New SpellsMany of the new spells here are designed to enhance a paladin's smiting ability. However, any spellcaster who can cast these spells can use them with any smiting abilities they may have, such as the granted power of the Destruction domain or the smite good ability of a blackguard. These new smite spells share certain things in common. They all have a casting time of 1 swift action, a range of personal, and a target entry of "your smite attack". They affect a single smite attack made immediately after casting.
Sidebar: Smite SpellsA smite spell affects a single smite attack that a character makes. Smite spells are identified and defined by having a target entry of "smite attack". Any attack that counts as a smite attack for whatever reason can be targeted by such a spell. This does not grant the caster an extra attack, it simply modifies an attack that would otherwise be made. All of the smite spells presented here have target entries of "your smite attack", meaning that they only target smite attacks that the caster herself makes, but other variations are possible and may be used by spells in later supplements.
Note that while most smite spells only provide benefits to smite attacks directed against valid subjects of the smite ability being used (that is, subjects against which the smite applies its effects), not all do.
Author's Note: If you're reading this and are scared off by the wall of text, don't worry. How the smite spells presented here work is intuitive from their descriptions; you cast the spell while smiting, and the smite attack gets stronger or the smite target gets some negative effect on them. Most of this section deals with theoretical expansions of the concept that may be used in future supplements, and a little behind-the-scenes insight into how some of the spells' format was developed. The only thing important to note that may be at all unclear is that the smite spells that allow saves and SR do so against the target of the smite using the spell's parameters (caster level, save DC, etc.), not those of the smite attack (in the case of a form of smite that allows a save, for example), and that dispelling the spell does not in anyway undo the effects of the smite that carried it.
Components: Since personal smite spells must be cast alongside the caster making an attack, the caster rarely has a free hand. Consequently, none of the personal smite spells presented here have any somatic, material, or focus components, all of which would require a free hand.
Casting Time: A smite spell must be cast any time from immediately prior to the attack be declared up to the first moment that the attack is been declared to be a smite attack. Usually this means immediately prior to the attack being resolved, before the attack roll is made, certain special smite abilities may allow a character to declare a smite attack later in the process. Consequently, all such spells that affect the caster's own smites have casting times of 1 swift action or 1 immediate action, and those that affect the smites of other characters usually have casting times of 1 immediate action. Those with other casting times can only target smite attacks made as a readied action to coincide with the completion of the spell's casting, although smite spells with casting times of 1 standard action can also be timed the other way around (cast as a readied action to coincide with the smite attack).
Range: The creature making the smite attack must be within the indicated spell range. There is no limitation on the range at which the smite's target can be affected.
Target: A spell with a target entry of "smite attack" affects a single smite attack that a character makes. Any attack that counts as a smite attack for whatever reason can be targeted by such a spell. Smite spells usually qualify that. Personal smite spells have a target of "your smite attack", while those that affect other creatures' smite attacks might have target entries like "an ally's smite attack".
Author's Note: This format for targeting entries was adapted and expanded from the breath-modifying (meta breath) spells found in Draconomicon and Spell Compendium.
Duration: Smite spells usually have two effects. The first is an effect that modifies a single smite attack. This is always instantaneous. The second effect is the actual modification applied. This may have a duration, indicating how long the target of the smite is affected. The second effect is a product of the spell itself, not the smite attack, so dispelling it only removes the spell's effect, not that of the smite attack that carried it, nor of any other secondary effects caused by other smite spells applied to the same smite attack.
Because smite spells always have a duration of instantaneous for their first effect, their duration entry is usually not included in their spell descriptions in order to reduce clutter and improve readability, and only the duration of the second effect is included.
Saving Throw and Spell Resistance: As described above, smite spells usually have two effects. The first effect of a personal smite spell is always harmless and allows no saving throw or spell resistance. The first effect of a non-personal smite spell is most often harmless and allows spell resistance and a Will save to negate, although some are different. For spells where a save or spell resistance is offered as part of the first effect, the subject that makes the smite attack is the one whose spell resistance and saving throw may be applied.
The second effect, being the actual modification applied, may allow a saving throw or spell resistance independently of whatever method was used to deliver the smite itself. These entries indicate how the target of the smite can resist the effects of the smite spell. In any case, the second effect is a product of the spell itself, not the smite attack, so saving against it, resisting it with spell resistance, and so forth only affect the spell's effect, not that of the smite attack that carried it.
For example, consider a hypothetical spell that enhanced an ally's smite attack by allowing it to paralyze creatures hit by it for several rounds. The first effect would instantaneously modify the smite, and the second effect would cause paralysis for 1 round/level on a failed Fort save. It might have the following entries:
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: An ally's smite attack
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless); Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes; Yes
Thus, on a successful smite attack, the subject of the smite would suffer the full normal effects of the smite attack, and would be paralyzed for a number of rounds equal to the spell's caster level on a failed Fort save (against the spell's save DC), assuming that the subject did not have sufficient spell resistance to resist the spell (using the spell's caster level). Should the ally who made the smite attack be unwilling, she could have applied her spell resistance (if any) and made a Will save against the spell's save DC in order to prevent it from applying entirely.
