D&D 5E Booming Blade vs Extra Attack for rogue

[auburn2]

Probably the choice that costs the least amount of non-rogue levels. One extra attack is worth about 2d8 from Booming Blade, so it's roughly equivalent in terms of pure damage at Tier 2 and falls somewhat behind at Tier 3. Extra Attack gets more valuable as SA dice increase because it increases the chances of landing. There's break points on both sides, and they're within a few points of damage of each other. So really, I'd just favor the dip that lets you get back to getting rogue levels and SA dice the quickest.

Not sure exactly what you mean by tier 2 and tier 3, but I would disagree with this. I think booming blade+SA always outruns a SA plus an extra attack, especially since you will give up 3d6 of SA dice to get an extra attack. Booming blade is +3d8 at 5th level (character level) and + 5d8 at 11th level. That includes the extra damage on the attack itself plus the damage when the enemy moves.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Not sure exactly what you mean by tier 2 and tier 3, but I would disagree with this. I think booming blade+SA always outruns a SA plus an extra attack, especially since you will give up 3d6 of SA dice to get an extra attack. Booming blade is +3d8 at 5th level (character level) and + 5d8 at 11th level. That includes the extra damage on the attack itself plus the damage when the enemy moves.

While it doesn't change your point, I find it's usually best to assume the extra damage form the enemy moving won't happen, because that's much more common.

But at 11th level, and arcane trickster is doing 1[W] + 6d6 SA + 2d8 BB, while a ranger/rogue using the spell is doing 1[W] +3d6 + 2d8. That's a big dropoff. They could double attack for 2[W] + 3d6 SA, but that's only a win by how much the weapon beats 9 points average damage, and not really a win over the extra 3d6 they would have gotten form not multiclassing.

In other words, pedantically, you're right, it's better - but not by as much as you said.

 

[TwoSix]

Not sure exactly what you mean by tier 2 and tier 3, but I would disagree with this. I think booming blade+SA always outruns a SA plus an extra attack, especially since you will give up 3d6 of SA dice to get an extra attack. Booming blade is +3d8 at 5th level (character level) and + 5d8 at 11th level. That includes the extra damage on the attack itself plus the damage when the enemy moves.

I always simulate BB as proccing about 50% of the time, so 2d8 for tier 2 and about 3.5d8 at tier 3. (The common terminology is that tier 2 is levels 5-10 and tier 3 is levels 11-16.)

I mean, you’re welcome to plot the graph, but it’s fairly obvious that Extra Attack will increase in value with increasing SA and increasing enemy AC, and BB is better with lower enemy AC. The exact break point will change level by level, with BB being most valuable at levels 5, 11, and 17.

 

[TwoSix]

While it doesn't change your point, I find it's usually best to assume the extra damage form the enemy moving won't happen, because that's much more common.

But at 11th level, and arcane trickster is doing 1[W] + 6d6 SA + 2d8 BB, while a ranger/rogue using the spell is doing 1[W] +3d6 + 2d8. That's a big dropoff. They could double attack for 2[W] + 3d6 SA, but that's only a win by how much the weapon beats 9 points average damage, and not really a win over the extra 3d6 they would have gotten form not multiclassing.

In other words, pedantically, you're right, it's better - but not by as much as you said.

And also, the most important thing is that those calculations don’t factor in accuracy, which is incredibly important when considering large chunks of damage like Sneak Attack.

Average damage comparisons aren’t really useful unless you’re comparing identical accuracy situations.