Broken the 3 digit damage barrier below lvl 10.

[Socratov]

So here we were, having a fun and cool campain, suddenly our DM sics a duergar überdwarf at us. Our wizard (bladesinger) tags him with hold person granting auto-crit. Now our tiefling cleric of war (lvl 8) casts inflict wounds at lvl 4 along with his weapon attack (fire mace) and does (inspired by my valor bard). Our DM grins knowing he has a smattering of Hp on that guy (think dwarven bane on steroids, no even more and stronger steroids, turned up to 11). then our cleric rolls his damage, for a grand total of 123 damage. Our DM had thought this to be a possible TPK/epic bossfight. Here we wrecked it in 2 rounds (one of which was used to get him over to us).

The funny thing is: while the bladesinger and I can put out a steady sustained damage, our clerick can go a paritcular devastating type of !@#$ YOU!

We ende up describing it (for the rule of cool) that above the minim bane a portal opened to the realm of the god of war, where a massive godly fist came out to utterly god-of-war-hulk-smash the minibane.

Incidentally my CN valor bard who was previously Atheist has now picked up a religion. Just to be on the safe side.

[thebiglost1]

What skill allows the cleric to cast a spell and make an attack?

[Theodoxus]

What skill allows the cleric to cast a spell and make an attack?

None that I know of...

1) I didn't know there was a 3 digit damage barrier.
2) I don't know what a fire mace is, if it's a homebrew magic item that allows spells to be cast with weapon strikes or what.
3) 6d10 critting is nice! Rolling 123 on 12d10+1d8+Str, is pretty close to max - the dice really loved that war cleric that day.

[Lines]

What skill allows the cleric to cast a spell and make an attack?

Cast a spell with your action, use an attack with your bonus action? Seems pretty simple. In this instance I assume he's using his War Priest ability to make the bonus attack, though there are other ways.


None that I know of...

1) I didn't know there was a 3 digit damage barrier.
2) I don't know what a fire mace is, if it's a homebrew magic item that allows spells to be cast with weapon strikes or what.
3) 6d10 critting is nice! Rolling 123 on 12d10+1d8+Str, is pretty close to max - the dice really loved that war cleric that day.

1) Same way there's a 1000km/h barrier. It's a big round number.
2) I'd assume like a flametongue mace or something? No idea why it would need to be able to cast spells with weapon strikes or anything, that's what your bonus action's for.
3) The average of 12d10+6d8+4d6+str is 110-112, 123 is very slightly above average.

[AmbientRaven]

123 Damage, may I ask how? Inflict wounds is 6D10 as a level 4, so 12D10 with the auto-crit. Unless he had a spirit weapon out, used his channel divinity to get an extra attack or I have missed something, the damage seems high.

Also, a lot of classes can break the barrier at that level. My 2 Paladin/7 Sorcorer can hit for 4d6+20+2D8+5D8+Str (Booming Blade with 4th level smite, then quickened booming blade. Also using great weapon fighter for -5+10); so can do 25-102 without critting. or, nearly 200 damage on perfect rolls whilst critting.

Eddit: messed up calc, only smited once. Add another 5d8 damage (so 30-142 damage scale, non crit)

[Lines]

123 Damage, may I ask how? Inflict wounds is 6D10 as a level 4, so 12D10 with the auto-crit. Unless he had a spirit weapon out, used his channel divinity to get an extra attack or I have missed something, the damage seems high.

Also, a lot of classes can break the barrier at that level. My 2 Paladin/7 Sorcorer can hit for 4d6+20+2D8+5D8+Str (Booming Blade with 4th level smite, then quickened booming blade. Also using great weapon fighter for -5+10); so can do 25-102 without critting. or, nearly 200 damage on perfect rolls whilst critting.

Eddit: messed up calc, only smited once. Add another 5d8 damage (so 30-142 damage scale, non crit)

Pretty sure what I posted above sums it up, the only speculation is what 'fire mace' means (a flametongue mace seemed most likely, so I added 4d6)

[Socratov]

What skill allows the cleric to cast a spell and make an attack?
it's a thing that he gets form the war domain, when he makes an attack (and spellattack seems to qaulify) he can make a bonus action attack

None that I know of...

