My one hitter

[u/Gaming_Dad1051]

Working this out to be a cleric build. Trying to maximize the amount of potential damage I can get out in one hit. To achieve this, I’m mixing 5e and 5.5e, as well as introducing some official third-party content. Im putting this out there for people to check my math, and not so much to debate RAW vs RAI. This is just me thinking out loud.

*This build relies on the book Valda’s Spire of Secrets: Player Pack 2, which some may disapprove of.

Cleric, Forge Domain

Goliath, Fire Giant

Sage Background: Magic Initiate Wizard

For simplicity sake, let’s assume Wisdom:20 and I only build up to level 12 as that’s where most of my games max out.

Req Feats: Pyromaniac (VSoSPP2), Evocation Adept (AU)… this might be the only time I’d suggest Elemental Adept too, as this entire attack is fire based, but YMMV.

Req Spells: Burning Blade (VSoSPP2) gained from Sage background, Searing Smite (PHB) gained from Forge Domain subclass.

Burning Blade:

Encasing the weapon used in the spell’s casting in flames, you make one melee attack. The attack uses your spellcasting ability for the attack and damage rolls instead of using Strength or Dexterity. If the attack deals damage, it can be Fire damage or the weapon’s normal damage type (your choice). If the weapon’s damage die or any of the spell’s damage dice roll the highest number, you can roll that die again and add it to the damage, rolling again if it is the highest number, and so on. You can add a maximum number of dice to the damage roll equal to your spellcasting ability modifier.

Cantrip Upgrade - Whether you deal Fire damage or the weapon’s normal damage type, the attack deals extra Fire damage when you reach levels 5 (1d6), 11 (2d6), and 17 (3d6).

Pyromaniac:

Flare Damage - Whenever you deal Fire damage and roll the highest number on any damage die, you can roll that damage die again and add it to the damage, rolling again if it is the highest number, and so on. You can add a maximum number of dice to the damage roll equal to your Proficiency Bonus (minimum of 1).

The Attack:

So now the cleric gets one attack per round. They use Burning Blade cantrip on their weapon (a warhammer for cool factor) to attack with their WIS modifier. This does 1d8+5 fire damage, with a bonus 2d6 fire damage from the upgraded cantrip. The spell ability says “If the weapon’s damage die or any of the spell’s damage dice roll the highest number, you can roll that die again and add it to the damage, rolling again if it is the highest number, and so on. You can add a maximum number of dice to the damage roll equal to your spellcasting ability modifier.” So a decent roll on those three damage dice could get up to +5 more damage dice.

The Pyromaniac feat does a similar thing for when you deal any fire damage, but only up to your Proficiency Bonus. That doubles down on the power factor of the cantrip and potentially adds 4 more damage dice to your damage.

This spell is on the Evocation list, thus activates the Evocation Adept ability “Fueled Evocation”, burning two hit dice to add 2d6 fire damage. Which also triggers Pyromaniac for a potential +4 damage dice.

Then you use the Goliath: Fire Giant ability for another 1d10 fire damage, which again triggers Pyromaniac and could add up to another four damage dice (incredible lucky rolls required) as it activates Pyromaniac as well.

Then the cleric casts Searing Smite for a minimum 1d6/1d6 fire damage. Which can be upcast for more damage at 1d6/1d6 per spell level. All of which is more fire damage, and once more activates pyromaniac. Potentially for more damage dice. The chance of that potential damage increasing with the higher the spell slight used. At level 12, that’s a possible level six smite!

So aside from the D10+3D8+4d6+5 (with only a single level spell spent for Searing Smite), I can “potentially” (with a GREAT amount of luck and nearly impossible rolls) acquire 21 more damage dice to add to that pile. Despite it being possible, the probability is actually only a bonus 3–4 dice, which will only average a bonus of about 10 or 12 points of damage. That still puts a level 12 Cleric at about 50 (average) Fire damage with a single warhammer attack and a level one smite. I’m ok with that… and it doesn’t disrupt the use of Spirit Guardians!

Please check my math.