Polearm Master BG3 Guide: Maximizing Reach & Control

BG3 Polearm Master feat gives you increased reach, the ability to make opportunity attacks against enemies that enter your reach, and a bonus action attack when you take the Attack action. For characters that rely on melee weapons, Polearm Master can greatly increase their damage and battlefield control capabilities. This guide will cover everything you need to know to make the most of the Polearm Master feat in BG3.

What is the Polearm Master Feat?

The Polearm Master feat has a few different benefits that can greatly improve your effectiveness with melee polearm weapons like glaives, halberds, quarterstaves, and spears. Here are the benefits granted by Polearm Master:

When you take the Attack action and attack with a polearm, you can use a bonus action to make a melee attack with the opposite end of the weapon. This attack uses the same ability modifier as the main attack for damage.
While you are wielding a polearm, other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter your reach.
When you take the Attack action with a polearm, its reach increases by 5 feet for that action.

As you can see, Polearm Master enhances your damage capabilities with more frequent attacks, improves your battlefield control with increased reach, and lets you punish enemies who try to move past you. This makes it a great feat for frontline melee characters.

What Are the Benefits of Polearm Master in BG3?

Let’s break down the key benefits of the Polearm Master feat:

Increased Reach

The increased reach benefit of Polearm Master is useful both offensively and defensively. With an extra 5 feet of reach when you take the Attack action, you can attack enemies from further away. This allows you to damage dangerous foes while staying safely out of their reach.

Defensively, your increased reach makes it harder for enemies to move past you without provoking opportunity attacks. You can control more space on the battlefield, locking down enemies so your allies can attack them.

Opportunity Attacks

The ability to make opportunity attacks against creatures that enter your reach is one of the most powerful effects of Polearm Master. This can let you punish overeager enemies that try to rush past you to reach squishier targets.

With a good weapon and the Sentinel feat, you can potentially stop enemies in their tracks when you hit them with these opportunity attacks. This battlefield control can dictate the flow of combat.

Bonus Action Attack

Polearm Master’s bonus action attack feature significantly increases your damage capabilities. On turns when you take the Attack action, you can make an extra melee attack as a bonus action with the opposite end of your polearm.

This adds more chances to deal damage without having to sacrifice your action. For classes like fighters that get Extra Attack, this can allow up to 4 attacks in a single turn at high levels.

What Classes Work Well with Polearm Master?

To make the most of Polearm Master’s benefits, you want a class that relies on melee weapons and can make frequent attacks. Here are some of the best classes for Polearm Master:

Fighter

The fighter’s Extra Attack feature has amazing synergy with Polearm Master. A Battle Master fighter using Polearm Master and Great Weapon Master can unleash devastating combinations of attacks amplified by maneuvers and action surge. Echo Knight fighters can also make great use of Polearm Master’s battlefield control abilities.

Barbarian

A barbarian’s Rage grants bonus damage to melee attacks, which combines well with Polearm Master’s increased number of strikes. Totem warriors can choose abilities to give them reach with unarmed strikes, combining polearm range with claw attacks. Zealot barbarians can be nearly unstoppable with Polearm Master and their Rage Beyond Death feature.

Paladin

A paladin with Polearm Master can use Divine Smite to add big damage to both their main action attacks and bonus action strikes. Oath of Conquest paladins pair nicely with Polearm Master to lock down enemies within 10 feet of them, their polearm’s extended range.

Ranger

Hunter rangers work well with Polearm Master since they get access to the Horde Breaker ability, allowing them to potentially attack multiple targets with both their main and bonus action attacks. Gloom Stalker rangers can combine Polearm Master with their bonus first turn attack for strong opening strikes.

What Weapons Should You Use?

To maximize your reach and opportunity attack capabilities with Polearm Master, you’ll want to wield weapons with the reach property. Here are some of the best polearm options:

Glaive

A glaive is one of the highest damage polearms in the game. With reach and versatile properties, this weapon works fantastically with Polearm Master. Use your increased range to attack enemies from 10 feet away.

Halberd

The halberd offers high damage dice with reach, letting you strike distant enemies. Its added bonus action attack helps boost your damage per round. The halberd’s versitile property also lets you adjust your grip for more power.

Quarterstaff

For those seeking a simple option, the humble quarterstaff functions well with Polearm Master. Though not as hard-hitting as other polearms, its reach property combines effectively with the feat’s benefits. It can also be used one-handed.

