Most damage in one hit?

[Spacehamster]

Anything that can do more in one hit than 2 Paladin 18 arcane trickster with booming blade and level 4 spell slot smite with rapier? In total 9d8, 9d6 + 5(8 if +3 weapon)?

Bugbear and you can add 2d6 if you manage to surprise

[Ortho]

(Just for the sake of clarity, what you've got up there averages out to 84 damage on one attack. So that's our baseline.)

Assuming no buffs were pre-cast, no magic item cheese, and that you only get a single turn to prepare and pull this off....

You could just add in a Searing Smite for an extra 3d6 (11) fire damage.

[Spacehamster]

(Just for the sake of clarity, what you've got up there averages out to 84 damage on one attack. So that's our baseline.)

Assuming no buffs were pre-cast, no magic item cheese, and that you only get a single turn to prepare and pull this off....

You could just add in a Searing Smite for an extra 3d6 (11) fire damage.

Realized goblin would be better than bugbear, char level to damage vs a medium or bigger enemy is much more reliable than bugbear ambush and more average damage at level 8 and up.

[Chronos]

You'd probably do better with an Assassin than an Arcane Trickster. Less smite damage, but the same sneak attack, and you can guarantee a crit with surprise, and then double the damage again.

[Spacehamster]

You'd probably do better with an Assassin than an Arcane Trickster. Less smite damage, but the same sneak attack, and you can guarantee a crit with surprise, and then double the damage again.

Problem is that you will maybe pull that off 1% of the time as a melee character, surprise is hard enough to get as a ranged. :)
but yeah from a purely technical standpoint it might be higher 18d8 + 18d6 + 30(dueling, DEX, goblin, +3 weap) vs 12d8 + 18d6 + 30 and double but only with melee surprise and level 19 and forward.

[Unoriginal]

Anything that can do more in one hit than 2 Paladin 18 arcane trickster with booming blade and level 4 spell slot smite with rapier? In total 9d8, 9d6 + 5(8 if +3 weapon)?

Bugbear and you can add 2d6 if you manage to surprise

I would trade 5 level for Genie Bladelock, so you can Eldritch Smite with additional elemental damages too.

[Rukelnikov]

9d8 + 9d6 +5 = 40.5 + 31.5 + 5 = 77

77 damage... I don't think that's close to the most damaging single hit if there are no further constraints.

Let's assume there are no preparation rounds available, so you can't have anything precast/pre activated.

No consumable items, unless they come specifically from a feature (ie: no poison unless you have the poisoner feat, and then you only have access to that specific poison)

No magic items.

Even then, without doing any shenannigans, you can do something like:

Hexblade11/Pally2

Bonus Action: Banishing Smite
Action: BB

3d8 - BB
5d8 - Smite
6d8 - Eldritch Smite
5d10 - Banishing Smite
+ STAT

14d8 + 5d10 = 56 + 27.5 = 83.5 + STAT

And then you can add some combos depending on rules:

Can I count on surprise? Assassin 3 ~= x2 damage

Are we allowing Vulnerability? Ftr2/Grave2 = x2 damage

If that was the case you would already be looking at 334 + 2* STAT damage. I would usually end up close to the 1000 damage mark when doing this excercise around Xanathar's time (allowing for poison, and some prebuffing, 1 round IIRC), haven't tried since, but I imagine one can break the 1000 damage barrier nowadays.

[stoutstien]

No frill option is just a death cleric using their CD on a max lv inflict wound. 105ish damage with half of it not relying on dice rolls to achieve so it's guaranteed damage is quite good. Toss in the volo goblin or aasimar for an additional 20 damage. That's a tough concentration check to make.

Best part is all really need is some basic spell attack boosting tactics and advantage and this isn't even hard to pull off.

[BerzerkerUnit]

I’d prefer if we had a more concrete lane.

Like most damaging at level 3 (in which case I think Assassin Bugbear for whom surprise is now remarkably easy to get).

At level 5?

At level 11?

But I think the value of the exercise is questionable when a more practical is what’s the most damage you can deal in 1 turn.

I’ll also note: Genielock 1 is practically surprise in a can, but the Bugbear’s collapsible skeleton routine is a close second (creature with powerful build hides in a saddlebag or backpack or tiny chest).

[clash]

Paladin 2 for smite. Warlock 13 for eldritch smite and life drinker and 7th level slots rogue 5 for 3d6 sneak attack.

Shadow blade from 7th slot deals 5d8 + 5 mod +5 lifedrinker +6 genie warlock + 3d8 booming blade + 5d8 paladin smite + 6d8 eldritch smite + 5d6 sneak

19d8 + 16 + 5d6 ~ 122 damage with no prep or crits or magic items.

[Naanomi]

Last time we did this, it was hard to compete for 'one hit damage' with the high level assassin damage doubling ability

[clash]

Last time we did this, it was hard to compete for 'one hit damage' with the high level assassin damage doubling ability

I mean can we vote to avoid all circumstantial damage in the tally? Which I would consider surprise circumstantial. Otherwise you can have really silly scenarios like battle master shoving off of a cliff for an extra 20d6 damage on top of everything else.

[MadBear]

I mean can we vote to avoid all circumstantial damage in the tally? Which I would consider surprise circumstantial. Otherwise you can have really silly scenarios like battle master shoving off of a cliff for an extra 20d6 damage on top of everything else.

those two scenarios aren't remotely comparable though. In order to get surprise the rogue just has to have been hiding and beat the monsters passive perception. In that scenario, they're likely to autosuceed with a minimum roll of 27 (reliable talent + expertise).

Meanwhile whether or not there's a cliff is orders of magnitude more rare.

[clash]

those two scenarios aren't remotely comparable though. In order to get surprise the rogue just has to have been hiding and beat the monsters passive perception. In that scenario, they're likely to autosuceed with a minimum roll of 27 (reliable talent + expertise).

Meanwhile whether or not there's a cliff is orders of magnitude more rare.

The rogue didn't just have to beat the monsters passive perception, the entire party needs to beat the monsters passive perception or it is not surprised and for smite he needs to do it with a melee attack and he needs to beat their initiative. There's a lot of ways it can fail and you often need a permissive dm that doesn't just rule away the surprise because the monster was a guard and "expecting trouble".

[KorvinStarmast]

Anything that can do more in one hit than 2 Paladin 18 arcane trickster with booming blade and level 4 spell slot smite with rapier? In total 9d8, 9d6 + 5(8 if +3 weapon)?

Bugbear and you can add 2d6 if you manage to surprise While this is an extreme edge case: If your paladin is wielding the trident Wave against a Monster with 500 HP, and unloads a smite, he will (on a Critical hit) do 250 HP plus whatever he rolls on the smite, etc. :smallsmile: But you'd probably want a crit fishing build to make that attack, like a Champion 15 ...

[Rukelnikov]

The rogue didn't just have to beat the monsters passive perception, the entire party needs to beat the monsters passive perception or it is not surprised and for smite he needs to do it with a melee attack and he needs to beat their initiative. There's a lot of ways it can fail and you often need a permissive dm that doesn't just rule away the surprise because the monster was a guard and "expecting trouble".

Why is there a party in this particular scenario? Is this the damage a full party can do in a single hit? Because then you gotta take a lot of buffs and debuffs into consideration. I don't think that's what this thread is going for.


I’d prefer if we had a more concrete lane.

Like most damaging at level 3 (in which case I think Assassin Bugbear for whom surprise is now remarkably easy to get).

At level 5?

At level 11?

But I think the value of the exercise is questionable when a more practical is what’s the most damage you can deal in 1 turn.

I’ll also note: Genielock 1 is practically surprise in a can, but the Bugbear’s collapsible skeleton routine is a close second (creature with powerful build hides in a saddlebag or backpack or tiny chest).

Yeah, if we wanna get some "metrics" then we do need some guidelines of what counts and what doesn't:

Can an assassin assume surprise?

Can that same assassin assume the enemy fails his save against double damage?

Should we assume all/none saves are failed?

What magic items does the character get?

[Naanomi]

On the assumptions that...
~I can trigger special conditions like Surprise
~I can assume failed saves, attacks hit, etc
~No magic items, poisons, buffs from other party members, no vulnerability from the target, etc
~Officially published material only

I'd start with a Bugbear Assassin (17+) with a rapier, the piercer feat and Duelist combat style and 20 Dex... Using booming blade...

That puts us at a base of (9d8+22d6+7)x2 and 3 more levels to try and squeeze out a bit more damage? 249 average?

Edit:
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon can add (2d4)x2
Hex can add (2d8)x2
A battle maneuver from the Martial Adept feat can add (2d6)x2

New total: 291

[MadBear]

On the assumptions that...
~I can trigger special conditions like Surprise
~I can assume failed saves, attacks hit, etc
~No magic items, poisons, buffs from other party members, no vulnerability from the target, etc
~Officially published material only

I'd start with a Bugbear Assassin (17+) with a rapier, the piercer feat and Duelist combat style and 20 Dex... Using booming blade...

