Highest damage using only cantrips...

[Mjolnirbear]

Inspired by the useless character concept thread, and further to the cantrip caster thread I made ages ago, I thought I'd see how much damage I could do in a round using only cantrips.

Minimum build:

Warlock 2 (AB invocation)/sorcerer 3 (quicken + twin metamagic)

Firebolt Twinned, EB Quickened, 3 sorcery points per round, so it's not sustainable at early levels and expensive at any level.

At level 5: (CHA 16)
2d10 + 2d10 + 2d10+6, plus 3d6 if Hex was cast beforehand,
avg 39 +10.5 (Hex)


At level 11: (CHA 20, hex lock and fire dragon sorcerer)
3d10+5 + 3d10+5 + 3d10+15, plus 3d6 if Hex was precast, plus Curse +16
avg 118.5, +10.5 (Hex) +16 (Curse)

(with 2 setup rounds for Hex and Curse, this is pretty much theory only, I admit)



Alternative:
Assuming any sorcerer, and Hexblade blade pact with great sword, booming blade, and AB

At 6th level, CHA 16
2(2d6+3) +2(1d8) + 2d10+6 (EB), +2d8 for each target that moves
Base Avg 46, + up to additional 18 more for movement, +10.5 if Hex was precast, +9 for Curse

At 11th level, CHA 20, GWM
2(2d6+5+10) +2(2d8) + 3d10+15 (EB)
Avg 93.5, with possible additions of
+27 for movement, + 10.5 for hex, +16 for curse.

(not sure how to add hit chance in here, or crit chance, GWM, or advantage due to, say, devil's sight +darkness. Please correct as necessary)


Can anyone else top this?

[Talamare]

I don't know

I want to say... 1000d6 + 4d8
Minimal build being Variant Human Warlock 2, Sorcerer 3

Okay
So
Variant Human Spell Sniper
You hit Lv2, take Eldritch Spear and Repelling Blast
Eldritch Blast them off a 500 ft drop Cliff

Then since Eldritch Blast has 600 ft range
Quicken Eldritch Blast them off a second 500 ft drop Cliff

Do I win the contest?

[Talamare]

Highest damage using only cantrips...

plus 3d6 if Hex was cast beforehand

Highest Damage using ONLY Cantrips
Doesn't use ONLY Cantrips

[Mjolnirbear]

Highest Damage using ONLY Cantrips
Doesn't use ONLY Cantrips

Which is why I calculated Hex separately, and Curse, and pointed out a two-round setup is a bit absurd. You still have the Hex-less numbers.

I'm honestly trying to figure out if you're trolling or not.

[hymer]

It seems to me that Tempest clerics with their channel divinity for maximum damage on lightning and thunder should have a place somewhere. Get Tunderclap one way or another, and get several targets into the AoE, then maximise the damage. Combine with sorcerer for another casting, maybe Evoker6 for damage even if the save is made.

Edit: Thunderclap goes well with the Spell Sniper feat. It lets you get a lot of targets into the AoE.

[BobZan]

2 fighter levels, can add evoker 6 for guaranteed half dmg, sorc 18 or 12 or w/e

Distant Spell + Sword Burst = 4d6*24
Quicken Sword Burst = 4d6*8
Action Surge: Distant Spell + Sword Burst = 4d6*24

Avg dmg/round=784

It seems to me that Tempest clerics with their channel divinity for maximum damage on lightning and thunder should have a place somewhere. Get Tunderclap one way or another, and get several targets into the AoE, then maximise the damage. Combine with sorcerer for another casting, maybe Evoker6 for damage even if the save is made.

Edit: Thunderclap goes well with the Spell Sniper feat. It lets you get a lot of targets into the AoE.

SS increases range from attack spells only, and Thunderclap has a range of self.

[hymer]

SS increases range from attack spells only, and Thunderclap has a range of self.

In my XGtE (p. 168), Thunderclap has a range of 5 feet. But you're right that it doesn't require an attack roll. Too bad!

[BobZan]

In my XGtE (p. 168), Thunderclap has a range of 5 feet. But you're right that it doesn't require an attack roll. Too bad!

Wasn't aware of XGtE changes on Thunderclap, you're right. Works with Distant Spell then.

