New Design & Development: Paladin Smites!

[ZombieRoboNinja]

I feel like the first two smites would make more sense flavor-wise if they just affected ALL allies within X squares (possibly excluding the paladin himself). Like, every smite releases a wave of divine goodness that helps out all your nearby buddies, rather than, "Bill the Wizard is in trouble! I better attack this orc on the other side of the room to bolster his defenses!"

 

[Nine Hands]

I've been thinking about that, and considering the recent 'Races and Classes' leak said



I wonder whether attacks might be half level + Str bonus (typical melee weapon), half level + Dex bonus (missile weapon), half level + Cha bonus (paladin smite) and target different defences as appropriate

Cheers

Sure, that makes total sense. What's the point of keeping Base Attack Bonus around when you are not using it for multiple attacks or feat requirements.

 

[Stalker0]

This is exactly the kind of stuff which makes me worry about 4e.

There's no link between hitting an enemy and improving the group members' ACs.

And in fact if you read the smite again, there is absolutely no link between hitting your enemy and improving your group member's AC.

Whether you hit or miss, your ally gains a benefit. So consider if the ability was written like this:

"You grant an ally a divine boon that gives them a bonus to AC equal to your wisdom bonus. In addition, you can make a single charisma attack that deals twice your weapon damage + charisma bonus on a successful hit."

In fact, you could simply say that the paladin gives his ally a benefit and doesn't attack anyone (he still uses the action for the ability, just doesn't attack with it). Or you can use both.

The key to the flavor in this one is that you think of the abilities as separate, because really they are. Now, if in the book it actually requires you to swing your weapon at an actual opponent to get the AC benefit, well then I'll be mad along with you

 

[grimslade]

Smitten with the new smite

I like the mechanics and I like the flavor of a smite +effect.
The concept of a paladin being rewarded by his deity for taking the fight to the enemy fits, a holy warrior, champion of his deity, who aids his allies while dishing out god's will. You want a divine spellcaster pick up a cleric. The paladin is in the trenches both as protector and avenger.

A Smite is not every time the pally swings his sword, this is a special, focused attack graced with divine energy. Why wouldn't there be more of an effect than straight damage? The paladin calls out his foe for divine judgement. The act of smiting is sacred, a ritual, a prayer. The paladin of Bahamut, the protector, lends the Platinum dragons protection to an ally when he smites. A paladin of Pelor, the healer, mends wounds of his comrades when he invokes the Sun god's might. It fits the theme of the divine warrior much better than psuedo-Vancian prayers.

 

[Stalker0]

Oh, and let me just throw another thumbs up on the naming of smites.

I've been on the "bad WOTC naming" bandwagon for a lot of 4e, but the smite names are simple, somewhat flavorful, and give me a decent idea of what the smite does. Those are the kinds of names I want in 4e.

 

[Stormtalon]

In martial power source terms, pressing the attack on someone so that they're less able to attack another (giving an ally AC) seems perfectly reasonable to me.

And in Divine power source terms, using the force of your own personality backed up with power granted by your deity of choice to cause enemies to fear what might happen to them if they attack an ally of yours (again, giving the AC bonus) also is perfectly reasonable. Even if you miss, the divine power in your weapon is plain for all to see, and the fervor in your eyes is enough to cause even the most stalwart to hesitate for just long enough that an attack which might otherwise have hit now misses.

 

[Nine Hands]

Why increase everything at one/two levels when it would keep a similar at one/one level?

In SAGA I think only skills, and additional damage increase at 1/2. All Defenses, a Good BAB increase at one for one.

I think it may have to do with number inflation. When you have a +1 bonus at first level, its not a problem, but whey you get to higher levels, say 20th, the +20 bonus overshadows smaller bonuses.

Now WotC might also have something up their sleeves when you hit an odd number level (such as talents in SWSE).

I honestly don't mind it as long as it is unified across the entire game instead of the slightly patched (yet functional) way that SWSE uses.

But this is all conjecture until we see the rules.

 

[kennew142]

Oh, and let me just throw another thumbs up on the naming of smites.

I've been on the "bad WOTC naming" bandwagon for a lot of 4e, but the smite names are simple, somewhat flavorful, and give me a decent idea of what the smite does. Those are the kinds of names I want in 4e.

I don't know. I was kind of hoping for names like Purple Monkey Whallop and Golden Wyvern Strike (that way paladins can have Golden Wyvern Adepts too).

 

[Smerg]

I also like how smite is now not tied to examining the opponent for evil first. Smite is now your divine patron aiding you in your battles.

When you fight true and hard then good things will happen to you and your allies.

I also would like to point out these three smites are the tip of the future Paladin. I am sure that future books will bend and change the initial mechanic to allow for many other of more themed values.

There will also be the choice to multi-class slots for the Paladin that wants to have some more traditional 'clerical' or other class abilities. This may give the option for the Paladin that wants to cure the lame in a village to take a few selected healing slots instead of all smite slots to have a choice of other things to do outside of combat (likely need to spend 5 min to bring these abilities to the fore if the Paladin sets themself up with mainly smites for combat but they would abilities to use for other occasions).

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Sure, that makes total sense. What's the point of keeping Base Attack Bonus around when you are not using it for multiple attacks or feat requirements.

To have a difference between a 1st level character and a 10th level character. To explain why 1st level character die when they attack an Adult Red Dragon, and 10th level characters might beat him.