Average Damage From Piercer Dnd 5e

Decoding the Piercer Feat in D&D 5e: Average Damage Calculation and Optimization

The Piercer feat in D&D 5e is a tempting option for martial classes, promising increased damage output. But how much of a damage boost does it actually provide? This article delves into calculating the average damage increase from the Piercer feat, considering various factors and offering optimization strategies. Understanding this will help you decide if it's the right choice for your character build.

Understanding the Piercer Feat

The Piercer feat grants the following benefit: Once per turn, when you score a critical hit with a weapon, you can roll one of the weapon's damage dice one additional time and add it to the damage of the critical hit. This seemingly small addition can significantly impact your average damage output, particularly with weapons that have multiple damage dice.

Calculating Average Damage Increase

Calculating the precise increase in average damage from the Piercer feat requires a multi-step process:

1. Determine Base Weapon Damage: Start by identifying the average damage of your weapon. For example, a greatsword deals 2d6 slashing damage, averaging 7 damage (each die averages 3.5).

2. Calculate Critical Hit Damage: A critical hit doubles the dice rolled. So, for a greatsword, a critical hit averages 14 damage (7 x 2).

3. Factor in Piercer Feat: The Piercer feat adds one additional damage die to a critical hit. This means an additional 3.5 damage (the average of a d6) for the greatsword.

4. Total Critical Hit Damage with Piercer: For our greatsword example, the total critical hit damage with the Piercer feat would be 17.5 (14 + 3.5).

5. Critical Hit Chance: The probability of scoring a critical hit depends on your weapon and character. A +1 to hit increases your chance slightly, while a higher proficiency bonus makes a difference. A critical hit on a 20-sided die occurs with a probability of 5%. However, this can significantly increase if you have advantage on attack rolls. This probability must be factored into any overall damage calculation to understand the actual impact of the feat.

6. Overall Damage Increase: The actual average damage increase is determined by multiplying the increase in critical hit damage by the probability of a critical hit. For our example, let's assume a 5% critical hit chance. The overall increase would be 0.875 damage (3.5 * 0.05).

Factors Influencing Damage Increase

Several factors significantly influence the effectiveness of the Piercer feat:

• Weapon Dice: Weapons with more dice (e.g., a great axe's 1d12) benefit more from the added die than weapons with fewer dice (e.g., a dagger's 1d4).

• Critical Hit Chance: A higher critical hit chance (through abilities, spells, or features like advantage) drastically amplifies the Piercer feat's impact.

• Other Damage Bonuses: Adding other damage modifiers (strength, ability score increases, spells) multiplies the overall benefit. A 1d12 weapon with a +5 modifier, for instance, will see a greater proportional return from the Piercer than a 1d4 weapon with no other bonuses.

• Character Build: The Piercer feat is generally more effective for characters who prioritize critical hits. This might include those using a high-damage weapon with abilities or spells that improve their critical hit chance.

Optimizing Piercer Feat Usage

To maximize the impact of the Piercer feat, consider the following:

• Choose High-Damage Weapons: Prioritize weapons with multiple damage dice.
• Improve Critical Hit Chance: Use spells, abilities, or tactics that enhance your critical hit probability.
• Maximize Other Damage Sources: Increase your strength score and utilize abilities/spells that add damage.

Conclusion:

The Piercer feat is a potent damage-enhancing option, particularly for characters who can reliably land critical hits and utilize weapons with higher damage dice. While the damage increase might seem small at first glance, considering the probabilities and multiplicative effects of other damage boosters shows a greater impact on overall DPR (Damage Per Round). Remember to carefully analyze your character's build and playstyle before deciding if the Piercer feat aligns with your strategy.