1) I didn't know there was a 3 digit damage barrier.
2) I don't know what a fire mace is, if it's a homebrew magic item that allows spells to be cast with weapon strikes or what.
3) 6d10 critting is nice! Rolling 123 on 12d10+1d8+Str, is pretty close to max - the dice really loved that war cleric that day.


Pretty sure what I posted above sums it up, the only speculation is what 'fire mace' means (a flametongue mace seemed most likely, so I added 4d6)

Our DM rules that since crit doubles all dice, that inspiration dice count as well. I also recall that his normal attack was 2d8+2d6 fo rhis fire mace.

[Cybren]

it's a thing that he gets form the war domain, when he makes an attack (and spellattack seems to qaulify) he can make a bonus action attack




Our DM rules that since crit doubles all dice, that inspiration dice count as well. I also recall that his normal attack was 2d8+2d6 fo rhis fire mace.

Technically that War Priest only lets you make a bonus action attack when you specifically use the Attack Action, so while you did witness something awesome, the rules were bent to do it. (Like the time our wizard misty stepped straight to the mind controlled duke during an encounter and cast protection from evil on him- later we would find out you can't do that, unfortunately)

[Talamare]

The auto crit is the mvp here

[Lines]

Our DM rules that since crit doubles all dice, that inspiration dice count as well. I also recall that his normal attack was 2d8+2d6 fo rhis fire mace.

Why are you telling me this? I already included that in the numbers I posted.

[Socratov]

Why are you telling me this? I already included that in the numbers I posted.

I was trying to clarify/acknowledge this. No offense meant.

[Lines]

I was trying to clarify/acknowledge this. No offense meant.

Oh ok never mind. Did I miss anything? I posted 6d10 from inflict, 1d8 from inspiration, 1d8 from the mace, 1d8 from divine strike, 2d6 from the flametongue aspect of the mace and doubled it all and added 3-5 from strength.

[CantigThimble]

Oh ok never mind. Did I miss anything? I posted 6d10 from inflict, 1d8 from inspiration, 1d8 from the mace, 1d8 from divine strike, 2d6 from the flametongue aspect of the mace and doubled it all and added 3-5 from strength.

Mace does 1d6, not 1d8.

[Socratov]

Oh ok never mind. Did I miss anything? I posted 6d10 from inflict, 1d8 from inspiration, 1d8 from the mace, 1d8 from divine strike, 2d6 from the flametongue aspect of the mace and doubled it all and added 3-5 from strength.

our DM doubled the inspiration for the autocrit, so that's about it. It was a veritable bucket o' dice. Glorious. 4 people literally had to pool their dice to make it happen. It was the first time someone in our group could break through the 100 dmg barrier in our group.

[Petrocorus]

Incidentally my CN valor bard who was previously Atheist has now picked up a religion. Just to be on the safe side.
Your Bard is adventuring with a Cleric and is an atheist? How can he be an atheist while witnessing everyday and every days the divine power used by the Cleric?

[Lines]

Your Bard is adventuring with a Cleric and is an atheist? How can he be an atheist while witnessing everyday and every days the divine power used by the Cleric?

Pretty setting dependent. If it's a setting like Eberron where the is no direct evidence the gods exist and the character is aware even clerics of concepts get divine spells just as those who devote themselves to a god that may or may not exist do, being an atheist is perfectly reasonable.

Hell, you can literally be a cleric of atheism.

[Slipperychicken]

The auto crit is the mvp here

It really is. It's giving me flashbacks to all the 3.5 bossfights that we practically oneshotted with Hold Person. It's like that petrificus totalus scene from Harry Potter, only if Ron just walked up with a rock afterwards and caved Nevil's head in.

[Socratov]

Your Bard is adventuring with a Cleric and is an atheist? How can he be an atheist while witnessing everyday and every days the divine power used by the Cleric?

There is a distinct difference between knowing gods exist (or the ideals that these gods embody) and that that belief has power (in the form of spells), and actually converting a specific deity.

In this case: my character used to not believe in a (or the) god(s), with the knowledge that yes the power they represent does exist (hence clerical orders and their power). But without any real and distinct evidence of the actual existence of these gods he doesn't believe in them as it were. The magical results of a cleric and wizard aren't really all that different in how it manifests (or looks like it in terms of detect magic). Until in a dire moment a war priest saves the party's butt and cuts short combat. it was, to my character (especially once we fluffed it like a fist coming down and doing splat) a defining moment and enough to learn a couple of prayers.

[Foxhound438]

it's a thing that he gets form the war domain, when he makes an attack (and spellattack seems to qaulify) he can make a bonus action attack


war priest says when you take the attack action you can make another attack. Really should have been just 8d10 for 44 damage on average, 80 with max rolls...

[MaxWilson]

war priest says when you take the attack action you can make another attack. Really should have been just 8d10 for 44 damage on average, 80 with max rolls...

Why 8d10? Inflict Wounds IV does 6d10, and then it was an auto-crit so should be 12d10.


Your Bard is adventuring with a Cleric and is an atheist? How can he be an atheist while witnessing everyday and every days the divine power used by the Cleric?

How can a bard, who can perform his own "miracles" on demand including some stolen from the cleric spell list, possibly take clerical spells seriously as evidence of actual divine power? He knows better. If they were actual miracles the Bard wouldn't be able to duplicate them.

Atheism a la Amazing Randi is a very reasonable position for a bard or a wizard.

[Lines]

war priest says when you take the attack action you can make another attack. Really should have been just 8d10 for 44 damage on average, 80 with max rolls...
That's a dumb restriction and his DM was right to change it. Sources of bonus action attacks are everywhere, the cleric one is limited to wis mod times per day - that is nowhere near powerful enough to have any restrictions on it. As it's being used its basically battle magic/war magic except rather than being unlimited you only get it a few times per day.

[Foxhound438]

Why 8d10? Inflict Wounds IV does 6d10, and then it was an auto-crit so should be 12d10.


forgive me for misreading the op, average would be 66 in that case


That's a dumb restriction and his DM was right to change it. Sources of bonus action attacks are everywhere, the cleric one is limited to wis mod times per day - that is nowhere near powerful enough to have any restrictions on it. As it's being used its basically battle magic/war magic except rather than being unlimited you only get it a few times per day.

that's a fine point and all but it's how the ability works. I too think it's less good than it should be but it is what it is.

Look at it as a way to ensure you're getting use out of your divine strike when you swing later on, and early on it's just a bit of extra damage against the BBEG.

also note that with a one level dip in cleric you get 3-4 extra swings with a greatsword.

[Slipperychicken]

That's a dumb restriction and his DM was right to change it. Sources of bonus action attacks are everywhere, the cleric one is limited to wis mod times per day - that is nowhere near powerful enough to have any restrictions on it. As it's being used its basically battle magic/war magic except rather than being unlimited you only get it a few times per day.

All the other bonus action attacks trigger off an attack action. The war cleric's ability is no different in that regard.


The idea is that each attack spell with a casting time of 1 action is balanced relative to a full round of attacks. If you give casters free attacks to be used at the same time as those spells, that erodes the balance and makes casters stronger than they're supposed to be.

[MaxWilson]

also note that with a one level dip in cleric you get 3-4 extra swings with a greatsword.

If you pump Wisdom to 16-18. Which you probably ought not to do for a one-level dip.

[Plus1Sword]

123 Damage, may I ask how? Inflict wounds is 6D10 as a level 4, so 12D10 with the auto-crit. Unless he had a spirit weapon out, used his channel divinity to get an extra attack or I have missed something, the damage seems high.

Also, a lot of classes can break the barrier at that level. My 2 Paladin/7 Sorcorer can hit for 4d6+20+2D8+5D8+Str (Booming Blade with 4th level smite, then quickened booming blade. Also using great weapon fighter for -5+10); so can do 25-102 without critting. or, nearly 200 damage on perfect rolls whilst critting.