Because personal smite spells are always harmless and allow no saving throw or spell resistance for their first effect, their saving throw and spell resistance entries are usually not included in their spell descriptions in order to reduce clutter and improve readability, and only the save or spell resistance of the second effect is included.
New Blackguard Spells1st-Level Blackguard Spells- Dazzling Smite: A successful smite dazzles foes.
- Distant Smite: Perform a smite attack with tripled reach.
- Efficient Smite: Smite attempt does not count against daily limit.
- Empowered Smite: Smite grants an extra +2 on attack roll and +50% bonus damage.
- Energized Smite: Smite bonus damage is cold, electricity, or fire.
- Far Smite: Perform a smite attack with a ranged weapon.
- Piercing Smite: Smite ignores DR, hardness, and resistances.
- Punishing Smite: A successful smite sickens foes.
2nd-Level Blackguard Spells- Admixtured Smite: Smite bonus damage is doubled; once each as two of cold, electricity, or fire.
- Awesome Smite: A successful smite sends foes flying.
- Blinding Smite: A successful smite blinds foes.
- Ravaging Smite: A successful smite infects foes with disease.
- Seeking Smite: Smite attack strikes true with a +20 bonus on the attack roll and ignores concealment.
3rd-Level Blackguard Spells- Dispelling Smite: A successful smite produces a targeted dispel magic.
- Extended Smite: All attacks against the subject for 1 round are smite attacks.
- Piercing Smite, Greater: Smite ignores DR, hardness, resistances, immunities, regeneration, and fortification.
- Stunning Smite: A successful smite stuns foes.
- Twin Smite: Make an extra smite attack.
4th-Level Blackguard Spells- Anchoring Smite: A successful smite holds foes in place and prevents teleportation.
- Banishing Smite: A successful smite returns extraplanar creatures to their home plane.
- Elemental Smite: Smite bonus damage is tripled; once each as cold, electricity, and fire.
New Cleric Spells0-Level Cleric Spells (Orisons)- Dazzling Smite: A successful smite dazzles foes.
- Energized Smite: Smite bonus damage is cold, electricity, or fire.
- Far Smite: Perform a smite attack with a ranged weapon.
- Merciful Smite: Your smite deals nonlethal damage.
1st-Level Cleric Spells- Efficient Smite: Smite attempt does not count against daily limit.
- Empowered Smite: Smite grants an extra +2 on attack roll and +50% bonus damage.
2nd-Level Cleric Spells- Admixtured Smite: Smite bonus damage is doubled; once each as two of cold, electricity, or fire.
- Distant Smite: Perform a smite attack with tripled reach.
- Seeking Smite: Smite attack strikes true with a +20 bonus on the attack roll and ignores concealment.
- Shielding Smite: A smite attempt grants an AC bonus and DR /- for 1 round against the subject based on the smite attack and damage roll bonus.
3rd-Level Cleric Spells- Blinding Smite: A successful smite blinds foes.
- Dispelling Smite: A successful smite produces a targeted dispel magic.
4th-Level Cleric Spells- Disrupting Smite: A successful smite destroys undead creatures.
- Stunning Smite: A successful smite stuns foes.
5th-Level Cleric Spells6th-Level Cleric Spells- Dispelling Smite, Greater: A successful smite produces a targeted greater dispel magic.
7th-Level Cleric Spells8th-Level Cleric Spells9th-Level Cleric Spells New Paladin Spells0-Level Paladin Spells (Orisons)- Dazzling Smite: A successful smite dazzles foes.
- Energized Smite: Smite bonus damage is cold, electricity, or fire.
- Far Smite: Perform a smite attack with a ranged weapon.
- Merciful Smite: Your smite deals nonlethal damage.
1st-Level Paladin Spells- Distant Smite: Perform a smite attack with tripled reach.
- Efficient Smite: Smite attempt does not count against daily limit.
- Empowered Smite: Smite grants an extra +2 on attack roll and +50% bonus damage.
- Piercing Smite: Smite ignores DR, hardness, and resistances.
- Punishing Smite: A successful smite sickens foes.
2nd-Level Paladin Spells- Admixtured Smite: Smite bonus damage is doubled; once each as two of cold, electricity, or fire.
- Awesome Smite: A successful smite sends foes flying.
- Blinding Smite: A successful smite blinds foes.
- Shielding Smite: A smite attempt grants an AC bonus and DR /- for 1 round against the subject based on the smite attack and damage roll bonus.
- Seeking Smite: Smite attack strikes true with a +20 bonus on the attack roll and ignores concealment.
