Branding Smite: A Smite to Behold

Usable By: Paladin

Spell Level: 2

School: Evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Self

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Components: V

The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack before this spell ends, the weapon gleams with astral radiance as you strike. The attack deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage to the target, which becomes visible if it's invisible, and the target sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius and can't become invisible until the spell ends.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

Smites are a lot of fun. They add some nice flavor to your Paladin’s attacks. Shout your god’s favored battle cry and blast thine enemies to holy hell.

Branding Smite, in my opinion, is one of the weaker smites… unless you’re in a particular set of circumstances, in which case it can be extremely powerful.

That set of circumstances, as you might have guessed, is when you’re fighting a creature that can turn invisible.

The 2d6 bonus damage is nice, but it’s nothing the bards are going to commemorate in song. The dim glow can turn your enemy into a crappy night light for a minute (if you maintain concentration) but that’s only situationally useful as well.

But if you’ve got an invisible baddy that needs a holy beating, then Branding Smite is a fantastic use of a Level 2 spell slot.

The nice thing about invisible creatures, or even Rogues who rely heavily on not being seen, is that they tend to depend quite a bit on that invisibility as part of their battle strategy. Take that away, and things can start to go very badly for them very quickly.

Unfortunately, the added illumination doesn’t grant those attacking your target any sort of advantage or bonus to hit them, but it can serve as a rallying point. Your allies should know that the effects of Branding Smite are only temporary, so they should funnel everything they’ve got into taking down this temporarily visible foe before it disappears again.

It’s worth noting that the spell description says you must hit with a weapon attack, but does not limit that to a melee weapon. A clever paladin might choose to cast Branding Smite with a crossbow attack and stay out of the fray to avoid the risk of breaking concentration.

It’s also worth noting that the spell doesn’t end if you miss with your first attack. Keep firing away until you hit. The bonus radiant damage only applies on that first hit, but the illuminating effect keeps going until the spell ends.

5e Spells

Branding Smite: A Smite to Behold