Xor111
2019-02-09, 03:54 AM
I am building a swashbuckler and since basically everyone says Booming Blade is way to go I was curious of the actual DPR in real world.
Admitting that you are not the only melee in the group (then enemies can just stick to your buddy, no move) or that they can very often just take a range weapon, the only thing that can reliably be counted is the booming blade damage when the target does not move. This has an opportunity cost as you can only do one attack and thus only have one chance on triggering Sneak Attack. Using TWF on the other hand uses your bonus action barring some special house rules. Let's say you do not need to take a particular bonus action and are fine with the movement provided by a normal movement, which often does not trigger an OA already due to swashbuckler feature.
Calculation below are done in that context (if numbers don't seem right to me please let me know, I shortly crunched the formula for TWF and would happily be proven wrong).
(please excuse the terrible formatting) For each table the horizontal axis are your character level, and vertical the AC of the target. TWF is calculated without +Dex bonus to your off-hand, and all tables consider a 18 Dex character. BB tables use a rapier, TWF 2 short swords. Green formatting is when TWF or BB is better than the other.
Now edited with Proficiency bonuses - missing the Crit part.
https://s.put.re/hfbotGLH.png
It turns out it is almost never a good idea to use BB unless you have advantage below Lv11, and even then not in all cases. I have calculated as well in another sheet the damage if the target moves, which is then always better than TWF. Unless you want to remember the exact values, the rule of thumb would be to only use BB when you are almost certain that the baddie will want to move OR if you really need the BA to take a Dash for instance. Having advantage changes this somewhat, and the rule would be close to "low AC enemy? use BB, otherwise TWF".
Admitting that you are not the only melee in the group (then enemies can just stick to your buddy, no move) or that they can very often just take a range weapon, the only thing that can reliably be counted is the booming blade damage when the target does not move. This has an opportunity cost as you can only do one attack and thus only have one chance on triggering Sneak Attack. Using TWF on the other hand uses your bonus action barring some special house rules. Let's say you do not need to take a particular bonus action and are fine with the movement provided by a normal movement, which often does not trigger an OA already due to swashbuckler feature.
Calculation below are done in that context (if numbers don't seem right to me please let me know, I shortly crunched the formula for TWF and would happily be proven wrong).
(please excuse the terrible formatting) For each table the horizontal axis are your character level, and vertical the AC of the target. TWF is calculated without +Dex bonus to your off-hand, and all tables consider a 18 Dex character. BB tables use a rapier, TWF 2 short swords. Green formatting is when TWF or BB is better than the other.
Now edited with Proficiency bonuses - missing the Crit part.
https://s.put.re/hfbotGLH.png
It turns out it is almost never a good idea to use BB unless you have advantage below Lv11, and even then not in all cases. I have calculated as well in another sheet the damage if the target moves, which is then always better than TWF. Unless you want to remember the exact values, the rule of thumb would be to only use BB when you are almost certain that the baddie will want to move OR if you really need the BA to take a Dash for instance. Having advantage changes this somewhat, and the rule would be close to "low AC enemy? use BB, otherwise TWF".