Spear

Don’t overlook the standard spear. Though lacking the heavy damage of other polearms, its Reach and Thrown properties provide flexibility at range or in melee with Polearm Master’s opportunity attacks and bonus strikes.

What Strategies Should You Use?

Here are some tips to maximize your effectiveness with the Polearm Master feat:

Use Your Reach

Stay at the edge of your increased reach and force enemies to come to you. You can attack them without being in range of their strikes. If they approach, use your opportunity attack to punish them.

Combine with Sentinel

The Sentinel feat shuts down movement of creatures you hit with opportunity attacks. Combining this with Polearm Master can lock enemies in place when they enter your reach.

Team Up With Control Focused Allies

Work with allies who can immobilize enemies using spells like Hold Person and Web. This forces foes to remain within your increased polearm range, subject to your opportunity attacks.

Use Your Bonus Action Attack

Don’t forget to use Polearm Master’s bonus action attack when you take the Attack action. This extra strike can add significant damage over the course of a battle.

Adjust Your Positioning

Keep aware of your surroundings and enemies’ positions. Move to control the battlefield and keep yourself at the edge of your reach to maximize your opportunity attacks and extended range attacks.

Powerful Polearm Master Builds

Here are some powerful, fully fleshed out builds that make great use of the Polearm Master feat in Baldur’s Gate 3:

The Lockdown Defender

Race: Human or Half-Elf Class: Paladin (Oath of the Crown) Stats: Focus Strength and Constitution Feats: Polearm Master, Sentinel Weapons: Glaive and Shield

This build uses Polearm Master and Sentinel to create an impenetrable wall. Enemies that enter your 10 foot reach get stuck there between your opportunity attacks reducing their speed to 0 and your increased reach with a glaive preventing them from getting closer. You can pump out consistent damage with bonus action attacks while protecting your allies.

The Raging Glaive Master

Race: Half-Orc or Dwarf Class: Barbarian (Path of the Totem Warrior – Bear) Stats: Prioritize Strength, Constitution, Dexterity Feats: Polearm Master, Great Weapon Master Weapons: Glaive

Lean into Polearm Master’s damage potential with this high DPR barbarian. Rage combined with Great Weapon Master’s power attacks brings the pain. Reckless attack gives you easy advantage to offset the -5 to hit from GWM. Resistance helps keep you in the fight as you wade into the thick of battle.

The Controlling Hunter

Race: Wood Elf Class: Ranger (Hunter) Stats: Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom Feats: Polearm Master Weapons: Spear and Shield

A ranger who uses Polearm Master opportunity attacks and Horde Breaker to control the flow of battle. Spear allows switching between ranged and melee attacks. Ensnaring Strike can further lock down enemies. High mobility lets you reposition to maximize your controlling presence.

Polearm Master in Action – August 19, 2023

To see Polearm Master in action, let’s break down a sample turn:

Thorin the fighter has the Polearm Master feat and wields a glaive. A gnoll rushes past him trying to attack the wizard in the back.

As the gnoll enters Thorin’s reach, he makes an opportunity attack with his glaive, landing a mighty blow against the gnoll for 13 damage with his increased range.
On Thorin’s turn, he takes the Attack action and makes two attacks with his glaive, dealing 19 damage total to the now injured gnoll.
Polearm Master allows Thorin to use a bonus action to make an additional melee attack with the other end of his glaive, bludgeoning the gnoll for 7 more damage.
The gnoll tries to flee but Thorin’s opportunity attack reduces it to 0 speed. Thorin’s allies finish it off before it can escape.

By effectively utilizing the benefits of Polearm Master, Thorin was able to control the battlefield, protect his allies, and eliminate his foe through consistent, high damage attacks.

Conclusion

The Polearm Master feat can transform melee combatants in Baldur’s Gate 3 into devastating damage dealers and battlefield controllers. Its opportunity attacks, bonus action strikes, and extended reach combine to make polearm users a force to be reckoned with.

Fighters, barbarians, and paladins all excel with Polearm Master. Use glaives, halberds, and other reach weapons to maximize your control. Work with controlling allies and employ strategies like Sentinel to lock your enemies down. If you like getting up close and personal with hard hitting melee attacks, Polearm Master is a must-have feat.