EA & Nova Optimization....

[Nefariis]

So this is more of a mental exercise than anything, but I was trying to optimize around two things.

Elven Accuracy and Auto-Criting

Build 1 (Auto-Criting):

EK 12 / Assassin 4 / Vengeance 4

ASI: 7 (2 feats, 5 bumps)
Feats: PAM, GWM
Fighting Style: Defense, GWF

Now I get that this build will never get sneak attack damage, but the 4 attacks with +10 damage works out better than +2d6 (or +4d6 with crit) once per round.

But this is what I get using the Assassin feature and a pre-round of Hunter's Mark (which per sage advice, the target might not know) -

Normal Attack
+2d10 (13) w/ Glaive (re-roll 1's and 2's)
+2d6 (7) Hunter's Mark
+4d8 (18) First level smite (I realize I could burn 2nd's for an extra 2d8)
+10 GWM
+5 STR

= 53

Back End of Glaive
+2d4 (6) Re-roll 1's and 2's
+2d6 (7) hunters mark
+4d8 (18) first level smite
+10 GWM
+5 Str

= 46

53 * 3 attacks * 2 action surge + 46 bonus attack = 364 damage

Even outside of the Nova round, a 12 level EK with 4 attacks w/ +10 damage should still do alright


Build 2 (EA):

Champion 4 / Hex 4 / Vengeance 12

ASI: 5 (3 feats, 2 bumps)
Feats: Elven Accuracy, PAM, GWM
Fighting Style: Defense, GWF

More spell slots, self haste (gives 4 attacks per round), Auras, Crit on 19-20, would use Pact of Blade to make Cha attack/damage/casting stat

I found quite a few builds that try to utilize sneak damage but 4d6 = 14 and 6d6 = 21 and it can only be processed once per round. I found that PAM/GWM or SS/CE processed more often and had higher totals, especially when you could get 4 attacks in. Criting on 19-20, with triple advantage, and 4 attacks is something like a ~76% chance of criting that round.

Again, just doing a bit of a mental exercise.

Is there something I missed or is there something that would be better for either build? (Im staying away from UA stuff)

would love to get your thoughts to improve on this.

thanks

[LudicSavant]

So this is more of a mental exercise than anything, but I was trying to optimize around two things.

Elven Accuracy and Auto-Criting

Build 1 (Auto-Criting):

EK 12 / Assassin 4 / Vengeance 4

ASI: 7 (2 feats, 5 bumps)
Feats: PAM, GWM
Fighting Style: Defense, GWF

Now I get that this build will never get sneak attack damage, but the 4 attacks with +10 damage works out better than +2d6 (or +4d6 with crit) once per round.

But this is what I get using the Assassin feature and a pre-round of Hunter's Mark (which per sage advice, the target might not know) -

Normal Attack
+2d10 (13) w/ Glaive (re-roll 1's and 2's)
+2d6 (7) Hunter's Mark
+4d8 (18) First level smite (I realize I could burn 2nd's for an extra 2d8)
+10 GWM
+5 STR

= 53

Back End of Glaive
+2d4 (6) Re-roll 1's and 2's
+2d6 (7) hunters mark
+4d8 (18) first level smite
+10 GWM
+5 Str

= 46

53 * 3 attacks * 2 action surge + 46 bonus attack = 364 damage

Even outside of the Nova round, a 12 level EK with 4 attacks w/ +10 damage should still do alright

So your main problem here is that your math is assuming absolutely everything hits, which is particularly misleading for a build like this.

Even with Advantage on all your attacks, you're actually losing DPR by using GWM if your opponent has an even half-decent AC (specifically, 17 or more). And even if everything goes right, you use 5 smites, a pre-cast Hunter's Mark, and manage to stealth in, get surprise, and win initiative as a Strength build... you're not doing enough damage to really make it pay off. Like, yes, it's a good chunk of damage, but it's not outdoing other nova builds that don't need to line up all those ducks. You would have been able to do more as a regular Eldritch Knight using Shadow Blade. You'd even be able to Action Surge twice that way.

"How can that be?" You might be asking. Well, the reason is because the higher your damage per attack, the more the accuracy penalty is costing you. Get the damage per attack high enough (as smiting/assassinate/hunter's mark does) and that accuracy penalty is costing you more DPR per attack than the +10 is gaining. Yes, even with Advantage.

[Gtdead]

Some pointers:

EA doesn't work with STR attacks. The only way to cheat the system is to dip Hexblade and use CHA to attack, but I'm not sure if DMs would allow it. But even if it is allowed, you need to dip hexblade and grab blade pact if you want to use +10/-5 with it. I haven't tried to build one so I'm not exactly sure how it would level up.
However, unless you are playing a high level Battlemaster who can reliably use precision attack to boost hit, don't build nova builds with the +10/-5 because the higher your damage/attack, the worse +10/-5 becomes against higher ACs. Fighter tends to have low damage per attack, so along with Battlemaster it is worthwhile, but don'tuse it if you are using a build with other damage boosters.
Even a small amount of dice damage can go a long way with EA and Hexblade dip. With Curse active, you have 27% crit chance. 2d6 is better than +10.
Due to the increased critical chance, Shadowblade is king when it comes to EA nova.
Keep in mind that GWM is important in a high crit buid for the Bonus attack. With two attacks, the chance of triggering the bonus attack is about 45%.

A great build circulating around is https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/21891531/NSnChm for stupid high nova is a Sword's Bard 12/Paladin 2/Fighter3/Assassin3 multiclass, with GWM and EA, where Sword Bard gets Shadowblade, adds inspirations, superiority dice, smites, sneak attack etc, and with the guaranteed crit from Assassin bursts for 500~ average damage with the potential to reach 1000 damage against high ac enemies. Treantmonk has an explanation of the build.