New Design & Development: Paladin Smites!

[Kobold Avenger]

From the article I get the impression that bonus damage by level (but not strength) counts as base weapon damage.

Other smites, I see as putting on penalties to the subject, or stunning/dazing (they need to clarify and fix these conditions), or fear effects or smite and give your defenses bonuses. And improved versions of the other 2 smites, which effect all allies rather than just one.

I noticed that all these smites are melee based, which was the way it was in 3e too. But assuming I wanted a character who used ranged smites, I'm guessing there's a feat or talent to do that. Though somehow I'm suspecting it's going to lean more on a feat like there was in 3.5e.

Of course it also makes me wonder the possibilities with multi-classing, like will you be able to pick an "arcane-smite" with the right feat for a Paladin/Warlock, and if that would be so powerful, it would be a per day ability.

 

[Njall]

Well, one thing is for sure...WotC has picked up the consolation-price strategy from different sports competitions. Missed your attack roll with that nifty class ability? No worries, it'll still have an effect on somebody. Makes me wonder if the fighter will be able to turn a near enough miss into decreased damage with some or other ability. Color me unimpressed. :\

You mean things like people taking half damage from an attack when a saving throw succeeds? Eh, I'm shocked, where did they take such a weird idea?

 

[Jinete]

Meh. Even if (and I doubt it) that is true, that only keeps it at ~10% of a characters hit points. Thats perhaps a single hit from a normal weapon, and would lag far behind the damage capability of anyone with comparable abilities. As a once/encounter thing, that isn't much. It doesn't come close to a 10 to 15% shift in the odds that a character will get hit at all (from all attacks for a round) and thats what Safeguard smite will give you, even if you don't push Wisdom to truly unreasonable levels.

A 3.5 paladin could cast cure moderate wounds, which would heal 2d8+6 i.e. ~15hp. 10+wisdom isn't bad as an added effect to hitting your foe for double damage. And it's not like the paladin is the primary healer.

Safeguard smite looks more powerful, but I think the deal is "it's better to prevent than to heal". You don't know if your ally is going to benefit from extra AC, he might not get attacked at all, but healing an ally usually means that he needs it.

 

[vagabundo]

Never really liked Paladins and never had any player really want to play them (my guys always shy away from LG as if it is a straitjacket).

Still interesting ideas, I can see these smite powers working for the paladin as has the divine power source, he should call to his God before issuing these strikes (like HE-Man the Paladin "By the power of GreySkull!!").

Well, one thing is for sure...WotC has picked up the consolation-price strategy from different sports competitions. Missed your attack roll with that nifty class ability? No worries, it'll still have an effect on somebody. Makes me wonder if the fighter will be able to turn a near enough miss into decreased damage with some or other ability. Color me unimpressed. :\

In one of the playtests a fighter did damage even though he missed because he had some feat/power :S...

I was not really in love with the idea either.

 

[Bagpuss]

Or one can just make links that logs in automatically for you.
Like this: I smite thee, foul miscreant!

Erm isn't that (and the Printer Friendly thing) a big security hole?

 

[Bagpuss]

In one of the playtests a fighter did damage even though he missed because he had some feat/power :S...

I was not really in love with the idea either.

Seems only fair is wizards can miss with their spells and still do half damage.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

You mean things like people taking half damage from an attack when a saving throw succeeds? Eh, I'm shocked, where did they take such a weird idea?

Me, I'm wondering how people get the idea to compare saving throws and their context with attack rolls and their context in older editions, but I guess everything is possible.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Seems only fair is wizards can miss with their spells and still do half damage.

For 4E, with magic attack rolls, this is indeed a question that needs to be answered...which doesn't mean I like the way they did that so far, though I could see the area effect attacks being roughly equal to splatter-attack grenade weapons, while a failed magic attack on a ray would yield a total miss, for example.

 

[Bagpuss]

Perhaps because in 4E they are exactly the same mechanic. Spell attack a persons Reflex Defense, Swords attack a person's AC.

 

[Voss]

For 4E, with magic attack rolls, this is indeed a question that needs to be answered...which doesn't mean I like the way they did that so far, though I could see the area effect attacks being roughly equal to splatter-attack grenade weapons, while a failed magic attack on a ray would yield a total miss, for example.

If its anything like SW Saga, area attacks that miss reflex defense simply do half damage.