That puts us at a base of (9d8+22d6+7)x2 and 3 more levels to try and squeeze out a bit more damage? 249 average?

probably paladin 3 to add in a smite for an extra 4d8 damage, or going tempest cleric and using your channel divinity to max out the booming blade damage.

[JNAProductions]

On the assumptions that...
~I can trigger special conditions like Surprise
~I can assume failed saves, attacks hit, etc
~No magic items, poisons, buffs from other party members, no vulnerability from the target, etc
~Officially published material only

I'd start with a Bugbear Assassin (17+) with a rapier, the piercer feat and Duelist combat style and 20 Dex... Using booming blade...

That puts us at a base of (9d8+22d6+7)x2 and 3 more levels to try and squeeze out a bit more damage? 249 average?

Edit:
Gift of the Chromatic Dragon can add (2d4)x2
Hex can add (2d8)x2
A battle maneuver from the Martial Adept feat can add (2d6)x2

New total: 291

You don't multiply static damage, only dice, on a crit.
So subtract 7 from your total.

I know, cripples the build. :P

[Naanomi]

You don't multiply static damage, only dice, on a crit.
So subtract 7 from your total.

I know, cripples the build. :P
The doubling is from the assassin 17 ability, the Crit is already factored into the dice totals

[JNAProductions]

The doubling is from the assassin 17 ability, the Crit is already factored into the dice totals

Ah, gotcha.

Okay cool!

[sithlordnergal]

Important question: Are we doing just attack rolls and single target abilities? Or are we including AoE's and saves into this? Because if we include AoE's and saves, may I offer:

Tempest Cleric 2 / Order of Scribes 18

For the AoE, cast Meteor Swarm, use your awakened spellbook to change all damage into Lightning, use Channel Divinity to maximize Lightning damage, deal 240 Lightning damage

For single target damage, same build, use 9th level Disintegrate for 154 damage.



If we're going attacks only, and we do have surprise, might I suggest:

Assasin 3 / Paladin 2 / Death Cleric 15, go Goblin if you're using pre-Monsters of the Multiverse. One strike with a regular Rapier at 20 strength nets you:

2d8 piercing + 4d8 necrotic + 10d8 radiant + 4d6 Sneak Attack + 35 necrotic + 20 piercing from Goblin + 5 ability score

For an average total of 146 damage.

Keep in mind, this is with Surprise, so I already calculated the crit damage. Without a crit, halve the dice. If you're using the new goblin, the 20 drops to 6.

[Naanomi]

Bugbear Rogue (Assassin) 17/Paladin 2/Warlock (Genie) 1

Feats: Gift of the Chromatic Dragon, Martial Adept, Piercer, +2 DEX, ???

Duelist Combat Style, 20 DEX

~Pre-Combat:
Activate Gift of the Chromatic Dragon

~Surprise Round:
Cast Booming Blade
Activate Menacing Attack
Cast Thunderous Smite

*Metamagic Adept slightly increases the average damage on Booming Blade and Thunderous Smite

1d8+3d8+2d8+1d6+2d6+9d6+2d6+1d4+13
CRIT: (13d8+24d6+2d4)+13
Failed Save VS Deathstrike: Double the total damage

END RESULT: 321 Average Damage

~A high level character probably has a magic weapon (and perhaps other magic gear) that can add to this
~A high level assassin probably has access to poison, potentially very potent poison like Purple Wurm Poison
~Metamagic Adept (empowered spell) could increase the average damage of the Booming Blade and Thunderous Smite; but I'm too lazy to do the math

[kaervaak]

Goblin Paladin 2/Warlock 5/Assasin 3/Whispers Bard 10

Take banishing smite and absorb elements for your magical secrets

Just before your turn, get hit by an elemental attack and cast absorb elements using your highest level spell slot (6th)

On your turn, cast Banishing smite with your bonus action and hit the opponent with booming blade during a surprise round

Banishing Smite: 5d10

Divine Smite: 5d8

Eldritch Smite: 4d8

Psychic Blades: 5d6

Sneak Attack: 2d6

Booming Blade: 3d8

Absorb Elements: 6d6

Rapier: 1d8

Fury of the Small: 20

Dueling Fighting Style: 2

Dice doubled from the crit. 10d10 + 26d8 + 26d6 + 27 = 290 average

[sithlordnergal]

OHhh, I had forgotten about feats. Let me relook at that build I made. And gonna throw in some assumptions as well: Target is Surprised, level 20, using the old version of Goblin, no magic items, no special equipment like poison, no prebuffing:

