I know the header says 2nd level, that seems to be the minimum level one can do such a thing. I was level 4 when I did it, and I am just curious, as it seems really powerful, but maybe that is the point.
Either way, at 4th level I have a 20 Strength with the Paladin, granting him a +5 damage with my melee weapon. He is weilding a Greatsword +1, so already I am doing 2d6 + 6.
If I Divine Smite I add another 2d8 damage. Okay, that is pretty strong, cool and all, but then as a bonus action I can expend a level 1 spell slot and do Thunderous Smite as well to add another 2d6 Thunder Damage?
So wait, let me get this straight.
At 4th level I can do 2d6 + 6 slashing, 2d6 thunder and 2d8 radiant damage all in ONE attack? For an average of 29 damage? And a max damage of 46, unless I crit, then it's a max damage of 58. Does this seems right? Is this not that powerful?
Thanks for any feedback.
Yup, you can do that in one attack per day.
Yeah, it's a really strong combo, but it's only once per day at that level. It's fine.
Just make sure you aren't using it on the kobold sorcerer with 10 HP that's disguised himself to look like the BBEG. 
Couldn't I just wipe out sub-bosses and bosses with this attack? Or at least come close to it?
Does anyone else have any really powerful once a day combos by 2nd to 4th level?
I'm not really into char-op myself, but yes there are probably other "nova" combinations. It would be very difficult to build a game where this wasn't the case.
But even getting a crit on your nova probably wouldn't 1-shot kill a monster with challenge rating of 4. If all of the party members nova on the same round? That's tough to counter,, and it's just something DMs need to learn to deal with.
Slit518 wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Slit518 wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Slit518 wrote:
I'm new to the 5e scene and I don't know how much of this is "common knowledge" here, so I apologize if any of this comes off as condescending. I'm assuming a naive audience (though I know calculations like this are pretty common) and explaining everything step-by-step.
Slit518 wrote:
A Paladin 2/Warlock 2 would have better luck with it, but then you're trading (and delaying) Paladin features for a (semi-)reliable nova.
20 STR isn't normal at those levels and impossible on point buy or standard spread. Lucky ability score rolls are exactly that and why there are DM's who don't use rolled ability scores. Aside from that, double smiting is entirely possible and with great weapon fighting style it would be higher than you calculated your average as you reroll a bit of the damage dice on the regular damage. That costs 2 spell slots compared to hold person or disonnant whispers that have strong damage potential too, as examples at those levels. A TWF ranger with 20 DEX, hunter's mark, and colossus slayer is 4d6+1d8+10 for similar damage much more consistently to help put it into perspective.
This is a funny thread - complaining that a Paladin with 20 Strength at 4th level and a magic weapon can do 'combo x' 1/day.
I think the game that Paladin is in has more problems if a MAD class like Paladin has a capped stat at 4th...
Caliburn wrote:
I'd love to see this combo used on a bunch of low hit point creatures swarmed around the paladin, where the optional DMG rule of carry-over damage is applied to adjacent creatures. I don't have the DMG with me but I think it would take out a lot and be super fun for pally to use.
EzechielDantan wrote:
Thanks for the input everyone, and the analysis Tempest_Stormwind!
Archon007 wrote:
Archon007 wrote:
Paladins are awesome slayers of the big bad ......tend to not outshine any other class when fighting hordes. It's all fine
Slit518 wrote:
Well 2nd ED had a point buy system as well. it didnt start in 3rd
Ninja_Ferret wrote:
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
People keep commenting on the 20 Str and +1 weapon.... but it barely changes anything. Compared to the weapon + Smite + Smite damage, another +2 is pretty meaningless.
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Paladins are the masters of limited, single target burst in 5e. It's their thing.
Ninja_Ferret wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Welcome to the 5E boards from me as well, Tempest!
I sincerely hope that you are not done with 3.5 just yet, since your posts are one of the few things that still brings me back to the system over and over.
As for the topic at hand - it is worth mentioning that a 4th level battlemaster with trip attack, pushing attack and action surge can deal 4d6+12+2d8 using nothing but encounter resources, push the target further and probably with better chance of success (since his DC is based on said 20 Str) and still have 2 maneuver dice and a second wind left for the encounter.
If there is something unbalancing about the paladin it is called sacred weapon and not divine smite.
EzechielDantan wrote:
RPGBG wrote:
Mathematically Advantage/Disadvantage adds up to close too +5/-5.
Caliburn wrote:
Caliburn wrote:
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
In case anyone was curious, the party was fighting an alternate, opposing plot based party of equal level. So for example, my level 4 Paladin was squaring off against another level 4 character. I understand, it depends on the class and stat combinations to determine how effective the "nova" attack would be. Assuming my enemy has no constitution bonus (a pretty bold assumption), I could theoretically wipe out almost any character who has average HP beyond 1st level with one of those strikes doing average damage. But then again, it comes into question, what is the opposing enemy's Armor Class? Either way, I got lucky and one-shotted the enemy, as I rolled above average on a majority of the die and average on the remainder. If I recall correctly, I did a whopping 42 damage out of a possible 46 max damage for a normal hit. It felt good, though the chances of rolling that well again are marginal at best.
Slit518 wrote:
A level 1 wizard has 8 HP (with +2 Con), and can cast magic missile for 10.5 damage.
mellored wrote:
TheReverend wrote:
awaken_D_M_golem wrote:
I am intrigued by your use of 'Kill Rates'... I have not delved into it very much. Interesting to see more of it in the future...
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
guachi wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
Caliburn wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
If you use a halberd instead and take 'Polearm Mastery' at lvl 1 you can Nova at lvl 2 like this.
1d10+3+1d4+3+2d8+2d8
You just have to roll to attack twice, once for main and second for bonus.
Nova.
Tempest_Stormwind wrote:
lastknightleft wrote: