Is Booming Blade Doubled on a Crit?
The debate on whether Booming Blade, a popular 5th-level evocation spell in Dungeons & Dragons, gets doubled on a critical hit has been a topic of discussion among players and game masters alike. In this article, we’ll dive into the intricacies of the spell and provide a direct answer to the question, along with some insightful details and examples.
What is Booming Blade?
Before we dive into the question at hand, let’s quickly summarize what Booming Blade is. The spell, found in the Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, allows you to make a melee attack with a magical flail, dealing an additional 2d8 thunder damage to the target. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking an additional 2d8 thunder damage on a failed save.
The Initial Damage
The initial damage dealt by Booming Blade is equal to the spell’s dice, which is 2d8 in this case. This damage is determined by rolling two eight-sided dice and adding the results together.
Critical Hits
When you score a critical hit with a spell, you roll the dice twice and take the highest result. This is an optional rule that allows players to add a bit more excitement to their combat encounters.
Does Booming Blade Get Doubled on a Crit?
So, does Booming Blade get doubled on a critical hit? The answer is no. According to the spell’s description, the additional damage is added to the initial damage, regardless of whether the attack was a critical hit or not. The additional damage remains the same, and you don’t get to re-roll the dice or take the highest result.
Here’s a summary of the rules:
| Situation | Initial Damage | Additional Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Critical Hit | 2d8 | 2d8 |
| Critical Hit | 2d8 ( highest result) | 2d8 |
As you can see, the initial damage doesn’t change regardless of whether the attack was a critical hit or not. The additional damage remains the same, and you don’t get to re-roll the dice or take the highest result.
Implications and Examples
Now that we’ve clarified the rules, let’s explore some implications and examples:
- If you roll a critical hit with Booming Blade, you’ll deal a total of 4d8 thunder damage (2d8 initial damage + 2d8 additional damage).
- If the target fails its Constitution saving throw, it’ll take an additional 4d8 thunder damage (2d8 additional damage x 2).
- You can’t re-roll the dice or take the highest result for the additional damage. The spell’s mechanics are designed to add a flat amount of damage to the initial damage, rather than doubling the damage.
- Booming Blade doesn’t interact with other sources of damage multiplication, such as the Wild Surge ability or the Fireball spell’s explosion effect.
In conclusion, Booming Blade does not get doubled on a critical hit. The additional damage remains the same, and you don’t get to re-roll the dice or take the highest result. However, the spell’s mechanics are still incredibly powerful and can make for a devastating attack against your enemies.