About This D&D 5e Damage Calculator

This comprehensive damage calculator is designed specifically for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, providing accurate damage calculations for weapons, spells, and special abilities. Whether you're a Dungeon Master running combat encounters or a player optimizing your character's damage output, this tool handles all the complex mathematics behind D&D's damage system.

Key Features:

• Weapon Damage: Calculate damage for all weapon types including melee and ranged weapons
• Spell Damage: Support for spell damage with scaling and spell levels
• Critical Hits: Automatic critical hit damage calculation with doubled dice
• Resistance & Vulnerability: Apply damage resistance, vulnerability, and immunity
• Special Abilities: Include Sneak Attack, Divine Smite, and other class features
• Multiple Attacks: Calculate damage for multiple attacks with hit probability
• Advanced Modifiers: Damage reduction, temporary HP, and complex scenarios

The calculator uses official D&D 5e rules and mechanics, ensuring accuracy for your games. All damage types are supported, from basic physical damage (slashing, piercing, bludgeoning) to magical damage types (fire, cold, lightning, etc.).

How to Use the Damage Calculator

Basic Usage:

1. Choose a Weapon or Spell: Use the quick presets or manually enter damage dice
2. Set Damage Parameters: Enter the number of dice, dice type (d4, d6, d8, etc.), and damage bonus
3. Select Damage Type: Choose from all 13 D&D damage types
4. Configure Target: Set target AC, your attack bonus, and any resistances
5. Add Modifiers: Include advantage/disadvantage, critical hits, and special abilities
6. Calculate: Click the calculate button to see detailed results

Advanced Features:

• Quick Presets: Instantly load common weapons and spells
• Critical Hit Handling: Automatically doubles damage dice (not modifiers)
• Resistance Calculations: Proper order of operations for damage reduction
• Multi-Attack Support: Calculate average damage across multiple attacks
• Roll History: Track your damage rolls for reference
• Damage Breakdown: See exactly how each component contributes to total damage

Tips for Accurate Results:

• Always include your ability modifier in the damage bonus
• Remember that critical hits only double the damage dice, not flat bonuses
• Resistance is applied after all other damage calculations
• Use the character level field for scaling cantrips and class features

D&D 5e Damage Mechanics & Tips

Understanding Damage Types:

• Physical Damage: Slashing (swords), Piercing (arrows), Bludgeoning (hammers)
• Elemental Damage: Fire, Cold, Lightning, Thunder, Acid
• Energy Damage: Force, Radiant, Necrotic
• Mental Damage: Psychic
• Toxic Damage: Poison

Critical Hit Rules:

When you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll, you score a critical hit. This means:

• The attack automatically hits regardless of AC
• You roll all damage dice twice and add them together
• Flat bonuses (like ability modifiers) are NOT doubled
• Additional effects like Sneak Attack dice are also doubled

Resistance and Vulnerability:

• Resistance: Take half damage from specific damage types
• Vulnerability: Take double damage from specific damage types
• Immunity: Take no damage from specific damage types
• Order of Operations: Apply all bonuses first, then apply resistance/vulnerability

Combat Optimization Tips:

• High damage weapons benefit more from accuracy bonuses than damage bonuses
• Critical hit fishing works best with weapons that have expanded crit ranges
• Consider damage types when facing creatures with resistances
• Multiple smaller attacks often outperform single large attacks due to accuracy
• Advantage roughly equals a +5 bonus to hit in most situations

Common Damage Calculations:

• Longsword (one-handed): 1d8 + STR modifier slashing
• Longsword (two-handed): 1d10 + STR modifier slashing
• Shortbow: 1d6 + DEX modifier piercing
• Fire Bolt (cantrip): 1d10 fire (scales with level)
• Fireball (3rd level): 8d6 fire (Dex save for half)