Eddit: messed up calc, only smited once. Add another 5d8 damage (so 30-142 damage scale, non crit)

Can't you only smite with paladin slots?

[CantigThimble]

Can't you only smite with paladin slots?

From SRD pg. 31
"Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage."


I don't see any reason why it would be only paladin slots. Though this might have been errata'd from previous wording because that does sound familiar.

[bid]

Though this might have been errata'd from previous wording because that does sound familiar.
Indeed: "Divine Smite (p. 85). You can expend any spell slot, not just a paladin spell slot."

[Lines]

forgive me for misreading the op, average would be 66 in that case



that's a fine point and all but it's how the ability works. I too think it's less good than it should be but it is what it is.

Look at it as a way to ensure you're getting use out of your divine strike when you swing later on, and early on it's just a bit of extra damage against the BBEG.

also note that with a one level dip in cleric you get 3-4 extra swings with a greatsword.

That's not a good dip. The actual number is 1-2 since martials have no reason to pump wisdom and you want a bonus action attack to be reliable, just take polearm master instead and you're good.


All the other bonus action attacks trigger off an attack action. The war cleric's ability is no different in that regard.


The idea is that each attack spell with a casting time of 1 action is balanced relative to a full round of attacks. If you give casters free attacks to be used at the same time as those spells, that erodes the balance and makes casters stronger than they're supposed to be.
Casters are already stronger than they're supposed to be, the war cleric just isn't one of them. For one thing, it's not like there aren't several abilities that let you use a spell then make an attack as a bonus action - they tend to come online later, but in exchange war priest has very limited uses.

And again, the other bonus action attacks aren't limited use. War priest should have less limitations on it because it has a hefty limitation no other similar ability has - it can only be used a few times per day.

[Slipperychicken]

And again, the other bonus action attacks aren't limited use. War priest should have less limitations on it because it has a hefty limitation no other similar ability has - it can only be used a few times per day.

I don't agree. Their ability is weaker because war clerics aren't supposed to be competitive with martials for sustained damage.

[Lines]

I don't agree. Their ability is weaker because war clerics aren't supposed to be competitive with martials for sustained damage.

Not really how power budgeting works. Think of it as an arbitrary number, imagine all classes are supposed to have, say, 80 power over 20 levels. In some classes 50 will come from the class and 30 from the subclass, in some it will be 60/20, etc etc. A far lower amount of the base clerics power will be allocated to physical prowess than it will be for a martial class. That's fine, that makes sense - but when you're adding subclasses, the amount of power will be equal. A war cleric isn't competitive with a martial in terms of physical combat because the war cleric has 10 in physical combat from its class and the martial has 50 - but from its subclass, they should both be receiving 30. A war cleric shouldn't be getting weaker physical features, it already has a much weaker base.

I'll flip it round as an example - a fighter has no points spent on magical power, while eldritch knight might add say 25 points to that. A wizard school might add 25 points of magical power too, but that doesn't mean the eldritch knight part should be adding less - the eldritch knight is starting from a weaker base, so adding the same amount is still balanced.

[joaber]

a duergar battlemaster fighter with GWM can do at lvl 5 (strenght 16):
8d6 +4d8 +4d4(enlarge) +52 and reroll any 1 or 2 (avarage of 119,32 if all hits)
plus 2d6 +1d4 +13 with bonus action if kill someone before. (24,33)

Ok, would be really hard to hit all attacks with -5, but I don't know about the 3 digits surprise below lvl 10.

[Socratov]

a duergar battlemaster fighter with GWM can do at lvl 5 (strenght 16):
8d6 +4d8 +4d4(enlarge) +52 and reroll any 1 or 2 (avarage of 119,32 if all hits)
plus 2d6 +1d4 +13 with bonus action if kill someone before. (24,33)

Ok, would be really hard to hit all attacks with -5, but I don't know about the 3 digits surprise below lvl 10.

