D&D 3E/3.5 Pathfinder smite in 3.5

[Veven1290]

in an upcoming 3.5 game i'll be running i am thinking about allowing Smite to work like it does in pathfinder. Can anyone see this causing me any issues?

note: my players are not power gamers.

 

[Dandu]

Not really.

 

[DumbPaladin]

No, I don't think it's overpowered at all. In fact, Pathfinder really attempts to fix Paladin as a class and bring it to the same level as some other classes. All it will do is make your paladin character(s) more relevant, which in 3.5 rules, they aren't really, past say level 6 or so (or level 2, according to some).

If it turns out to be unbalancing, you will find this out fairly soon, and you can correct it then.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Charging Smite variant...

Rhino's Rush spell...

 

[Dandu]

Is that unbalanced, or just good?

 

[DumbPaladin]

Is that unbalanced, or just good?

Strangely enough, I agree with Dandu. I think it's just an excellent idea. I use Rhino's Rush / True Strike / smiting and power attack to great effect. And since I'm limited on how many times I can do that, it's rarely proven unbalanced. I even missed once on a natural 1.

 

[Veven1290]

Charging Smite variant...

Rhino's Rush spell...

yeah, the one thing i thought might be bordering on iffy was charging smite. My players don't spend hardly as much time in the books as i do so i doubt they are really aware of many class variants.

Would Rhino's Rush double the smite damage as well?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yes, it doubles charge damage, and since smite is a flat bonus damage like power attack and not extra dice damage, it multiplies. Note a Paladin in 3.5 can do all of this. The only difference is if he misses, he wasted that smite (disincentive to massive power attack to make absolutely sure you vaporize the enemy in one hit). With PF smite, he can just keep going after someone. And the Extra Smite feat's available. And his first smite attack on...half the things he's likely to use it on (evil outsiders, undead, evil dragons) will do even more damage.

I don't know, I don't think I like the power level of it in PF even without all the 3E splat book fixins' (there's also the possiblity of obtaining pounce in 3E, so you can full attack with all that crazy damage). Seems to me like PF smite means you can't have BBEGs anymore, and instead need a BBNG to pose much of a challenge to the party.

 

[Kaiyanwang]

Seems to me like PF smite means you can't have BBEGs anymore, and instead need a BBNG to pose much of a challenge to the party.

At least in my experience, the paladin must struggle to adjudicate the right time for smiting. And if the BBEG is really worthy of the name, maybe the paladin will not have enough smites to face him and his sidekicks for the final battle.

Is a burst, but fighters will outdamage paladins on the long road.

I can see problems with the smite aura - but it takes TWO attempts.

 

[Dandu]

Seems to me like PF smite means you can't have BBEGs anymore, and instead need a BBNG to pose much of a challenge to the party.

Sure you can. Just make them casters.