What is the Highest DPS Spell in D&D?

The answer, in most straightforward terms, is Meteor Swarm. This 9th-level evocation spell is renowned for its sheer destructive potential. While spells like Wish hold incredible power for manipulating reality and duplicating other spells, and others might deal single-target massive damage, nothing quite matches the raw, area-of-effect damage output of Meteor Swarm for consistently high potential damage per second (DPS). It’s important to note that ‘DPS’ isn’t an official D&D term and traditionally damage is resolved per action or turn, not strictly per second, but its usage helps demonstrate the sheer output of this powerful spell.

Meteor Swarm unleashes four meteors that each strike within a 40-foot radius of a point the caster chooses within a mile range. Each meteor deals 20d6 fire damage and 20d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed Dexterity saving throw. Even on a successful save, the affected creature still takes half damage. This means that, potentially, a single cast of Meteor Swarm can deal up to 480 damage (240 bludgeoning + 240 fire) before taking saving throws into consideration and with some damage still dealt on a successful save. This level of explosive damage makes it the highest burst damage spell in D&D, translating to highest potential DPS over the course of a single round.

The Anatomy of Destruction: Why Meteor Swarm Reigns Supreme

Area of Effect

The sheer area of effect that Meteor Swarm possesses is a key factor. Unlike many single-target or smaller AoE spells, Meteor Swarm’s four independent 40-foot radii of effect allows for the spell to cover a vast area. If enemies are clustered together, they are likely to be hit by multiple meteors, maximizing the total damage output. While Fireball may be a good benchmark for AoE damage spells, it’s only a third-level spell and can’t compete with the devastating effect of four, independently targeted meteors.

Damage Types and Volume

40d6 damage total in a single action is simply unmatched by most other spells. The combined damage is split evenly between fire and bludgeoning, which are two very common damage types. While some enemies might have resistance or immunity to one of the types, they are unlikely to have both, ensuring that at least some of the damage will land. Even with saving throws the massive volume of dice means that the minimum potential damage is still incredibly high, typically in the region of 120 damage even with middling rolls and multiple successful saves.

Limitations & Considerations

While Meteor Swarm is indeed powerful, it’s not without limitations. The Dexterity saving throw required by the spell can potentially mitigate half of the damage (but not all!). Additionally, 9th-level spells can only be cast by the highest-level spellcasters (level 17 and above), making the spell unavailable to most characters for a large portion of their campaigns. The range of one mile is substantial, however if the battle is closer or the battlefield is very restricted, Meteor Swarm might be difficult to utilize to its full potential. Some enemies might also be resistant or immune to fire or bludgeoning damage, reducing its effectiveness in specific encounters.

Related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Wish not more powerful than Meteor Swarm?

Wish is indeed the most powerful spell in D&D in terms of its potential to bend reality and duplicate any lower-level spell. However, in terms of sheer damage output in a single combat round, Meteor Swarm takes the lead as a direct damage dealer. Wish’s power is more about versatility than pure damage.

2. What are some other high damaging spells in D&D 5e?

Besides Meteor Swarm, other high damage spells include:
* Psychic Scream (9th Level Enchantment): Deals significant psychic damage and can stun.
* Disintegrate (6th Level Transmutation): Deals a massive amount of force damage to one target.
* Power Word Kill (9th Level Enchantment): Instantly kills creatures at a certain health threshold.

3. How many damage dice does Meteor Swarm deal?

Meteor Swarm deals 40d6 damage in total, split between 20d6 fire damage and 20d6 bludgeoning damage.

4. Can Meteor Swarm affect multiple enemies?

Yes, Meteor Swarm is an area-of-effect (AoE) spell. Each of the four meteors strikes within a 40-foot radius, meaning multiple enemies can be hit by one or more meteors.

5. What damage type is the most common in D&D?

The most common damage types in D&D are magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing, followed by force and radiant damage.

6. What is the most powerful spell a mortal character can cast?

Wish is the most powerful spell a mortal character can cast in D&D 5e due to its incredible flexibility and potential to alter reality.

7. What is the highest-level spell that exists?

The standard highest level spell in D&D 5e is 9th level, which include powerful spells such as Meteor Swarm, Wish, Time Stop and more. While Karsus’s Avatar is a 12th level spell that exists in lore, it’s not available in the standard game. Some older editions of D&D had some 10th level spells.

8. What is the maximum damage a spell can do?

In terms of base maximum damage, Meteor Swarm deals 40d6 of damage which can be calculated to be a theoretical maximum of 240 bludgeoning and 240 fire damage. Other spells can also potentially deal a lot of damage on a singular target, particularly when combined with other features and abilities.

9. What are some ways to enhance damage on spells?

Ways to enhance damage on spells include:

• Using Potions of Maximum Power to maximize damage on low-level spells.
• Utilizing class features or feats to improve spell damage or casting.
• Taking advantage of vulnerabilities that enemies might possess.
• Gaining an advantage on attack rolls or forcing disadvantage on enemy saving throws.
• Using metamagic options, such as Empowered Spell, to reroll or add to damage dice.

10. What is the 5d8 spell in D&D?

The 5d8 spell being referred to is Sleep. It’s a 1st-level enchantment spell that puts a number of hit points worth of creatures into a magical slumber.

11. What is the best spellcaster class in D&D?

The Wizard is widely considered the best spellcaster class due to its vast spell list and numerous subclasses, allowing for a high level of versatility. It’s followed closely by the Sorcerer with their metamagic, and the Cleric and Druid with their access to divine or natural magic.

12. Can a Druid turn into a dragon?

Yes, a Druid can turn into a dragon by using the Shapechange (9th level Transmutation spell).

13. What is the best 1st level spell?

There is no one ‘best’ level 1 spell, but some of the most useful include:

• Magic Missile as a reliable source of damage.
• Healing Word for a quick burst of healing in combat.
• Detect Magic for identifying magical effects.

14. What is the hardest spell to master?

This depends on what metrics are being used. Spells like Wish, with the potential to drastically change the world, would require the highest degree of knowledge and understanding to utilize fully, while spells like Time Stop could have a steep learning curve for their efficient use in combat.

15. What is a ‘DPS’ calculation in D&D?

DPS, or Damage Per Second, isn’t an official term in D&D. However, it’s often used by players to describe how much potential damage a spell or ability can inflict during a round or a turn, highlighting the speed and consistency of the damage output. While D&D is a turn based system, spells like Meteor Swarm that have multiple targets and high damage dice can be thought of as high DPS.

In conclusion, while Wish offers unmatched versatility and single-target spells can sometimes deal more damage in specific scenarios, Meteor Swarm stands out as the spell with the highest potential DPS for area-of-effect damage within the bounds of standard D&D rules due to its massive 40d6 damage output and its ability to affect multiple targets simultaneously. It’s a force of nature that players dream of unleashing on their foes.