[RPG] a damage roll

combatdamagednd-5e

How do the rules define Damage Roll?

Example, a Hexblade Rogue hits and rolls damage for attack with

  • a short sword (1d6 piercing),
  • as a sneak attack (2d6 piercing),
  • while Hex spell is active on target (1d6 necrotic),
  • with blade coated with Serpent Venom (3d6 poison, save for half),
  • adding Valor Bard's Combat Inspiration (1d6, piercing?)

How is this attack divided into separate Damage Rolls? Or is this all combined together to just one instance of rolling the damage dice?

Another example, where this might be relevant. This is a bit contrived example, but certainly possible even for PCs for example with effects that drain strength, or if stats are rolled:

A creature with Strength modifier -3 attacks with a +1 magic club with aid of Valor Bard's Combat Inspiration 1d6, and rolls 1 with 1d4. Combat inspiration damage is 3. Minimum damage is 0, so this can either be

max(0, 1 from dice 
       +1 from magic weapon 
       -3 from strength) 
+3 from combat inspiration 
= 3

or

max(0, 1 from dice 
       +1 from magic weapon 
       -3 from strength 
       +3 from combat inspiration)
= 2

Depending on just where the "minimum damage is 0" rule is applied.

For reference, the Basic rules say this about Damage Rolls but it doesn't really answer above:

Damage Rolls

Each weapon, spell, and harmful monster ability specifies the damage it deals. You roll the damage die or dice, add any modifiers, and apply the damage to your target. Magic weapons, special abilities, and other factors can grant a bonus to damage.

With a penalty, it is possible to deal 0 damage, but never negative damage.

When attacking with a weapon, you add your ability modifier–the same modifier used for the attack roll–to the damage. A spell tells you which dice to roll for damage and whether to add any modifiers.

(This question is inspired by this more specific question about Grave Domain Cleric's Grave Touched feature.)

Best Answer

"Damage Roll" doesn't have a hidden meaning

It just means any roll of damage dice. The rules don't actually say about "damage rolls", the terms "damage" and "damage dice" are used instead:

  • "damage" — a numeric quantity with a specific damage type
  • "damage dice" — any dice which are used for calculating damage

These terms are described in the "Damage Rolls" chapter, but "Damage Rolls" is just a name of the chapter, not a specific kind of rolls:

You roll the damage die or dice, add any modifiers, and apply the damage to your target.

See also Does "flat" damage count as a "damage roll"?

The PHB indeed has a few mentions of "damage rolls" or "weapon damage rolls", but they mean nothing special but rolling some damage dice. Compare this to an explicitly defined kinds of rolls:

Ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws are the three main kinds of d20 rolls

Both damage and damage dice can be modified in some cases. "Damage dice" are doubled when there is a crit. "Damage" can be doubled or halved depending on resistance/vulnerability. Since addition is commutative, you can roll damage dice in any order, either sequential or simultaneously — the result will be the same.

The only case when it does matter is the Instant Death (a.k.a. "massive damage") rule. But this doesn't depend on what a "damage roll" is, it just depends on damage itself. See Is damage from multiple damage types cumulative for death and massive damage?

Critical Hits description is a bit inconsistent

The generic rule is:

Roll all of the attack's damage dice twice and add them together.

One can think only weapon damage dice should be doubled. However, spell attacks can score a critical hit. Features like Sneak Attack can deal double damage as well. The PHB says about this explicitly in relevant chapters. See See How does extra damage work for critical hits?

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