Race: Goblin

Feats: Magic Initiate, Piercer, Martial Adept

Classes: Paladin 2 / Assassin Rogue 3 / Death Cleric 15

Main attacking stat should have an 18 in it thanks to 17 from Point Buy and +1 from Piercer, take Booming Blade from Magic Initiate, and a Battlemaster Maneuver that adds damage to the strike. Using a standard, non-magical Rapier as a weapon, the damage should be:


3d8 from Rapier
6d8 from Booming Blade
4d6 from Sneak Attack
4d6 from Battlemaster Maneuver
4d8 from Divine Strike, it works when you hit with a weapon attack so Booming Blade can proc it
10d8 from Divine Smite
+35 from Touch of Death
+20 from Fury of the Small
+4 from Ability Score



That gives us an average of 190.5 damage. We can actually push that a little bit higher with Searing Smite, as it'll let us add an additional 8d6 to the damage, which is doubled to 16d6, and pushes us to 246.5 average damage. But I wasn't sure if that counted as a prebuff spell...Its a Bonus Action, so you can cast it before you make that strike, but at the same time, its not something you can apply the second you succeed making your strike.

-----


Now, if we're assuming no Surprise, we're using the new Goblin that only deals 6 damage with Fury of the Small, and we can cast a Bonus Action spell before the strike, I'd go with this:

Race: Orc or Half-Orc

Feats: Martial Adept, Orcish Fury, Great Weapon Master

Classes: Paladin 2 / Geni Warlock 1 / Death Cleric 17

Now, due to the wording of Orcish Fury, I'm pretty sure it can work with Booming Blade, because it specifies "When you hit with an attack made with a simple or martial weapon", not that you have to take the Attack action. Because we aren't getting a crit, we're actually going to use the Greataxe this time around.


2d12 from Greataxe and Orcish Fury
1d6 from Battlemaster Maneuver
2d8 from Divine Strike
3d8 from Booming Blade
5d8 from Divine Smite
8d6 from an 8th level Searing Smite
+10 from Great Weapon Master
+39 from Touch of Death
+4 from ability score



That'll give us an average grand total of 142.5. No crits, surprise, magic items, or special equipment needed. It can all be done on the first round of combat too, with no real special setup. Just don't miss with that one attack you get with Great Weapon Master. XD

[Amechra]

Grave Cleric 2/Evocation Wizard 14 with 20 Intelligence and Metamagic Adept (Quicken Spell) can use their action to Path to the Grave someone and zap them for a flat 130 lightning damage as a bonus action (using a 5th level Quickened Overchanneled Witch Bolt).

It's not the maximum, but it's on the high end as far as flat damage is concerned.

EDIT: Dang it, can't sleep.

The following build assumes that you get access to an Any-Purpose Tool, which lets you add Booming Blade to the Artificer spell list. Oh, right, and that you have Eldritch Smite, Improved Pact Weapon (applied to a quarterstaff), and that you've turned your Pact Weapon into an Arcane Firearm.

Artillerist Artificer 5/Undead Warlock 9/Paladin 2/Grave Cleric 2/Fighter 2.

So, let's break it down:

Bonus: Enter Form of Dread.
Action: Hit your target with Path to the Grave.
Surge: Use Booming Blade through your quarterstaff. Smite and Eldritch Smite on top of that.

So, how much damage does this deal?

1d8+6 (base weapon damage)
+5d8 (Booming Blade w/ Arcane Firearm)
+6d8 (Smite)
+6d8 (Eldritch Smite)
+1d8 (Undead Warlock)
= 19d8+6 damage, doubled due to Vulnerability. This is, on average, 183 damage.

[Witty Username]

Paladin 2/ warlock 9 can double smite with 5th level slots.
5d8 Paladin, 6d8 warlock, can use booming blade as well 5d8 at 11th level if they move, which they will have to do to get up from prone.
16d8 before factoring in weapon, if you take 9 levels in rogue and rapier 1d8 + 5d6.
One more upgrade with booming blade I think so:
19d8 plus 5d6, that is what I got.

[MadMusketeer]

If we're assuming failed saves, how do we count instadeath abilities like Quivering Palm? While it does need to be triggered as an action after being set up with an unarmed strike, it's pretty simple to get those on the same turn, and it (arguably) does as much damage as your target has hp.

[Witty Username]

If we're assuming failed saves, how do we count instadeath abilities like Quivering Palm? While it does need to be triggered as an action after being set up with an unarmed strike, it's pretty simple to get those on the same turn, and it (arguably) does as much damage as your target has hp.

Find the monster with the highest HP and say that. ;)