3rd-Level Paladin Spells- Dispelling Smite: A successful smite produces a targeted dispel magic.
- Extended Smite: All attacks against the subject for 1 round are smite attacks.
- Piercing Smite, Greater: Smite ignores DR, hardness, resistances, immunities, regeneration, and fortification.
- Stunning Smite: A successful smite stuns foes.
- Twin Smite: Make an extra smite attack.
4th-Level Paladin Spells- Banishing Smite: A successful smite returns extraplanar creatures to their home plane.
- Disrupting Smite: A successful smite destroys undead creatures.
- Elemental Smite: Smite bonus damage is tripled; once each as cold, electricity, and fire.
- Heal Planar Servant*: As heal on planar servant.
*Celestial Servant ACF only.
5th-Level Paladin Spells- Anchoring Smite: A successful smite holds foes in place and prevents teleportation.
- Dispelling Smite, Greater: A successful smite produces a targeted greater dispel magic.
6th-Level Paladin Spells- Persistent Smite: All attacks against the subject for 24 hours are smite attacks.
- Reckoning Smite: A successful smite kills foes.
Admixtured SmiteEvocation [See Text]Level: Blackguard 2, Cleric 2, Paladin 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. Choose two of the following energy types: cold, electricity, or fire. Your smite's bonus damage applies twice, once as each of the two chosen energy types instead of its normal type. This spell's descriptor is the same as the two types of energy you choose (for example, if you chose both cold and fire, this would be an Evocation [Cold, Fire] spell).
Admixtured smite,
elemental smite, and
energized smite do not stack with each other. Only the most powerful one applies.
Anchoring SmiteAbjurationLevel: Blackguard 4, Paladin 5
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject's movements, both physical and metaphysical, become impeded. On a failed save, the subject is entangled and held fast and is blocked from extradimensional travel, as per the
dimensional anchor spell. On a successful saving throw, the subject is still entangled, but can move at half speed and is not blocked from extradimensional travel.
Awesome SmiteTransmutationLevel: Blackguard 2, Paladin 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject must make a saving throw. On a failure, the subject is knocked flying 10 feet in a direction of your choice and falls prone. You can only push the subject in a straight line, and the subject can’t move closer to you than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the subject’s move, the subject and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the subject stops in the space adjacent to the obstacle. The subject's movement in this way does not provoke attacks of opportunity from you, although it may from other creatures.
Banishing SmiteAbjurationLevel: Blackguard 4, Paladin 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject and that subject is an extraplanar creature, it may be sent back to its home plane. The subject must make a special Will save (DC = spell's save DC - subject's HD + your caster level) or be instantly whisked away, as per the
dismissal spell. Just like
dismissal, there is a 20% chance of actually sending the subject to a plane other than its own.
Blinding SmiteNecromancyLevel: Blackguard 2, Cleric 3, Paladin 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject is blinded.
Dazzling SmiteEvocationLevel: Blackguard 1, Cleric 0, Paladin 0
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject is dazzled.
Dispelling SmiteAbjurationLevel: Blackguard 3, Cleric 3, Paladin 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, any magical auras affecting the subject are at risk of being dispelled. This functions as a targeted
dispel magic spell against the subject.
Dispelling Smite, GreaterLevel: Cleric 6, Paladin 5
This spell functions as
dispelling smite, except that functions as a targeted
greater dispel magic spell against the subject instead.
Disrupting SmiteNecromancyLevel: Cleric 4, Paladin 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject and that subject is an undead creature, the subject is destroyed on a failed save.
Distant SmiteTransmutationLevel: Blackguard 1, Cleric 2, Paladin 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your melee smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make as a melee attack. Your reach is tripled.
Efficient SmiteEvocationLevel: Blackguard 1, Cleric 1, Paladin 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. Your smite attempt does not count against your limited daily number of smite attempts. This spell does not apply to forms of smiting that do not have a daily limit.
Elemental SmiteEvocation [Cold, Electricity, Fire]Level: Blackguard 4, Paladin 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. Your smite's bonus damage applies three times, once as each of cold, electricity, and fire damage.
Admixtured smite,
elemental smite, and
energized smite do not stack with each other. Only the most powerful one applies.
Empowered SmiteEvocationLevel: Blackguard 1, Cleric 1, Paladin 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. The bonus on your attack roll is increased by +2 and the bonus damage is increased by +50%. These benefits only apply if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Energized SmiteEvocation [See Text]Level: Blackguard 1, Cleric 0, Paladin 0
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. Choose one of the following energy types: cold, electricity, or fire. Your smite's bonus damage is of the chosen energy type, instead of its normal type. This spell's descriptor is the same as the type of energy you choose.
Admixtured smite,
elemental smite, and
energized smite do not stack with each other. Only the most powerful one applies.
