6
\$\begingroup\$

The question what damage type your caster should focus on has two sides:

  1. you have to know what type most monsters are sensitive to
  2. you need to know what types are avilable

The first one is covered here, but I cannot find anything about the second one.
Has anyone seen a list of damage types by spell level?

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't think this is "too broad" given the similar question linked. The task is bigger, but I don't think it's any different in form. \$\endgroup\$
    – NotArch
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 16:18

2 Answers 2

20
\$\begingroup\$

Thanks to Nautarch's link, I have compiled the following chart:

\begin{array} {|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|r|} \hline &0th &1st &2nd &3rd &4th &5th &6th &7th &8th &9th &total \\ \hline Acid &1 &2 &1 &3 &2 &0 &0 &1 &0 &2 &12\\ \hline Cold &2 &4 &1 &3 &3 &1 &3 &1 &0 &2 &20\\ \hline Fire &4 &5 &5 &5 &3 &2 &1 &3 &1 &2 &31\\ \hline Force &1 &1 &1 &0 &0 &3 &1 &1 &0 &0 &8\\ \hline Lightning &2 &3 &0 &5 &2 &0 &1 &1 &0 &2 &16\\ \hline Necrotic &1 &3 &0 &2 &1 &1 &3 &2 &1 &0 &14\\ \hline Poison &1 &2 &0 &0 &0 &1 &0 &1 &0 &1 &6\\ \hline Psychic &1 &2 &1 &0 &2 &0 &0 &0 &1 &1 &8\\ \hline Radiant &1 &2 &2 &3 &1 &2 &2 &0 &1 &0 &14\\ \hline Thunder &2 &4 &1 &2 &1 &1 &0 &0 &0 &1 &12\\ \hline Bludgeoning &1 &3 &3 &3 &4 &3 &2 &1 &2 &2 &24\\ \hline Slashing &0 &1 &2 &0 &0 &0 &2 &0 &0 &0 &5\\ \hline Piercing &0 &4 &2 &0 &1 &1 &1 &0 &0 &0 &9\\ \hline \end{array}

A few notes:

I compiled it by searching the whole spell compendium by level and damage type, and just counting the results for each combination of level and damage type. I did my best to avoid counting the SRD and PHB version of spells multiple times (I.E. Only counting Bigby's Hand and Arcane Hand as one spell). The filters I used included all official sources up through Tales From the Yawning Portal as of the compilation of this chart.

Also, this chart only takes into account what was on the D&D Beyond compendium as of 7/12/2017 and thus won't include any new entries, unearthed arcana spells, or content that is missing from the DND:Beyond spell compendium. I also put my faith entirely in the categorization in D&D:Beyond. That is, if any spell actually does deal a form of damage, but D&D:Beyond didn't categorize that spell as dealing that damage type, then it would be omitted from this chart.

Finally, some spells either have multiple damage types, or have the option to choose from a variety of damage types. In both circumstances said spell was counted for every damage type that it could possibly inflict. The one exception to this is the wish spell which, due to its ability to copy any other spell of the 8th level or lower, has been omitted entirely.

\$\endgroup\$
5
  • \$\begingroup\$ Does this include all PHB spells, all SCAG, and (if any) spells in Volo's or other published material? (EE Players Companion is official material). \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 17:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ @KorvinStarmast The filters on D&D: Beyond included all official sources up through Tales From the Yawning Portal when I compiled the chart. So I'm fairly confident that those are all included. \$\endgroup\$
    – Adam
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 17:26
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ OK, thanks for taking the time to put this together. (Already had a +1) \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 17:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Adam some chat we've had on the subject of applying this answer to character building: chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/38734267#38734267 \$\endgroup\$
    – godskook
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 17:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ now that new spells are published in Xanathar's Guide to Everything, an update to this would be cool. (I'd do it but my XGtE seems to have been lost or misplaced. :( ) \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 5, 2018 at 21:31
4
\$\begingroup\$

DNDBEYOND.COM

WOTC's own property allows for advanced searching by spell level and damage type.

I understand that this is not the complete answer, but the specific answer is a question of effort and not of understanding. The tool is listed that can provide the information requested.

\$\endgroup\$
3
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ that is great, could you share a table of the compiled results? It is just 10 levels times 13 damage types :) \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 16:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ I can take a whack at making the table later. Will post as answer when I have time \$\endgroup\$
    – BanjoFox
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 16:49
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ This should be a comment, it is just the first, small step in the direction of the answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – András
    Commented Jul 12, 2017 at 18:45

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .