As far as I'm concerned, there's no debate.
They radiate evil. If the paladin wasn't supposed to kill them, his Smite wouldn't fire correctly.
If they don't radiate evil, that's an entirely different situation.
Anything that radiates evil deserves to die. It's either personally loathsome and guaranteed to bring harm to the innocent, or worse, it's actively in the service of an evil power. Both of those deserve smiting.
And again, lest I be held up as a big ol' intolerant jerk... they radiated evil. If they didn't radiate evil, you have a dilemna. What you have now is a paladin who needs to start smiting.
(And yes, in my campaign, I wouldn't have them radiate evil.)
They radiate evil. If the paladin wasn't supposed to kill them, his Smite wouldn't fire correctly.
If they don't radiate evil, that's an entirely different situation.
Anything that radiates evil deserves to die. It's either personally loathsome and guaranteed to bring harm to the innocent, or worse, it's actively in the service of an evil power. Both of those deserve smiting.
And again, lest I be held up as a big ol' intolerant jerk... they radiated evil. If they didn't radiate evil, you have a dilemna. What you have now is a paladin who needs to start smiting.
(And yes, in my campaign, I wouldn't have them radiate evil.)