A Single Punch

[McNum]

Sometimes, you just really want to punch someone. This thread was spawned from a tangent during game on a Paladin applying Divine Smite to unarmed attacks, but that got me wondering... If you had to make that one punch... the one punch to end them all. The punch to make Captain Falcon stand back and applaud.

What is the most damage you could get from one single unarmed strike in 5e?

I'd assume it'd be some kind of Monk/Paladin/Get Spell Slots for Smite build, but my optimization-fu is just awful for 5e, so I'm probably missing something. As a bonus objective, instead of optimizing for damage, how about for knockback? Just how far can you kick your enemy?

[TheUser]

Sometimes, you just really want to punch someone. This thread was spawned from a tangent during game on a Paladin applying Divine Smite to unarmed attacks, but that got me wondering... If you had to make that one punch... the one punch to end them all. The punch to make Captain Falcon stand back and applaud.

What is the most damage you could get from one single unarmed strike in 5e?

I'd assume it'd be some kind of Monk/Paladin/Get Spell Slots for Smite build, but my optimization-fu is just awful for 5e, so I'm probably missing something. As a bonus objective, instead of optimizing for damage, how about for knockback? Just how far can you kick your enemy?

Probably a paladin, assassin, bard.

Paladin for smites, assassin for auto crits and bard for some random spell that makes you amazing.

[McNum]

My napkin math says Paladin 2 for Divine Smite, something to get 4th level spell slots to fuel it, and Assassin for a guaranteed Critical sounds nice. Good call on that. Do we want Monk into it for enhancing the basic Unarmed Strike's damage?

[Citan]

Sometimes, you just really want to punch someone. This thread was spawned from a tangent during game on a Paladin applying Divine Smite to unarmed attacks, but that got me wondering... If you had to make that one punch... the one punch to end them all. The punch to make Captain Falcon stand back and applaud.

What is the most damage you could get from one single unarmed strike in 5e?

I'd assume it'd be some kind of Monk/Paladin/Get Spell Slots for Smite build, but my optimization-fu is just awful for 5e, so I'm probably missing something. As a bonus objective, instead of optimizing for damage, how about for knockback? Just how far can you kick your enemy?
Hi!
My take (considering that you still get time to prepare that one strike).
Monk would seem an obvious choice at first, but the better die won't make such a difference with a single blow, compared to just taking Tavern Brawler feat. So I'd rather try to build upon other ways to up damage. 4 Elemental Monks may be useful though for a bit of extra damage, we'll come back to it later.

So the basis will be:
Paladin Oathbreaker 7, for +CHA on melee weapon attack damage rolls (or is it "melee weapon" only? Not sure) and Searing Smite.
Undying Light Warlock 1 for +CHA on fire spells.
Draconic Sorcerer 6 (fire) for +CHA on fire spells.
Wizard 1 / Druid 1 / Ranger 2 (if you can get the stats for it) or Bard 6 to get Absorb Elements.
Preferably a WIS class over Bard because then you can also cram Fighter 2 for Action Surge (in case you were talking about one-round attack) and either Monk 3 (to use DEX instead of STR, avoid taking Taver Brawler and get extra 1d8 fire damage) or Ranger 3 (Colossus Slayer).

Let's go for the ideal case when you had good enough stats to multiclass in everything:
Paladin Oathbreaker 7
Warlock 1
Sorcerer 6
Druid 1
Monk 3 (4 Elements)
Fighter 2
You are a level 10 spellcaster, so you have 2 5th level slots and 3*4th level. Let's suppose you have a decent STR attack (16) but maxed CHA, along with Athletics proficiency, and let's suppose you WILL eventually hit your opponent in time. ^^

With this improbable combo, you can actually make all preparations in the same turn thanks to Action Surge.
Start by using your action surge to cast a Chromatic Bolt (fire) on yourself. You will suffer but you can use your Reaction to cast a 5th level Absorb Elements. Your next melee weapon attack that hits will deal extra 5d6+5+5 fire damage, as long as you make it before the end of the next round.
Then cast a 5th level Searing Smite on yourself.
Now with your Attack, decide to use a Ki to activate Fangs of the Fire Snake then...
a). use the first attack to Shove your opponent prone to get a better chance, then use your other attack to make a melee weapon attack.
b). Land that famous unarmed strike, that will deal...
1d4 + attack modifier (Monk or Tavern Brawler)
1d8 fire (Fangs of Fire Snake, more for fluff though than really making a difference XD)
5d6+5+5 fire damage (5th level Absorb Elements + Draconic + Undying)
5d6+5+5 fire damage (5th level Searing Smite... That will also continue dealing 1d6 fire damage if you concentrate ^^).
5d8 radiant damage (max smite with one of your 4th level spell slots. Too bad the Undying Light bonus does not apply).
For a total of 1d4 + 10d6 + 6d8 + 4*5 damage.
Average 2,5 + 35 + 36 + 20 = 93,5.
Theorical maximum 4+60+48+20 = 132 damage.

