attack! For example, you could shove an enemy off a cliff, into a pool of lava, or down a steep flight of stairs. If an ally casts Cloudkill, Spirit Guardians, or some other ongoing area-of-effect spell, you could push an enemy into that area and cause them to take damage from the spell.
Set allies up for attacks by repositioning foes or knocking them prone. Shield Master can also help you become more of a team player since you can use it to force enemies into an ally’s space (and set them up to attack on their turn). You can also shove an enemy to knock them prone (meaning they fall to the ground), so nearby allies can get advantage on melee attacks. For example, you could shove an enemy toward a rogue ally and then flank them, giving the rogue advantage (and therefore a Sneak Attack) on their turn. You can also use Shield Master to shove enemies away from you, allowing you to move away from them without disengaging or taking an attack of opportunity.
Avoid harmful effects with Shield Master. If your PC is a melee combatant, odds are they’ll be targeted with spells and other effects designed to take them out of the battle. Luckily, Shield Master offers multiple benefits that can help you avoid that—meaning you can challenge powerful opponents with the security of having an extra defense when a spell comes your way. For example, you can avoid damage from spells like Sacred Flame, Burning Hands, Fireball, and Lightning Bolt.
Combine Shield Master with fighting styles to maximize its utility. Fighters, paladins, and rangers all have access to fighting styles, which grant extra perks depending on the type of combat style you choose to specialize in. The Dueling and Defense fighting styles both work well alongside the Shield Master feat, making them useful combos to invest in. Defense grants a +1 to your AC while you wear armor—which stacks nicely with the +2 bonus from bearing a shield and the additional perks from Shield Master. Dueling grants a +2 to damage rolls as long as you only wield a weapon in one hand. Luckily, shields aren’t weapons—so you can get the damage bonus and the perks from Shield Master simultaneously.
Is Shield Master a good feat?
Shield Master is a great feat for specific classes that use shields. Like many feats in 5e, Shield Master can be excellent for certain players but downright useless for others. It all depends on the class you choose; if you’re playing a character specializing in melee combat and want to use a shield, Shield Master can help you control the battlefield and boost your survivability with the Dexterity save bonus.
Which classes can benefit from Shield Master?
Martial classes with a shield proficiency can benefit from Shield Master. If you’re playing a character that can get up close and personal with enemies (close enough to shove them with a shield), Shield Master may be a handy addition to your arsenal. Consider taking it if you’re playing one of the following classes: Fighter. Fighters are fantastic tanks who can definitely afford to spend a bonus action shoving enemies; just remember you’ll have to attack before you can shove a foe. Barbarian. You may not get to use the feat during the first round of combat (since Rage also takes a bonus action), but once Raging, you’ll get advantage on any shoving attempts you make. Cleric. Although clerics are primarily spellcasters, certain subclasses (like Forge or War) specialize more in melee combat and Strength-based attacks, so they can use Shield Master—especially since many clerics carry shields anyway. Paladin. There are plenty of bonus-action Smite spells you can use as a paladin, but if you don’t mind spending a bonus action to shove a foe instead, Shield Master can definitely help a paladin PC. Ranger. Strength-based melee rangers will absolutely be able to use Shield Master, but Dexterity-based rangers who primarily use ranged weapons (like bows) probably won’t. Druid. The average druid probably won’t use the shove action often but can still benefit from the buffs for Dexterity saving throws (since they tend to have a good Dexterity score already).
Classes that don’t use melee fighting or shields shouldn’t take this feat. That means artificers, bards, monks, rogues, sorcerers, warlocks, and wizards probably won’t use Shield Master. Most of them don’t have shield proficiencies, and if a monk uses a shield, they’ll lose their Unarmored Defense—which is much better for their AC bonus than a shield. Armorer and Battle Smith artificers do engage in melee combat and can definitely use Shield Master, but since they can attack using their Intelligence score, you’ll need to buff their Strength score to make shoves effective. College of Valor bards can use shields but are more likely to be Dexterity-based fighters (which means their shoves will lack power since shoving relies on Strength).
Best Shields to Use with Shield Master
Magical shields tend to have more protections and bonuses. In 5e, there aren’t different types of shield; there’s only the basic shield (with a +2 AC bonus) and magical variants with different enchantments and additional perks attached to them. At lower levels, you’ll probably be using a basic shield—but, if possible, try getting your hands on a magical shield to combine its bonuses with Shield Master. For example: Magical +1, +2, and +3 Shields. These shields simply carry magic that grants an additional boost to your AC. For example, a Shield +1 adds an extra +1 to your AC (for a total of +3 when you add the shield’s base value). A Shield +3 is the most powerful variant, adding a total of +5 to your AC (+2 for the base shield and +3 for the magic bonus). Animated Shields. These shields can hover in place on their own, leaving your hands free, so they’re a fantastic choice if you want to wield two weapons (or a two-handed weapon) and still get the perks of Shield Master.
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