The average damage of Magic Missile scales directly with the spell slot level used to cast it, increasing consistently for each level above 1st. This reliable spell is known for its guaranteed hits and consistent damage output.
Understanding Magic Missile's Damage Scaling
Magic Missile creates multiple darts of magical force, each of which automatically hits a target of your choice within range. Each individual dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage.
When cast using a higher-level spell slot, Magic Missile generates an additional dart for each spell slot level above 1st. This means a 1st-level spell slot produces three darts, a 2nd-level slot produces four darts, and so on. Since each dart contributes 1d4 + 1 damage, the total average damage increases proportionally with the number of darts generated.
Average Damage Values for Magic Missile
The table below outlines the damage dice and corresponding average damage for Magic Missile when cast using 1st and 2nd-level spell slots.
| Spell Slot Level | Damage Dice (Total) | Average Damage (Total) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3d4 + 3 | 10.5 |
| 2nd | 4d4 + 4 | 14 |
Explanation of Damage Calculations:
-
1st-Level Spell Slot:
- Casts 3 darts.
- Each dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage.
- Total damage: (1d4 + 1) + (1d4 + 1) + (1d4 + 1) = 3d4 + 3.
- The average roll for a d4 is 2.5. Therefore, the average damage is (3 * 2.5) + 3 = 7.5 + 3 = 10.5.
-
2nd-Level Spell Slot:
- Casts 4 darts (3 base + 1 for casting at 2nd level).
- Each dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage.
- Total damage: (1d4 + 1) * 4 = 4d4 + 4.
- The average damage is (4 * 2.5) + 4 = 10 + 4 = 14.
As demonstrated, the average damage of Magic Missile increases by 3.5 for each spell slot level above 1st, reflecting the addition of one extra dart.
