Does Concentration Affect Smite? A Deep Dive into Paladin Mechanics
The short answer is: no, concentration does not directly affect the Divine Smite feature of a Paladin in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (5e). However, the interaction between concentration and smite mechanics can be confusing, especially when considering the various smite spells available to Paladins. This article aims to clarify this interaction and provide a comprehensive understanding of how concentration works with different smite abilities. While Divine Smite is not a concentration spell, some other “smite” abilities do require concentration. Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing your Paladin’s combat performance.
Understanding Divine Smite
Divine Smite is a core feature of the Paladin class, allowing them to expend spell slots to deal additional radiant damage on a successful melee weapon attack. Here’s a breakdown of its key aspects:
- Activation: Divine Smite is activated after a successful melee weapon attack.
- Action Economy: It doesn’t require an action or bonus action to use. It’s a free addition to a melee weapon attack.
- Damage: It deals an additional 2d8 radiant damage when using a 1st-level spell slot, increasing by 1d8 for each spell level higher up to a maximum of 5d8 radiant damage. An additional 1d8 is added against undead or fiends.
- Spell Slot Usage: Any spell slot can be used, regardless if it’s a Paladin slot or not (obtained through multiclassing),
- Concentration: Divine Smite does not require concentration. This is the crucial point, and it is a major difference compared to other smite spells.
Because Divine Smite doesn’t rely on concentration, it’s not affected by conditions that break concentration. This means that actions like taking damage, casting a spell that requires concentration, or being subjected to conditions that would normally break concentration won’t affect its ability to be used. You can unleash a Divine Smite while already concentrating on another spell, such as Bless.
The Smite Spells and Concentration
While Divine Smite doesn’t require concentration, many other “smite” spells do require concentration. These are spells like Wrathful Smite, Banishing Smite, Searing Smite, and others. Here’s how concentration works with these spells:
- Casting: These spells require a bonus action to cast before making an attack.
- Concentration Requirement: They all require concentration to maintain their effects.
- Duration: If concentration is broken, the spell’s effect immediately ends.
- Stacking: Since these spells require concentration, you cannot stack two smite spells on the same attack. However, you can use one of these spells on the same attack that you use Divine Smite, as Divine Smite doesn’t require concentration.
The key takeaway here is that while these spells offer potent effects, the need for concentration and a bonus action for casting limits their versatility, especially when compared to the reliable, concentration-free Divine Smite.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Concentration Save affect Divine Smite Damage?
No, the Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration, is calculated based on the weapon’s total damage after Divine Smite. Divine Smite’s damage is added to your weapon damage for the total damage of your weapon. This damage is then used for the Constitution Saving Throw used to maintain concentration. The concentration check is only relevant if you are concentrating on a spell.
2. Does Divine Smite interrupt Concentration?
No, Divine Smite itself does not interrupt your concentration. Since it doesn’t require concentration, it cannot break the concentration of another spell you might be maintaining.
3. Is Divine Smite a Concentration Spell?
No, Divine Smite is not a concentration spell. It’s a class feature that allows you to add radiant damage to a weapon attack using spell slots but doesn’t require continuous concentration.
4. Does Wrathful Smite Require Concentration?
Yes, Wrathful Smite is a concentration spell. Once cast, you must maintain concentration to keep its effects active and apply the frightened condition.
5. Is Divine Smite Doubled on a Crit?
Yes, if you score a critical hit, all the damage dice involved, including those from Divine Smite, are doubled. This makes Divine Smite even more potent on critical hits.
6. Do All Spells Require Concentration in 5e?
No, not all spells require concentration. Only those spells that specifically state in their description that they require concentration need it. Most spells do not.
7. Which Smite is Best for Paladin?
Divine Smite is generally considered the most versatile and reliable smite option due to its immediate effect, lack of action cost, and the absence of a concentration requirement. While the smite spells can add powerful effects, they often require setup and are less reliable. However, which is best depends entirely on the situation.
8. Can you Use Blinding Smite and Divine Smite Together?
Yes, you can use Blinding Smite and Divine Smite on the same attack. Blinding Smite requires a bonus action and concentration, while Divine Smite is a feature that is activated upon hitting with a melee weapon, so they don’t conflict.
9. What is the Highest Divine Smite Damage?
The highest base Divine Smite damage is 5d8 radiant damage, when using a 5th level or higher spell slot. If the target is undead or fiend, it does 6d8 radiant damage
10. Is Smite Affected by Antimagic Field?
The Divine Smite feature does not function within an Antimagic Field. Antimagic Field specifically blocks spells and magical effects, and since Divine Smite is a magical effect powered by a spell slot, it is not functional within the radius of the Antimagic Field. However, the additional damage from the Improved Divine Smite feature (level 11) would function as it is a weapon damage addition and is not a spell effect.
11. Can you Divine Smite with Natural Weapons?
Yes, you can use Divine Smite with natural weapons like claws or horns because they are considered melee weapon attacks, and also qualify as unarmed strikes.
12. Does Rage Prevent Divine Smite?
No, Rage does not prevent Divine Smite because Divine Smite is not a spell itself, even though it is fueled by spell slots. Rage only prevents you from casting spells.
13. Does Divine Smite Make all Damage Radiant?
Divine Smite only makes the additional damage radiant. The initial weapon damage type remains the same. For example, if you attack with a longsword (slashing damage) and use Divine Smite, you deal slashing damage from the longsword and radiant damage from Divine Smite.
14. Does Divine Smite stack with Eldritch Smite?
Yes, Divine Smite and Eldritch Smite can stack, as they are triggered differently. Divine Smite can be used once per attack, and Eldritch Smite only once per turn. This means you can use both on the same attack, if you have both features. Eldritch Smite, however, may also impose a different effect on the target of the attack.
15. Can you Divine Smite More Than Once Per Turn?
Yes, you can use Divine Smite multiple times per turn, as long as you have the spell slots and make multiple successful melee weapon attacks, for example in case you have Extra Attack feature. Divine Smite is only restricted by the amount of successful attacks you make and the number of available spell slots.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between Divine Smite and smite spells is crucial for playing a Paladin effectively. Divine Smite is a consistent and reliable damage boost that is not affected by concentration. The smite spells, on the other hand, add unique effects but require concentration and careful planning. Knowing how these abilities interact will allow you to better harness the full power of the Paladin, maximizing your damage output and utility in any situation. The freedom from concentration is a major advantage of Divine Smite, making it a go-to choice for Paladins in most combat situations.