One Hit Wonder

[Naanomi]

I think we had a thread on this before somewhere but I can't locate it now so...

What is the most damage you can do to a single target in a single hit using only your own resources (IE: no spells cast by others, no magic items or exotic equipment)? Also, with no assumptions about resistance/vulnerability/etc of the target.

Volo's Aasimar seems to change the math on this quite a bit, so lets start there. I'll go with Fallen Aasimar.

My guess is it is hard to compete with Assassin's level 17 'double the damage' ability, which makes us heavily invested in Sneak Attack as well. I could go ranged (Heavy Xbow), but Booming Blade does a better job of adding to the damage, so the Rapier has the highest base damage of a melee weapon that is sneak-attack ready.

*Technically* Colossus slayer could add more damage for those last three levels than more sneak attack does, but I don't want to make assumptions about the target in that way; so I'll chase the easy sneak attack dice for Rogue 19, and sneak a level of Fighter in for Duelist and +2 more.

Max out my attack stat, obviously, and take Magic Initiate for Booming Blade and Hex... but nothing else seems to really boost damage directly I can find (Savage Attacker and Elemental Adept: Thunder would slightly boost *average* damage). Assassins can use poison, but again I don't want to rely on exotic equipment so...

So... ignoring the secondary effect of booming blade, and assuming a Critical + Doubling from Assassin we are looking at...

(8d8+22d6)X2 + 54

Does a big paladin smite or something more exotic with all the fixings beat that?

[NNescio]

Tidal Wave cast on a Fire Elemental.

[Bahamut7]

Assuming attribute score at 20...Open Hand Monk...Quivering Palm. 1d10+5+death or 1d10+5+10d10.

For exact numbers let's assume max damage and crits!

25+Death or 125 (100 of it Necrotic). Only 3 Ki spent and enemy has to make a saving throw.

[Dudu]

I think the biggest damage got to hail from either Evoker or Fire Dragon Sorc.

Meteor Swarm does 20d6 fire and 20d6 bludgeoning. Overchannel doesn't apply to such high level spell, but the + cast mod to damage does. We are assuming a single target. So that averages 145 damage to one target. Or 245, if all dices get maximum value.

Silly how you can do that absurd ammount of damage in an area.

[Naanomi]

Assuming attribute score at 20...Open Hand Monk...Quivering Palm. 1d10+5+death or 1d10+5+10d10.

For exact numbers let's assume max damage and crits!

25+Death or 125 (100 of it Necrotic). Only 3 Ki spent and enemy has to make a saving throw.
If I assume max damage (and my crits are coming from class features not luck for what it matters) I end up at 250 with the fighter/assassin

I think the biggest damage got to hail from either Evoker or Fire Dragon Sorc.
<snip>
So that averages 145 damage to one target. Or 245, if all dices get maximum value.
That doubling damage is hard to compete with

[SharkForce]

is it allowed to use true polymorph to turn a creature *into* something vulnerable to a damage type first? or does that count as more of two hits, because you need to use a spell on the target to set up?

[Haldir]

If I assume max damage (and my crits are coming from class features not luck for what it matters) I end up at 250 with the fighter/assassin

That doubling damage is hard to compete with

Twinned 9th level disintegrate at max damage:

(10D6 [60] + 9D6 [54] + 40) * 2 = 308 if the target fails both saves. Even if they make a single save the damage is comparable.

That, and you're still a Sorcerer on top of your huge single target damage, so teleport around and conjure shapeshifted succubi to help you break into the King's Ball and be your date or something. I dunno. YOu're a sorcerer, go nuts.

[SharkForce]

Twinned 9th level disintegrate at max damage:

(10D6 [60] + 9D6 [54] + 40) * 2 = 308 if the target fails both saves. Even if they make a single save the damage is comparable.

That, and you're still a Sorcerer on top of your huge single target damage, so teleport around and conjure shapeshifted succubi to help you break into the King's Ball and be your date or something. I dunno. YOu're a sorcerer, go nuts.

twin makes a spell hit *another* target. not the same target twice.