[Mjolnirbear]

2 fighter levels, can add evoker 6 for guaranteed half dmg, sorc 18 or 12 or w/e

Distant Spell + Sword Burst = 4d6*24
Quicken Sword Burst = 4d6*8
Action Surge: Distant Spell + Sword Burst = 4d6*24

Avg dmg/round=784



SS increases range from attack spells only, and Thunderclap has a range of self.

Holy shiznack. That's a ton. The new master at sweeping out crowds.

[Mjolnirbear]

It seems to me that Tempest clerics with their channel divinity for maximum damage on lightning and thunder should have a place somewhere. Get Tunderclap one way or another, and get several targets into the AoE, then maximise the damage. Combine with sorcerer for another casting, maybe Evoker6 for damage even if the save is made.

Edit: Thunderclap goes well with the Spell Sniper feat. It lets you get a lot of targets into the AoE.

Tempest cleric with storm sorcerer just for theme. Too bad the funky lightning powers at 1 and 6 don't work with cantrips. On the other hand, a lightning dragon sorcerer would add Charisma bonus at 6th level

[noob]

You cast minor illusion while in a place where people are deciding whenever to fight a war or not in such a way it is a diplomatic incident that definitively triggers the war.
Then the round where the people did hit each other the most is the round where using only one cantrip you dealt the highest damage.

[hymer]

Tempest cleric with storm sorcerer just for theme. Too bad the funky lightning powers at 1 and 6 don't work with cantrips. On the other hand, a lightning dragon sorcerer would add Charisma bonus at 6th level

Storm sorcerer would probably be best (and definitely coolest) in practice, but for optimization of this particular thing, there's the ability to get charisma modifier to thunderclap damage from dragon sorcerer 6.

Edit: No, wait, thunder damage, not lightning.

[Blacky the Blackball]

I take it that using Prestidigitation to make purple worm venom taste/smell like fine wine and then Friends when offering it to someone as a drink doesn't count?

[Oramac]

I haven't actually gone through and confirmed it, but here's a video for 65,000,000 damage from a cantrip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOtEZKfGiH0

[Mjolnirbear]

Well. That video took way too much time to watch. The voice annoyed me.

So it works. If you have:
À legendary artifact which I highly doubt is real
No need to sleep
Unlimited pigs
And 13 years
(the rest was not actually needed at all)

Assuming you have this, you can do 65 mil damage with a Cantrip.

Don't forget to harvest the unlimited pigs for unlimited bacon and a pig-themed restaurant chain with which to make unlimited money.

[Oramac]

Well. That video took way too much time to watch. The voice annoyed me.

Agreed. I'm not really a fan of Dawnforgedcast, but the video was relevant.

So it works. If you have:
À legendary artifact which I highly doubt is real
No need to sleep
Unlimited pigs
And 13 years
(the rest was not actually needed at all)

Assuming you have this, you can do 65 mil damage with a Cantrip.

Don't forget to harvest the unlimited pigs for unlimited bacon and a pig-themed restaurant chain with which to make unlimited money.

Hey, you didn't ask if it was feasible, just possible.

[Naanomi]

I mean... if we get to use magic items... just an assassin 3/Fighter 2/warlock 2+/Sorcerer X with 30 Charisma (from books) can spit out 24d10+120 in one surprise round

[Talamare]

I haven't actually gone through and confirmed it, but here's a video for 65,000,000 damage from a cantrip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOtEZKfGiH0

Seems like the item that allows this is a homebrew item?

[Lombra]

I mean... if we get to use magic items... just an assassin 3/Fighter 2/warlock 2+/Sorcerer X with 30 Charisma (from books) can spit out 24d10+120 in one surprise round

Plus 36 from a rod of the pact keeper.

[JackPhoenix]

Do I win the contest?

Falling damage is capped at 20d6.

I take it that using Prestidigitation to make purple worm venom taste/smell like fine wine and then Friends when offering it to someone as a drink doesn't count?

Nope. Purple worm poison is injury poison, not ingested. It's perfectly safe to eat/drink.

[nickl_2000]

Nope. Purple worm poison is injury poison, not ingested. It's perfectly safe to eat/drink.

Unless they have an ulcer, a cut in their gums, a cankersore, or any other injury where it could get into the bloodstream.

[SharkForce]

Plus 36 from a rod of the pact keeper.

doesn't increase damage (except by making you hit more often, or by making someone fail a save more often).

[Lombra]

doesn't increase damage (except by making you hit more often, or by making someone fail a save more often).

I thougt it added bonus damage, my bad. Not bat to have around anyways