Well, I hadn't encountered it yet and the cleric is the only one who has done more then 60 a hit. It was our group's record...

[eastmabl]

Our wizard (bladesinger) tags him with hold person granting auto-crit.

The greatest failure here is that the bladesinger didn't instruct the tiefling to "finish him."

[Malifice]

our DM doubled the inspiration for the autocrit, so that's about it. It was a veritable bucket o' dice. Glorious. 4 people literally had to pool their dice to make it happen. It was the first time someone in our group could break through the 100 dmg barrier in our group.

Nice! I first smashed through 100 at 8th level with a Warlock/ Fighter combining action surge, 2 superiority dice, thirsting blade, hex, a crit and GWM. It was something like 21d6+2d8+65 damage all told. 133 damage from memory.

[Kurt Kurageous]

My thoughts as if I was DMing this (not like anybody asked):

If it was me as your DM, I put that BBEG in the story to give the party a scare or memorable fight. Session memorable, mission accomplished, story served.

But I also learned a lesson. I now know that you can pull a neat trick to make short work of a single humanoid enemy. To preserve the unpredictable nature of the story, I will make sure you cannot win easy again. hopefully I will not overcorrect and produce a TPK/deus ex machina.

If my intent was to inflict more pain to your before you won, I misread the CR, failed to envision how the fight could be drawn out, or failed to sustain the fight by quickly inserting an unplanned single (exc)use resistance/ward/temp HP that would prolong the fight past your initial nova.

If I try this again, I'm more likely to succeed. Cue overconfident villainous laughter coming from your yet unknown UBBEG in a demi-plane, "Next time, heroes! I'll get you next time." Just saying, two sides to the table here. Everybody learned something.

[Socratov]

The greatest failure here is that the bladesinger didn't instruct the tiefling to "finish him."
And steal my Bard's line? I don't think so!

Nice! I first smashed through 100 at 8th level with a Warlock/ Fighter combining action surge, 2 superiority dice, thirsting blade, hex, a crit and GWM. It was something like 21d6+2d8+65 damage all told. 133 damage from memory.
nice, very nice!

My thoughts as if I was DMing this (not like anybody asked):

If it was me as your DM, I put that BBEG in the story to give the party a scare or memorable fight. Session memorable, mission accomplished, story served.

But I also learned a lesson. I now know that you can pull a neat trick to make short work of a single humanoid enemy. To preserve the unpredictable nature of the story, I will make sure you cannot win easy again. hopefully I will not overcorrect and produce a TPK/deus ex machina.

If my intent was to inflict more pain to your before you won, I misread the CR, failed to envision how the fight could be drawn out, or failed to sustain the fight by quickly inserting an unplanned single (exc)use resistance/ward/temp HP that would prolong the fight past your initial nova.

If I try this again, I'm more likely to succeed. Cue overconfident villainous laughter coming from your yet unknown UBBEG in a demi-plane, "Next time, heroes! I'll get you next time." Just saying, two sides to the table here. Everybody learned something.

Oh certainly... The enemy duergar with him shat their britches (one other was burned to a crisp) and the other two were considered betting material and target practice with bow and arrow... This session certainly was memorable...

[RulesJD]

Cleric could have done much better, and without breaking the rules on how War Priest works and without a magical weapon.

Tempest Cleric 2, Draconic Sorc (Lightning) 7.

Quicken Chromatic Orb (level 5) from 5ft away against the Held target. Rolling regular (not advantage but who cares). Level 5 Orb = 7d8, crit becomes 14d8 + cha mod (assume +3). Channel divinity for max damage = 115. Regular Action to Booming Blade or Shocking Grasp for another 2d8+3 (assuming BB is roughly equal modifier) to crit at 4d8+3 = another 21 damage.

Total = 136 damage, almost all of it guaranteed from the Channel Divinity. No magical weapon or rule breaking required. With this setup you can bust 100 several levels earlier. There's a few Thunder vulnerable enemies as well so you can basically just double that, albeit Hold Person wouldn't work against that enemy type.

Long story short, the Tempest Clerics ability to Maximize Lightning/Thunder damage + Chromatic Orb = one of the most reliable high numbers in the game for relatively little invested.

[HoarsHalberd]

Your Bard is adventuring with a Cleric and is an atheist? How can he be an atheist while witnessing everyday and every days the divine power used by the Cleric?

You could make a convincing argument that "gods" in D&D are just exceptionally powerful spellcasters and that the prime cause of the multiverse is unknown and possibly not sapient or sentient. Even though that's not what happened here, I'm just saying you could have a wise and knowledgable cleric even, who doesn't believe in an intelligent all-creator but still worships his god for the good it does.

[MeeposFire]

All the other bonus action attacks trigger off an attack action. The war cleric's ability is no different in that regard.


The idea is that each attack spell with a casting time of 1 action is balanced relative to a full round of attacks. If you give casters free attacks to be used at the same time as those spells, that erodes the balance and makes casters stronger than they're supposed to be.

Mostly true but not always true. I believe frenzy from the barbarian class does not require an attack action to use the bonus action attack.

[Dren Nas]

3 rogue/7 fighter can theoretically have 192 damage during a surprise round.

3 rogue gives Assassinate (auto crit against surprised creatures and advantage on attacks on a target before it has taken a turn) and 2d6 sneak attack
7 fighter gives you 4 superiority dice, TWF, an ability increase (hopefully to 20 dex), Dual Wielder Feat
(2 main hand attacks, an action surge, and an offhand attack.)
With a raper(1d8) that gives you:

1st attack: 1d8+2d6+1d8+5
Action Surge: 1d8+1d8+5
Offhand: 1d8+1d8+5
2nd Attack: 1d8+1d8+5
All crit against a surprised opponent
60 to 192 possible damage


Unless I'm wrong... gogo assasinball!

...


Then you might need a nap. XD

[joaber]

3 rogue/7 fighter can theoretically have 192 damage during a surprise round.

3 rogue gives Assassinate (auto crit against surprised creatures and advantage on attacks on a target before it has taken a turn) and 2d6 sneak attack
7 fighter gives you 4 superiority dice, TWF, an ability increase (hopefully to 20 dex), Dual Wielder Feat
(2 main hand attacks, an action surge, and an offhand attack.)
With a raper(1d8) that gives you:

1st attack: 1d8+2d6+1d8+5
Action Surge: 1d8+1d8+5
Offhand: 1d8+1d8+5
2nd Attack: 1d8+1d8+5
All crit against a surprised opponent
60 to 192 possible damage


Unless I'm wrong... gogo assasinball!

...


Then you might need a nap. XD

you forgot 1 fighter attack. With action surge and bonus action, a fighter 7 make 5 attacks. But you will not have 20 in dex with point buy.

[CantigThimble]

Level 7 fighter does nothing for your burst damage so I'd grab a level of warlock for hex. 8d6 > 2d8+5 from offhand attack plus this frees you up to take duelist for +2 to all the other attacks. You still have 4 attacks for the superiority dice. Also, remember the +5s don't double on crits, only the dice.

[Dren Nas]

you forgot 1 fighter attack. With action surge and bonus action, a fighter 7 make 5 attacks. But you will not have 20 in dex with point buy.

You can only make one bonus action a turn, right? offhand attacks count as a bonus action, right?

If i misread that, let me know because more damage r gud!

[CantigThimble]

You can only make one bonus action a turn, right? offhand attacks count as a bonus action, right?

If i misread that, let me know because more damage r gud!

2 attacks from Extra attack, 2 more from action surge with extra attack, 1 more off-hand = 5 attacks.

[Dren Nas]

Level 7 fighter does nothing for your burst damage so I'd grab a level of warlock for hex. 8d6 > 2d8+5 from offhand attack plus this frees you up to take duelist for +2 to all the other attacks. You still have 4 attacks for the superiority dice. Also, remember the +5s don't double on crits, only the dice.

action surge(extra attack) plus superiority dice(d8 extra damage once per attack. 7th level gives 4 per short/long rest).