Extended SmiteTransmutationLevel: Blackguard 3, Paladin 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. After resolving your smite attack, each subsequent attack that you make against the same subject to which you could apply your smite ability counts as a smite attack, using the same smite ability as the original, although they do not count against your limited of uses of your smite ability. These benefits only apply if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Far SmiteTransmutationLevel: Blackguard 1, Cleric 0, Paladin 0
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. You can smite with a ranged attack, instead of only a melee attack.
Heal Planar ServantConjuration (Healing)Level: Paladin (Celestial Servant ACF) 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Your planar servant touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell functions like
heal, but it affects only the caster’s planar servant, and it heals it regardless of whether it is healed or harmed by cure spells and positive energy. This spell even fully affects creatures that normally cannot be healed (such as Constructs) and creatures that normally receive a reduced effect from healing spells (such as creatures with the Living Construct subtype). In addition, the planar servant can lower its spell resistance with respect to this spell and immediately raise it afterwards without an action, even if it is unconscious or unaware or this spell.
Merciful SmiteAbjuration [Good]Level: Cleric 0, Paladin 0
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. Your smite attack deals all of its damage as nonlethal damage instead of lethal. This includes both the bonus damage from your smite ability, and the normal damage of the attack, including any bonus damage dice such as Sneak Attack or a Flaming weapon. This benefit only applies if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Persistent SmiteTransmutationLevel: Paladin 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 24 hours (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. After resolving your smite attack, each subsequent attack that you make against the same subject to which you could apply your smite ability counts as a smite attack, using the same smite ability as the original, although they do not count against your limited of uses of your smite ability. These benefits only apply if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Piercing SmiteTransmutationLevel: Blackguard 1, Paladin 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. Your smite attack's damage ignores all damage reduction, resistances, and hardness. Immunities still apply normally. This includes both the bonus damage from your smite ability, and the normal damage of the attack, including any bonus damage dice such as Sneak Attack or a Flaming weapon. This benefit only applies if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Piercing Smite, GreaterLevel: Blackguard 3, Paladin 3
This spell functions as
piercing smite, except that your smite's damage also ignores all immunities and regeneration. Effects that have a chance of negating the extra damage from critical hits and precision damage do not apply against your smite attack. Consequently, this may allow you to deal precision damage to creatures that are normally have an immunity that would prevent it, although creatures that are unaffected by precision damage without being specifically immune to it or to critical hits (such as creatures without discernible anatomies) remain unaffected. Immunities still apply to any additional, non-damage effects of your smite attack.
Punishing SmiteNecromancyLevel: Blackguard 1, Paladin 1
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject is sickened.
Ravaging SmiteNecromancy [Evil]Level: Blackguard 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject is infected with a disease, as per the
contagion spell. Just like
contagion, the disease strikes with no incubation time, dealing its damage immediately.
Reckoning SmiteNecromancy [Death]Level: Paladin 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject dies.
Seeking SmiteDivinationLevel: Blackguard 2, Cleric 2, Paladin 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. You gain an additional +20 insight bonus on your attack roll and you ignore the miss chance imposed by any form of concealment. These benefits only apply if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Shielding SmiteAbjurationLevel: Cleric 2, Paladin 2
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: None (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. You gain a deflection bonus to your Armor Class equal to the bonus your smite ability granted on your attack roll and you gain DR /- equal to the bonus it granted on your damage roll. These benefits only apply against the attacks of the subject of your smite attack. These benefits only apply if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Stunning SmiteEvocationLevel: Blackguard 3, Cleric 4, Paladin 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fort negates
Spell Resistance: No
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. If your smite attack hits a valid subject, the subject is stunned.
Twin SmiteTransmutationLevel: Blackguard 3, Paladin 3
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: Your smite attack
This spell enhances a smite attack that you make. After resolving your smite attack, you may make an extra attack at the same attack bonus against the same subject using the same weapon. This extra attack also counts as a smite attack, using the same smite ability as the original, although it does not count against your limit of uses of your smite ability. These benefits only apply if you attempt to smite a valid subject.
Change Log
26/6/2017: Updated formatting regarding capitalization and a couple minor other things.
22/6/2017: Reposted in Min Max Forum.
17/6/2016: Moved seeking smite from a 1st-level spell to 2nd-level and reverted its attack bonus to +20.
5/6/2016: Reduced seeking smite's attack bonus from +20 to +10.
28/2/2016: Removed acid from the damage types available to admixtured smite and energized smite. Like elemental smite and as described in the spell lists, they only do cold, electricity, or fire damage.
30/11/2015: Added the missing heal planar servant spell for celestial servant ACF paladins.
29/11/2015: Distant smite now only applies to melee smite attacks. Clarified greater piercing smite. Fixed typos in anchoring smite.
27/6/2014: Fixed typo in greater dispelling smite's short description.
18/6/2014: First posted.