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There are features such as the Evocation Wizard's Overchannel which states:

Starting at 14th level, you can increase the power of your simpler spells. When you cast a wizard spell of 1st through 5th-level that deals damage, you can deal maximum damage with that spell.

However there are also things such as the Battle Master Fighter's Parry Maneuver which states:

When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your superiority die + your Dexterity modifier.

If a Wizard uses Overchannel on a spell does that force the Battle Master to roll a 1 on their superiority die, as this maximizes the spell's damage?

Another example of such a feature is the enlarge/reduce spell which states:

[...] The target's weapons also shrink to match its new size. While these weapons are reduced, the target's attacks with them deal 1d4 less damage [...]

Would the 1d4 reduction be minimized if a Wizard used Overchannel on a spell such as booming blade?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Why do you think the overchannel feature would affect the feature of another character? \$\endgroup\$
    – GreySage
    Oct 11, 2019 at 20:25
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    \$\begingroup\$ @GreySage Why wouldn't it? It only says you deal the maximum damage \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Oct 11, 2019 at 20:25
  • \$\begingroup\$ I cannot remember where, but this may help someone to give an answer: there are rules about multiplicative and divisive modifiers on damage, in terms of priority order. \$\endgroup\$
    – Journer
    Oct 11, 2019 at 21:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Journer Maximizing damage is neither of those, though. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mark Wells
    Oct 11, 2019 at 23:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ Are you confused about what order to apply the abilities? They aren't happening simultaneously. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jason_c_o
    Oct 12, 2019 at 0:28

1 Answer 1

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No

You are taking the text description too literally. If the overchannel ability forced maximum damage then a spell which allows a saving throw for half damage would not allow the saving throw since that would result in less than maximum damage. Things like damage resistance and immunity could also be ignored since that would prevent maximum damage.

Overchannel just makes the damage dice roll for the spell automatically give you the highest roll possible.

For the battle master example, overchannel would mean your damage roll for the spell is maximized. The damage it actually does to the fighter would be reduced by the amount they roll (assuming you are attacking with a melee spell attack).

You can't overchannel an enlarge/reduce spell since the spell itself doesn't do damage, the weapon attacks you hit with while under the influence of it do damage which it provides a modifying roll to.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Critical hits double damage dice. You're saying overchannel maximizes damage dice, so it maximizes anything a crit would usually double. So what would you do with other negative modifiers such as in this question: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/154216 I've edited this into my original question if that's alright with you \$\endgroup\$
    – Exempt-Medic
    Oct 11, 2019 at 22:02
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    \$\begingroup\$ @medix That question is problematic because the selected answer says the negative 1d4 to the weapon's damage caused by reduce/enlarge count as the weapon's damage dice. Your higher rated (but not selected answer) states that the 1d4 are modifier dice, not damage dice, and therefore not affected by things that change damage dice. The distinction there between damage and modifier dice is congruent with Allan's answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rykara
    Oct 11, 2019 at 23:00

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