EDIT: Well, poo. I forgot the ability damage doesn't double. I'm still learning the system, lol.

[Dren Nas]

2 attacks from Extra attack, 2 more from action surge with extra attack, 1 more off-hand = 5 attacks.

Don't you get that 2nd extra attack at 11th fighter level? action surge is once per fight until 17th level, right?

[CantigThimble]

action surge(extra attack) plus superiority dice(d8 extra damage once per attack. 7th level gives 4 per short/long rest).

Ah, my bad however the warlock level with one rapier still beats the TWF build.

2d8+2d8+2d6+7 x4

52-204 damage
vs

2d8+2d8+5 x5
45-185

You get the second extra attack at level 11 yes, but you get the first one at level 5. 1 attack base +1 extra is 2 attacks per action. Once you get to 11 you make 3 attacks per action.

[Dren Nas]

Ah, my bad however the warlock level with one rapier still beats the TWF build.

2d8+2d8+2d6+7 x4

52-204 damage
vs

2d8+2d8+5 x5
45-185

You get the second extra attack at level 11 yes, but you get the first one at level 5. 1 attack base +1 extra is 2 attacks per action. Once you get to 11 you make 3 attacks per action.

In regards to the attacks, yeah, that's what I was thinking. attack+extra attack+offhand+action surge
Where does the 5th attack come from?

I was actually looking at a warlock for the 11th level tbh. It takes away the offhand attack, but the dualist version might be better over all.

[CantigThimble]

In regards to the attacks, yeah, that's what I was thinking. attack+extra attack+offhand+action surge
Where does the 5th attack come from?

I was actually looking at a warlock for the 11th level tbh. It takes away the offhand attack, but the dualist version might be better over all.

Action surge gives you an extra action. Every action=2 attacks. Also, by doing it with warlock you don't need a feat so you can do it with point buy.

[Malifice]

Don't you get that 2nd extra attack at 11th fighter level? action surge is once per fight until 17th level, right?

Two attacks when you take the attack action.

So you take the attack action (attack twice) action surge to take the attack action again (attack twice more) and then use your bonus action to attack with the off hand weapon.

If you wanted spike damage, I prefer Sorcerer 3, Paladin 11, Assasin 3, Fighter 3, half orc packing a greataxe. Its 14th level though.

Obtain surprise (expertise in stealth, invisiblity) cast quickened hold person, action surge, make 4 attacks spamming sup dice and smites on each hit. (3d12 + 12d8 +15) damage each.

Runs out of juice pretty quickly.

[Dren Nas]

Oh wow, i didn't realize action surge allowed to to take an extra "action" I thought it just gave you an extra "attack".

[joaber]

Two attacks when you take the attack action.

So you take the attack action (attack twice) action surge to take the attack action again (attack twice more) and then use your bonus action to attack with the off hand weapon.

If you wanted spike damage, I prefer Sorcerer 3, Paladin 11, Assasin 3, Fighter 3, half orc packing a greataxe. Its 14th level though.

Obtain surprise (expertise in stealth, invisiblity) cast quickened hold person, action surge, make 4 attacks spamming sup dice and smites on each hit. (3d12 + 12d8 +15) damage each.

Runs out of juice pretty quickly.

about nova, best I can get is with point buy is mystic 6 / assassin 3/ battlemaster 3 / pali 2 / favored soul 6
half-orc
using haste and auto crit in first round
quick booming blade
burning superiority dice, divine smite and lethal weapon
and great weapon fighting to reroll 1 and 2
Focusing in psionic weapon +12 to hit

3d12 +10d10 +12d8 +6
3d12 +10d10 +10d8 +6
3d12 +10d10 +10d8 +6
3d12 +10d10 +8d8 +6
3d12 +10d10 +6d8 +6
3d12 +10d10 +12d8 +6 - bonus action booming blade
+4d8 if the target moves

can reach an avarage of 850,44 if 100% hit +4d8 if the target moves

Or with GWM +6 to hit and 904,44 avarage damage.

Now run the rest of the day without nothing left.