Not too shabby eh? :smallbiggrin::smalltongue:

Note that...
1. If I'm mistaken about Oathbreaker and bonus would apply only to melee weapon attacks made with an actual weapon, then Paladin 3 Vengeance or Devotion (to get more chance to hit) is more than enough, meaning going Lore Bard 6 may become the easiest choice if you don't have WIS/INT enough (get Absorb Elements with Magic Secrets, get Expertise in Athletics to you can get advantage more easily, get Tavern Brawler feat instead of Monk levels). If you have WIS enough, even better: you can go Druid 1 (Absorb Elements)+ Fighter 2 + Bard 3 (expertise). If you have WIS and DEX enough, then dipping Rogue 1 for Expertise would be even more better.

2. The use of all +CHA on fire suppose DM agrees that it works with Branding Smite (seems fair to me) and Absorb Elements (more arguable). Beyond that, for a "1-turn combo", Warlock does not bring anything. And if DM refuses both interactions, you could just drop the whole "heavy CHA-classes mix" idea and make a Hunter Ranger 3 / Assassin Rogue 3 / Battlemaster Fighter 3 / Paladin 2 / Monk X. Total MADness would be unavoidable though.

3. This suppose DM leniency about auto-hitting yourself with a fire spell. Otherwise, you might want to actually dump DEX and use a Create Bonfire on yourself or something (although you may evade it because of Aura of Protection XD), or a spell that deals half-damage on successful save such as a Fireball (you are already wanting to spend your highest levels spells on one singular trick, so it shouldn't matter so much to you to waste a Fireball just to burn yourself heh? ^^).

I personally would allow all of this as a DM without any hesitation. I mean, it seems like the least reward I could give to someone who created a wonky multiclass just for the sake of blowing all his juice in less than 6 seconds. :smallbiggrin:

[TmasterT]

Pretty sure you can't stack +cha to damage with it self even if it's from different classes

[Citan]

Pretty sure you can't stack +cha to damage with it self even if it's from different classes

I'm pretty sure it is in fact, because each instance actually comes from a different feature.
The errata specifies that you cannot stack the effect of the same spell of feature. This was published to try and put control on the hilariously stupid Crawfort ruling that Paladin's Auras could stack.
(Which was totally breaking the game as soon as you allowed multiclassing, because you could just make a party of Paladin 6+ / X + to get any spell relevant to avoid traps/attacks, along with easily +20 to saves. But could have been fun in its own way).

But here, the +CHA comes from two different, singular features, so there should be no problem.
What could be disputed upon though is how valid is the relationship between the "when you cast a spell that deals (fire) damage" and the aforementioned spells, which actually deal damage through an indirect way (weapon attack at a moment occuring after the actual cast).
I always allow it because I never found any balance-breaking occurence, but not sure of what the official ruling would be in such cases.

[JackPhoenix]

Snip

Doesn't work. Searing Smite is level 1 or higher spell cast as a Bonus Action, which mean you can't cast Chromatic Orb and Absorb Elements in the same turn, Action Surge and reaction or not.

[Belac93]

Don't forget that mystic (if we can use UA) gives you psionic weapon, which lets you make one of your fists a +1 weapon, in addition to lethal strike, which lets you deal an extra 1d10 damage per power point spent.

[Sianthus]

If you had to make that one punch... the one punch to end them all. The punch to make Captain Falcon stand back and applaud.


ONE PUNNNNNNNNNNNNCH!!!!!!! *DA DA ADADADADADA*

....

I'll see myself out.

[Sicarius Victis]

ONE PUNNNNNNNNNNNNCH!!!!!!! *DA DA ADADADADADA*

....

I'll see myself out.

Eh, it's what most of us were thinking anyways.


Doesn't work. Searing Smite is level 1 or higher spell cast as a Bonus Action, which mean you can't cast Chromatic Orb and Absorb Elements in the same turn, Action Surge and reaction or not.

Instead, use Fire Bolt or Produce Flame instead of Chromatic Orb and do it in the round BEFORE doing all this, and it works fine.

[Foxhound438]

kind of cheating, but monk 17/ fighter 3 does it nicely. Apply the quivering palm during an attack, then action surge to kill the target. Even if they pass the save, it's another 10d10 on top of your d10 punch plus possible d8 maneuver die.

[McNum]

ONE PUNNNNNNNNNNNNCH!!!!!!! *DA DA ADADADADADA*

....

I'll see myself out.
I haven't actually seen it, but yes. I was expecting something like this, too.

I do appreciate the use of fire damage for this. Because other than One Punch Man, there is that certain other famous punch (https://youtu.be/Fyr2qzeLMTY?t=57s)...