Holy Weapon: Smites All Around!

Usable By: Cleric, Paladin

Spell Level: 5

School: Evocation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Touch

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Components: V, S

You imbue a weapon you touch with holy power. Until the spell ends, the weapon emits bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. In addition, weapon attacks made with it deal an extra 2d8 radiant damage on a hit. If the weapon isn’t already a magic weapon, it becomes one for the duration. As a bonus action on your turn, you can dismiss this spell and cause the weapon to emit a burst of radiance. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of the weapon must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d8 radiant damage, and it is blinded for 1 minute. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t blinded. At the end of each of its turns, a blinded creature can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold

Sometimes, you’re playing a cleric, look over at your paladin buddy smiting a creature to dust with a 70 damage crit, and think to yourself “Man, I wish I could smite like that”. Well, you’re in luck, dear reader, cause for the low low cost of just a 5th level slot, you too can divine smite! But not just on one attack: on EVERY attack!

Holy Weapon fits into the buffing attacks category of spells with things like Magic Weapon and Hex. This is a tool for empowering martial characters with more juice; the more attacks you make, the more damage you’re getting. Comparing to the aforementioned Magic Weapon or even a spell like Divine Favor, you’re spending a way higher level slot, but in exchange are getting a lot more out of it. 2d8 damage on hit is big game, especially if you’re making three or more attacks a round. Sticking Holy Weapon on a fighter’s great sword can pump out 12d8 damage easily over just two rounds. It lasting an hour means so long as you can keep yourself concentrating on it, your paladins, monks, barbarians, and rangers all can also get a lot of mileage out of roughly doubling their weapon damage on hit with each attack. Its pretty easy for this to do a LOT of extra damage.

On top of that, for a bonus action when you need it, you can have it explode for area damage hitting whatever you’d like within the area. On top of THAT, creatures that fail the area damage save are blinded for a minute with saves to end it early each turn. Against one or two big threats, this is great as a weapon damage buff. Come across a huge group of smaller creatures later? BAM! It’s also half a Fireball! All the text combines to make a really flexible, empowering support spell. This is something I’d eagerly look to set up a friend with to dish out boatloads of damage. As a paladin spell this is quite a bit worse, as you get it way later and likely are going to be taking damage and thus have a harder time maintaining the concentration, but as a cleric, this is a home run support spell. Give it go sometime!

5e Spells

Holy Weapon: Smites All Around!