Does Concentration Increase Smite Damage? Unraveling the Truth Behind Smite Mechanics
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The short and direct answer to the question, “Does concentration increase smite damage?” is a resounding NO. Concentration, in the context of the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition mechanics, does not directly increase the damage output of a Divine Smite or Eldritch Smite. Concentration is a mechanic that affects the duration of certain spells, primarily those that require sustained magical effort. While smite spells, which do require concentration, can enhance your attack, the act of maintaining concentration on such a spell doesn’t actually make the smite damage any higher. The extra damage from Divine Smite is a burst damage ability that is not affected by concentration in the way some might assume. Let’s dive deeper into the relationship between concentration and smites, exploring how they truly work.
Understanding the Different Types of Smites
Before we proceed, it is vital to differentiate between two main types of “smite” mechanics, as they often cause confusion:
Divine Smite
Divine Smite is a class feature of Paladins. It’s a powerful ability that allows the Paladin to expend a spell slot upon hitting a creature with a melee weapon attack. This adds extra radiant damage to the attack, which is particularly effective against undead and fiends. Importantly, Divine Smite is NOT a spell, therefore it does not require concentration. The amount of extra damage dealt is based on the spell slot level expended, not by maintaining concentration.
Smite Spells
Smite Spells, such as Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, and Blinding Smite, are spells that require a bonus action to cast. They provide various effects such as additional damage, knocking enemies prone, or inflicting disadvantage on attack rolls. Crucially, these smite spells do require concentration. The smite spell buff is only consumed on a hit, but should the attack miss the buff remains and does not require further actions to use on subsequent attacks. While the concentration of these smite spells do not affect the damage of the base ability Divine Smite they add additional effects and damage to the original attack.
Why Concentration Doesn’t Affect Smite Damage
The core concept to grasp is that concentration is about sustaining a magical effect, not about boosting the power of a single attack. The Divine Smite feature is an instantaneous application of extra damage triggered upon a hit. The only factor that influences the damage of Divine Smite is the level of the spell slot expended and whether the target is an undead or fiend (which increases damage dice).
As for smite spells, they use concentration to sustain their duration. The additional effects of these spells, such as the extra thunder damage with Thunderous Smite, are defined by the spell and are not enhanced simply by concentrating harder. You are maintaining the spell’s buff, not amplifying its power.
Exploring the Nuances
While concentration itself doesn’t increase smite damage, there are certain situations where maintaining concentration on a smite spell is crucial for maximum impact. If your attack misses while concentrating on the smite spell, you keep your concentration to use it again on the next attack. You are only expending the spell once you hit.
In summary, while some smite spells require concentration, the concentration itself does not boost smite damage, it only keeps the spell in place to be activated on a hit. The power of a Divine Smite is determined solely by the spell slot level used.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Smite
To further clarify the mechanics of smites and their interaction with concentration and other game features, here are 15 frequently asked questions:
1. Does attack speed affect Smite?
Yes, attack speed does affect Smite. Divine Smite is a weapon skill and is linked to the frequency of your attacks. Therefore, increased attack speed will lead to more opportunities to activate smite damage, if you are expending spell slots each time.
2. Does Divine Smite break concentration?
No, Divine Smite does not break concentration. It is an instantaneous effect, not a spell itself. However, casting a new spell can break concentration, including smite spells.
3. Are smite spells concentration spells?
Yes, smite spells are concentration spells. They require you to focus on maintaining the magical effect until they are consumed on a successful hit or until the spell duration expires.
4. Is smite damage doubled on a critical hit?
Yes, all damage dice, including the ones from Divine Smite and Eldritch Smite, are doubled on a critical hit. This results in significantly higher damage.
5. Does Eldritch Smite double on a crit?
Yes, Eldritch Smite damage also doubles on a critical hit. This is a particularly devastating effect for Warlocks.
6. Can you Divine Smite after rolling damage?
Yes, you can declare whether or not to use Divine Smite after successfully hitting a creature with a melee weapon attack.
7. Does Divine Smite do extra damage to undead?
Yes, Divine Smite does extra damage to undead and fiends. The extra damage is an additional 1d8 radiant damage dice.
8. How much damage does a 5th level Divine Smite do?
A 5th level Divine Smite deals 5d8 radiant damage, plus 1d8 extra if the target is an undead or a fiend.
9. What is the maximum damage in Divine Smite?
The maximum damage from Divine Smite is 5d8 radiant damage (or 6d8 against undead/fiends).
10. Can you smite through polymorph?
No, you cannot use Divine Smite with the natural weapons granted by a Polymorph spell. Divine Smite requires a melee weapon attack, not an unarmed strike.
11. Can Smite damage be made non-lethal?
Yes, Divine Smite damage can be used to knock a creature unconscious. It is considered melee damage so the target may be knocked out.
12. Does Smite count as weapon damage?
Yes, Divine Smite damage is added to the weapon’s damage. It is all considered part of the same attack and will be added together when calculating concentration saves.
13. Can you smite twice in one turn?
Yes, if you have extra attacks, such as from the Extra Attack feature, you can use Divine Smite multiple times per turn, if you use one spell slot per hit.
14. How is Smite damage calculated in terms of raw numbers for other games?
Some games, like the video game “Smite” calculate damage based on a god’s Power Stat plus a base amount based on the ability. These mechanics do not translate to DnD rules. In DnD the damage is based on the level of the spell slot you use, not the raw numbers.
15. Can true damage be mitigated in smite games?
No, true damage in games such as “Smite” cannot be mitigated by physical or magical damage mitigation, but % increase damage from abilities like Sunder can increase true damage. This does not translate to DnD 5e rules.
Conclusion
While concentration is a key mechanic in D&D 5e, it doesn’t directly increase the damage of Divine Smite. Divine Smite is powered by spell slots, not by maintaining concentration. Understanding the nuances of these mechanics ensures you are making the best tactical choices in your gameplay. Both Divine Smite and smite spells offer powerful options for enhancing your attacks, but their effects are determined by different factors. Mastering these rules enables you to harness the full potential of smites and dominate your campaigns.