D&D (2024) Playtest 6: Paladin ... Divine Smite is a Spell now

[Horwath]

It's litterally the same damage, using the same resource.

It's just a bonus action now.

which is a cost now.
better version would be a free action that you can take once per turn.

 

[mellored]

And the extra damage would still get doubled on a crit, but smiting would no longer be a choice in response to a crit.

Why not?

As long as your didn't spend your bonus action on something else, if you roll a 20, just spend your bonus action to crit-smite.

Guess it doesn't work for reaction attacks, but meh.

 

[Maxperson]

It's litterally the same damage, using the same resource.

It's just a bonus action now.

No. You have to CAST a spell, which makes it very different thematically. It's a good thing I can just keep playing 2014 paladins in 2024 games when I play, because I won't be playing a 2024 paladin if this makes the final cut.

 

[mellored]

No. You have to CAST a spell, which makes it very different thematically.

Can't see the difference between expending a spell slot to smite and spending a spell slot to smite.

I mean, the majority of smites where spells from the beginning.

It's a good thing I can just keep playing 2014 paladins in 2024 games when I play, because I won't be playing a 2024 paladin if this makes the final cut.

Or you can just houserule the 2024 version to not be "casting".

Whatever you happen to think that means.

 

[Sir Brennen]

Why not?

As long as your didn't spend your bonus action on something else, if you roll a 20, just spend your bonus action to crit-smite.

Guess it doesn't work for reaction attacks, but meh.

Your quoting a consequence of a proposed change I suggested, not a comment on the existing playtest material, which addresses the weirdness of a bonus action happening simultaneously with an attack. No other spells work like that.

Some spells have an attack as part of them (before success or failure is determined). But bonus spells are separate actions from your main Action, except for the Smites in this package.which, again, weirdly like a reaction.

 

[mellored]

Your quoting a consequence of a proposed change I suggested, which addresses the weirdness of a bonus action happening simultaneously with an attack. No other spells work like that.

Not sure what needs to be changed.

You need to hit first. And you will know if that hit is crit.
Then you deal extra damage. Extra being part of the same damage.

And yes. It's a new, reaction-like way to use your bonus action.

New is not a problem.

 

[Maxperson]

Can't see the difference between expending a spell slot to smite and spending a spell slot to smite.

You can't see the difference between simply channeling divine power to smite an enemy and taking a moment to chant a spell as a bonus action to smite?

I mean, the majority of smites where spells from the beginning.

Nobody used those. At least not in my group.

Or you can just houserule the 2024 version to not be "casting".

So I'd basically have to house rule it back to the 2014 version and I can only do that as a DM. When I PLAY a paladin, I'd likely have to use the 2014 version.

 

[Maxperson]

Not sure what needs to be changed.

You need to hit first. And you will know if that hit is crit.
Then you deal extra damage. Extra being part of the same damage.

And yes. It's a new, reaction-like way to use your bonus action.

New is not a problem.

Not if they make a new type of action for it. To call it a bonus action means that it acts like bonus actions, which wouldn't be done in time to smite. They really needed to do like 3e did when it added in immediate actions to differentiate between those and free actions.

 

[mellored]

You can't see the difference between simply channeling divine power to smite an enemy and taking a moment to chant a spell as a bonus action to smite?

Not really.

With a momentarily prayer, you channel divine power into your blade, dealing extra damage.

Now your just need to shout "smite you demon!" or something.

Nobody used those. At least not in my group.

Ignoring some rules doesn't change them.

So I'd basically have to house rule it back to the 2014 version and I can only do that as a DM. When I PLAY a paladin, I'd likely have to use the 2014 version.

You are certainly free to do what you want.

 

[mellored]

Not if they make a new type of action for it. To call it a bonus action means that it acts like bonus actions, which wouldn't be done in time to smite. They really needed to do like 3e did when it added in immediate actions to differentiate between those and free actions.

Nothing in the rules says a bonus action cannot be done in time to smite.

You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don’t have a bonus action to take.
You can take only one bonus action on your turn, so you must choose which bonus action to use when you have more than one available.
You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified