jgsugden
Legend
When I look at damage dealing I think about it in a few different categories:
1.) Single target or group.
2.) Efficiency versus Low defenses and high defenses.
3.) Reliability: Do they deal damage consistently, or less reliably but for higher damage per hit?
4.) Reliance - do they need tricks to support them?
In actual play, the greatest single target damage dealer was an Eldritch Knight / Gloom Stalker Great Weapon master / Paladin. In the first round of a big combat he would attack 10 (or 11) times, with each attack at +13 for 2d6 (reroll 1or 2) + 9 (Strength) + 3 weapon + 10 (great weapon master) ... and he'd smite on top of it. He got the drop on an Ancient Dragon and 'soloed it' before it acted (Surprise round and first round before dragon goes, dragon prone for advantage, 30 damager per hit and the PC was going to get about 17 to 19 attacks before it went.
In terms of area/group, I usually find that a high level sorcerer is my best bet.
1.) Single target or group.
2.) Efficiency versus Low defenses and high defenses.
3.) Reliability: Do they deal damage consistently, or less reliably but for higher damage per hit?
4.) Reliance - do they need tricks to support them?
In actual play, the greatest single target damage dealer was an Eldritch Knight / Gloom Stalker Great Weapon master / Paladin. In the first round of a big combat he would attack 10 (or 11) times, with each attack at +13 for 2d6 (reroll 1or 2) + 9 (Strength) + 3 weapon + 10 (great weapon master) ... and he'd smite on top of it. He got the drop on an Ancient Dragon and 'soloed it' before it acted (Surprise round and first round before dragon goes, dragon prone for advantage, 30 damager per hit and the PC was going to get about 17 to 19 attacks before it went.
In terms of area/group, I usually find that a high level sorcerer is my best bet.