Ways to regularly add damage to an Attack action

Blue · Jun 13, 2019

What ways do we have for weapon wielders to regularly add damage to weapon attacks made with an Attack action. By regularly I mean enabled the majority of the time in a several-encounter day, but does not have to be every single attack. For instance both Rage (limited uses per day) and Hunter's Mage (low level slot needed) would count. Paladin Divine Smite would not because it uses so many more resources. The Elemental Weapon spell is a much higher level slot so it also wouldn't be available a good number of encounters per day.

Magic items are outside, as are boost by others - something you take a level or two of but are still a weapon wielder is fine. Something requiring 8 levels of sorcerer is not.

Also this is about damage per attack - while things like Bless or more attack will increase damage output, I'm trying to keep the scope of this focused.

I'm making this a wiki thread, so anyone can add to the list.

Just put the limitations after the item.

Melee

Barbarian rage (limited uses per day)
Bard (College of Swords) (uses Bardic Inspiration dice)
Cleric domains granting Divine Strike (1/turn)
Ranger (Hunter) Colossus Slayer (1/turn, must be damaged)
Ranger spell: Hunter's Mark
Rogue Sneak Attack (1/turn, finesse/ranged, activation limitations)
Warlock spell: Hex
Fighting Style: Duelist (one handed only)
Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting (two handed only)
Feat: Great Weapon Master (vs. some AC)

Ranged

Bard (College of Swords) (uses Bardic Inspiration dice)
Cleric domains granting Divine Strike (1/turn)
Ranger (Hunter) Colossus Slayer (1/turn, must be damaged)
Ranger spell: Hunter's Mark
Rogue Sneak Attack (1/turn, finesse/ranged, activation limitations)
Warlock spell: Hex
Feat: Sharpshooter (vs. some AC)

delph · Jun 13, 2019

Ranger Spell - Zephyr strike (1st lvl, 1d8 + advantage)

Feat - Charger +5 dmg

Fenris-77 · Jun 13, 2019

Melee/Ranged - Ranger (Gloomstalker) - Dread Amusher - extra attack on first round with +d8 damage (3rd level)

Melee/Ranged - Fighter (Battle Master) - Superiority Dice: 4d8 scaling with level (3rd level, short rest recharge)

krustyy · Jun 13, 2019

Not exactly an attack action, but for single action classes, adding in Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade is free additional damage as an alternative to making one attack. Works well with rogue, for example.

UngeheuerLich · Jun 20, 2019

I like the charger feat. As variant human, you might have fun with it for a few levels. After that it becomes quite situational.

delph · Jun 20, 2019

UngeheuerLich said:
I like the charger feat. As variant human, you might have fun with it for a few levels. After that it becomes quite situational.

I belive It could be fun for longer zimě. Barbarian on 5th lvl get 10 feet movement And with extra attack you can charge twice per turn. With GWM can deal +15 dmg without dice...

delph · Jun 20, 2019

delph said:
I belive It could be fun for longer zimě. Barbarian on 5th lvl get 10 feet movement And with extra attack you can charge twice per turn. With GWM can deal +15 dmg without dice...

And with extra attack Its 30 dmg

Blue · Jun 21, 2019

delph said:
And with extra attack Its 30 dmg

Charger feat requires using Dash as your action, then gives a bonus action attack for +5. So it gets no benefit for Extra Attack.

Actually, it doesn't even use the Attack action to qualify for this thread, sorry.

Esker · Jun 21, 2019

You've got sword bard dice but no one has mentioned battlemaster superiority dice yet (Edit: oops, Fenris did)? I think that's the only PHB option I can find that you didn't list unless you allow 2nd level spells (enlarge, shadow blade (not exactly adding damage, but creates a bigger-damage weapon)) but there are several others in other books:

Gloomstalker Ranger gets 1d8 extra damage on their first turn (Fenris got this too).
Horizon Walker Ranger gets an extra 1d8 (scaling to 2d8 at level 11) once per turn by using a bonus action.
Monster Slayer Ranger gets something very similar (at will bonus action to add 1d6 damage once per turn to a specific creature). Whereas Horizon Walker needs to use their bonus action every turn to get this damage, Monster Slayer only uses the BA when they want to designate a new creature.

Hexblade's Curse is all damage to one target per short rest; not sure what side of the "regularly" cutoff that falls on for you. (Not really a martial class, but neither is Hex, and it is also available at level 1)

Barbarian Path of the Zealot: While raging, add 1d6+(barbarian level / 2) to first attack each turn.

UA:

Brute Fighter Archetype gets an extra die on every attack.

Artificer Arcane Weapon spell is 1st level, adding 1d6 damage to every attack, much like Hex or Hunter's Mark but without needing to specify a target.

Esker · Jun 21, 2019

There's also the Savage Attacker feat, which is worth up to 2 extra (average) damage on one attack per turn if you use a d12 weapon. It's not great, but it does seem to qualify.