D&D 5E Would you use Paladin "smite" spells if they were not concentration?

[Tobold]

I don't see the level 1 Paladin "smite" spells (Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite) used very often. While they can be situationally good, the fact that they require concentration means they don't mix well with more standard spells like Bless or Compelled Duel. Fortunately the great thing about D&D is that you can change the rules. So I was wondering if I should change the smite spells to not require concentration in my campaign.

Do you think that is a good idea? Would you use the smite spells if they weren't concentration?

 

[Dualazi]

I do not, mostly because savvy gamers will notice then that you can queue up multiple smites on a single swing, and then have impressive nova potential along with the status effects of spells like Banishing Smite. The real problem is that for a large portion of the game, the rider effects aren't worth it when you can just wait till a swing connects and drop a regular smite.

A more complicated solution I think would be to remove the default smite ability and give the paladin the ability to convert spell slots to a smite spell of the same level. It fixes paladins crit-fishing and dual-wield/polearm master novas in addition to making them choose between having bless up or keeping a smite on their weapon.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Don't those spells cast as a bonus action? From what I recall, you would be able to cast a smite spell as a bonus action, and then hit and spend an additional spell slot to also smite with the class feature. And in that way, you could burn through your spell slots even faster.

Given that there are already players who go out of their way to smite four times in a round, I doubt they would give up the chance to make that five.

 

[CapnZapp]

Yes, the previous posters have it right. The main problem with the smite spells isn't Concentration.

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[Tobold]

Your players must be using a very different play style than mine. Mine save Divine Smite for critical hits. Maybe a question of levels, the paladin in my campaign is level 4 and certainly doesn't "smite four times per round", having only one single attack per round, and 3 spell slots.

 

[The Human Target]

I echo the sentiment that Concentration isn't the problem.

 

[akr71]

It has been my experience that many paladin spells are not used at all. Spell slots are cashed in for Divine Smite more than actual casting at my table.

 

[smbakeresq]

You should be using Wrathful Smite, it’s pretty good as frightened is a good condition and to get out of the spell it’s a wisdom CHECK, not a save, which the spells makes them take at disadvantage.

Thunderous Smite is better than a Smite with a first level spell at early levels since you get the push and prone too.

Bless is just very good, someone should be concentrating on it.

Spirit Guardians is worth Oath of the Crown by itself.

Aura of Vitality is just great if you need healing. 20-120 HP of healing with little chance of wasting any of it is good. A level of Life Cleric boosts this to 70-170, but usually that’s a life cleric 1/Lore Bard.

Destructive Wave is excellent.

Paladins have a lot of uses for spells outside of smites.

My son likes Reinhardt in Overwatch, to simulate the Hammer Down ability I scaled spells between Thunderous Smite and Destructive Wave, adding dice and area each time.


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[smbakeresq]

I echo the sentiment that Concentration isn't the problem.

Your can’t lose concentration between your bonus action and action, nothing can happen to force a concentration check.

If you miss you don’t lose the spell, but Paladins have good concentration check chances between not getting hit and decent saves.


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[Ganymede81]

Fortunately the great thing about D&D is that you can change the rules. So I was wondering if I should change the smite spells to not require concentration in my campaign.

Do you think that is a good idea? Would you use the smite spells if they weren't concentration?

I'd go the other way around.

Just delete the Divine Smite feature (aside from the extra 1d8 smite damage at 11th) and let paladins used the named Smite spells to do their smiting.