D&D 5e DPR Comparison by Build: Level 5 vs 11 vs 17

DPR is useful only when the assumptions are visible

Damage per round is not a personality test for characters. It is a narrow measurement: expected damage under a defined target AC, attack bonus, resource use, and tactical state. A rogue without Sneak Attack, a paladin saving smites, a warlock without Hex, and a fighter using Action Surge all produce different answers. This page keeps the assumptions in the open so the numbers are reusable instead of pretending to be universal rankings.

The levels 5, 11, and 17 matter because they represent major tier breakpoints. Level 5 brings Extra Attack and 3rd-level spells for full casters. Level 11 brings fighter's third attack, paladin's Improved Divine Smite, and warlock's third Eldritch Blast beam. Level 17 brings 9th-level spell access for full casters and the fourth Eldritch Blast beam.

How DPR is calculated

The formula is DPR = attacks x (hit chance x normal hit damage + crit chance x extra crit dice). Critical hits double damage dice but not flat modifiers under PHB p.196. The attack procedure uses PHB p.193-196, and weapon dice use the equipment tables around PHB p.149. This page uses a benchmark hit chance of 65% at each tier by pairing attack bonuses and ACs so the comparison focuses on class scaling rather than changing target numbers.

Benchmark assumptions: level 5 uses +7 to hit vs AC 15; level 11 uses +9 to hit vs AC 17; level 17 uses +11 to hit vs AC 19. Each hits on 8 or higher, so hit chance is 65% including the natural 20 crit chance. Crit chance is 5%. The builds are intentionally simple: no magic weapons, no subclass nova features, no advantage, no Great Weapon Master or Sharpshooter, and no party buffs unless stated.

Baseline DPR table at levels 5, 11, and 17

These numbers show why context matters. Warlock looks excellent because Hex is included and Eldritch Blast gains beams by character level. If Hex drops or concentration is needed for a different spell, the number changes. Paladin looks modest because smites are excluded; add smites and burst rises quickly. Fighter looks flat from 11 to 17 because the fourth attack arrives at level 20, outside this comparison.

Worked examples behind the table

Level 5 greatsword fighter: Greatsword is 2d6, average 7. Strength 18 adds +4, so normal hit damage is 11. Extra crit dice are another 2d6, average 7. One attack is 0.65 x 11 + 0.05 x 7 = 7.50. Two attacks make 15.00 DPR. Action Surge would double that for one round, but it is not included in baseline sustained DPR.

Level 11 rogue: Rapier is 1d8 average 4.5. Dexterity 20 adds +5. Sneak Attack at level 11 is 6d6, average 21. Normal hit damage is 30.5. Extra crit dice are 1d8 + 6d6, average 25.5. DPR is 0.65 x 30.5 + 0.05 x 25.5 = 21.10, assuming Sneak Attack applies.

Level 17 warlock: Eldritch Blast has four beams by character level 17. With Agonizing Blast, Charisma 20, and Hex, each beam hits for 1d10 + 5 + 1d6, average 14. Extra crit dice are 1d10 + 1d6, average 9. One beam is 0.65 x 14 + 0.05 x 9 = 9.55; four beams make 38.20 DPR.

How feats and advantage change the result

Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter are not always correct. The -5/+10 option is a trade between accuracy and damage. It usually improves DPR when hit chance remains high after the penalty, especially with advantage. If a character has 65% base hit chance, applying -5 often drops the hit chance by about 25 percentage points to around 40% in the middle of the d20 range. The added 10 damage must compensate for all the lost hits.

Advantage changes the math dramatically. A 65% hit chance becomes 1 - (1 - 0.65)^2 = 87.75%. That is why Reckless Attack, Faerie Fire, restrained targets, prone melee targets, and familiar Help actions can turn a feat from risky into excellent. The correct DPR question is never "is this feat good?" It is "what is my hit chance after the penalty in this fight?"

How to use DPR without making worse characters

DPR ignores control, mobility, defense, healing, exploration, social leverage, and risk. A paladin aura that prevents two failed saves may be worth more than 10 DPR. A shove that grants advantage to three allies may beat a single weapon attack. A wizard casting Hypnotic Pattern may deal zero damage and still end the encounter. DPR is a flashlight, not the whole map.

Use DPR to compare two versions of the same plan: longsword or greatsword, Hex or no Hex, advantage or no advantage, smite now or later. Do not use it to bully someone out of a character concept. The most useful optimizer at the table is the one who can explain the tradeoff and then let the group choose the fun version knowingly.

Nova DPR vs sustained DPR

Sustained DPR answers "what happens if I do this every round?" Nova DPR answers "what happens when I spend limited resources now?" Mixing those numbers is the fastest way to make a bad comparison. A fighter using Action Surge, a paladin spending high-level smites, a rogue landing a critical Sneak Attack, and a caster unloading a top slot are all real plays, but they should not be averaged into a baseline unless you also account for how often the resource is available.

For example, the level 5 fighter baseline in this guide is 15.00 DPR. With Action Surge in the same benchmark, the fighter makes four attacks for one round and reaches 30.00 expected weapon damage. That is a true nova round, but it is not every round. A short-rest-heavy campaign makes that spike more available; a no-short-rest sprint makes it precious.

Paladin nova is even more resource-sensitive. A first-level smite adds 2d8, average 9, and doubles on a crit. A higher-level smite adds more dice up to its limits. Because the paladin decides after seeing the hit, smite resources are less likely to be wasted than a spell attack that misses. That post-hit spending is a major part of paladin strength and should be listed separately from no-smite weapon DPR.

Warlock Hex is somewhere between baseline and resource. It costs a spell slot and concentration, but can last across multiple targets if maintained. If the warlock expects several fights before a short rest and needs concentration for control, Hex may not be the right assumption. DPR pages that include Hex should say so clearly, as this one does.

Accuracy sensitivity and why AC changes rankings

At 65% hit chance, extra flat damage is valuable but missed attacks still matter. At 40% hit chance, accuracy becomes king. At 85% hit chance, damage riders and extra attacks shine. This is why advantage, Bless from PHB p.219, magic weapons, Archery fighting style, and enemy AC can change rankings more than a subclass feature.

Consider a simple 1d8+5 attack. At 65% hit chance with 5% crit chance, DPR is 0.65 x 9.5 + 0.05 x 4.5 = 6.40. At 40% hit chance, it is 0.40 x 9.5 + 0.05 x 4.5 = 4.03. At 85% hit chance, it is 0.85 x 9.5 + 0.05 x 4.5 = 8.30. The same character did not change; the target number did.

This matters for -5/+10 feats. Against low AC with advantage, the penalty may be a bargain. Against high AC without advantage, it may be a trap. A good player toggles the option by fight. A great player asks the party to create advantage first, then toggles it.

Damage resistance and vulnerability also change DPR after the hit calculation. If a monster resists the weapon damage but not a paladin's radiant smite, the paladin's relative value increases. If a monster resists fire, the classic Fireball comparison drops. Always apply hit probability first, then damage modification, then resource limits.

Using the benchmark with your own character sheet

To adapt the table, replace only one assumption at a time. First replace attack bonus and AC to get your real hit chance. Then replace damage dice and modifiers. Then add advantage, Bless, magic weapons, subclass riders, or limited resources. If you change everything at once, you will not know which choice improved the result.

Keep a no-resource line and a spend-resource line. For a paladin, write "weapon only" and "with one 2nd-level smite." For fighter, write "normal round" and "Action Surge round." For a warlock, write "without Hex" and "with Hex." That habit makes DPR useful during actual play because you can decide whether the resource is worth spending now.

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