D&D 5E Is there a handy table for average damage?

[DinoInDisguise]

No.

What dice do I roll if I want the average damage to be 35?

8d8-1 I believe

 

[ezo]

No, a table that lists
3: 1d6, 1d4+1
4: 1d8, 1d6+1, 1d4+2
5: 1d10, 1d8+1, 1d6+2, 1d4+3, 2d4
etc…

The idea is not to figure out the average damage of a given dice code, but to quickly figure out what dice code(s) to use to get the average damage you want a monster’s attack to deal.

The only issue with doing it like this is more that there are so many ways, and typically the die type you want to make sense and the modifier also, but is more arbitrary.

What dice do I roll if I want the average damage to be 35?

I think you really need to start with having an idea of the die type and modifier first, though, right?

For example, you want a Large creature with STR 22 (+6) to average 35 damage. Large is often d10 (based on their own hit dice as well as other reasons) or 2d6 or 2d8.

So, looking at d6, d8, d10 for 29 (the +6 takes care of the rest), you might go with 7d6 (28), 5d8 (28), or 4d10 (28). At which point you are happy with an average of 34 or bump up the STR to 24 (+7) to make it 35.

 

[Morrus]

The only issue with doing it like this is more that there are so many ways, and typically the die type you want to make sense and the modifier also, but is more arbitrary.


I think you really need to start with having an idea of the die type and modifier first, though, right?

For example, you want a Large creature with STR 22 (+6) to average 35 damage. Large is often d10 (based on their own hit dice as well as other reasons) or 2d6 or 2d8.

So, looking at d6, d8, d10 for 29 (the +6 takes care of the rest), you might go with 7d6 (28), 5d8 (28), or 4d10 (28). At which point you are happy with an average of 34 or bump up the STR to 24 (+7) to make it 35.

It’s ok it was sorted with the table in Sly Flourish’s book. (And also the awesome sheets above). All solved!