Does Holy Fire Affect Smite? A Deep Dive into Paladin Mechanics
The short answer is no, the fire damage added to attacks from the Holy Fire aura does not directly add onto Smite damage in Diablo 2: Resurrected. This is a crucial distinction for Paladin players looking to optimize their Smite builds. While the Holy Fire aura is fantastic for clearing groups of weaker enemies with its pulsating fire damage, it doesn’t directly enhance the single-target, shield-based damage output of Smite. Understanding this difference is key to building an effective Paladin that excels against tough bosses and single targets. Let’s explore the nuances of this relationship and delve into the mechanics that govern Smite damage.
Understanding Smite Mechanics
Smite, as a Paladin skill, is unique. Unlike many other melee attacks, its damage isn’t tied to your weapon’s base damage. Instead, Smite damage is calculated from the base damage of your shield. This makes shield choice paramount for a Smite Paladin. Paladin-specific shields often boast higher base Smite damage, making them the preferred choice. Additionally, Smite always hits its target, regardless of your attack rating or the target’s defense. This makes it a reliable skill that bypasses traditional accuracy calculations.
Further amplifying Smite’s power, its speed is directly dependent on Increased Attack Speed (IAS) from gear. A faster weapon, while not contributing directly to the damage, allows you to utilize the high Smite damage more frequently. Similarly, auras like Fanaticism are exceptionally effective with Smite because they not only boost attack speed but also increase overall damage. This combination makes Fanaticism a cornerstone for any serious Smite Paladin build. Auras like Concentration and Might also increase Smite damage, although their damage increase is not as significant as Fanaticism, and they do not provide IAS benefits.
Why Holy Fire Doesn’t Boost Smite
The confusion often arises from the fact that Holy Fire does add fire damage to your regular attacks. However, Smite is not a regular attack; it’s a separate ability with its own damage calculation. Holy Fire provides additional fire damage as an elemental damage component on any regular physical attacks, but not with skills, like Smite. Smite is strictly affected by the base damage of the shield, IAS, and other general damage increases, not elemental damage additions. The damage type that Holy Fire adds (fire) is also a key point here, because Smite itself deals physical damage, not elemental damage. Thus, the elemental damage from Holy Fire does not contribute to the damage.
Moreover, effects like +% damage to demons (such as from the item Fortitude) do not apply to Smite. Only a very small handful of specific modifiers affect Smite damage. Fortitude does, however, add a flat amount of damage, which is applied to Smite, making it a popular choice for a Smiter Paladin. However, the main purpose of using Fortitude is not for its flat added damage, but for all other benefits that it provides.
Key Takeaways
- Holy Fire damage does not affect Smite damage.
- Smite damage is based on the shield’s base damage.
- Increased Attack Speed (IAS) dramatically increases Smite effectiveness.
- Fanaticism, Concentration, and Might are beneficial auras for Smite.
- Weapon damage itself does not influence Smite, but weapon speed does.
- Smite always hits its target, ignoring attack rating and target defense.
- Elemental damage buffs will not affect Smite as it is a physical damage skill.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Smite
1. What kind of damage does Smite do?
Smite deals physical damage, making it different from elemental-based attacks. This means that resistances to specific elements won’t reduce its impact. The best modifiers to increase Smite damage are overall % increased damage, or flat damage.
2. Does weapon damage matter for Smite?
No, weapon damage does not directly affect Smite damage. However, weapon speed does matter. Faster weapons allow for quicker Smite attacks, which is important in maximizing damage output, but they do not add to the overall damage.
3. Does Strength increase Smite damage?
No, Strength does not increase Smite damage. Smite damage is primarily based on the shield’s base damage and is also increased by flat damage additions, like from the runeword Fortitude.
4. Does increased damage to demons affect Smite?
No, damage to demons or undead will not increase Smite damage. Only general increases to damage, like the flat damage added by Fortitude, will.
5. Does Crushing Blow work with Smite?
Yes, Crushing Blow is highly effective with Smite. Crushing Blow removes a percentage of the enemy’s current health, making it extremely powerful against high-health bosses. This is another reason that Fortitude is so popular, as it provides Crushing Blow.
6. Is Smite affected by life or mana steal?
No, Smite is not affected by life or mana steal. Because Smite always hits, this can be a popular build for melee without the need for leeching.
7. Does Fanaticism increase Smite damage?
Yes, Fanaticism is one of the best auras for a Smite Paladin. It drastically increases attack speed and damage, making Smite much more effective.
8. Does Concentration Aura boost Smite Damage?
Yes, Concentration increases Smite damage but not as much as Fanaticism. The lack of the IAS bonus from Concentration is its main disadvantage.
9. Why use a Paladin-specific shield for Smite?
Paladin-specific shields often have a higher base Smite damage than regular shields, making them the best choice for a Smite build.
10. Can I use Smite with any shield?
Yes, you can use Smite with any shield, but the damage will be based on that shield’s base damage. Paladin-specific shields provide the highest base damage.
11. Does Holy Freeze affect Smite?
No, similar to Holy Fire, the cold damage added by Holy Freeze does not contribute to Smite damage. However, the slow effect of Holy Freeze can be beneficial in crowd control for a smiter.
12. Does Holy Shock affect Smite?
No, the lightning damage added by Holy Shock does not contribute to Smite damage. Though again, Holy Shock’s pulsing damage can provide some minor AoE, but it will not contribute to a Smite’s single-target damage.
13. What is the best way to increase Smite damage?
The best ways to increase Smite damage include using a high-base damage Paladin shield, acquiring items with flat damage, and using auras like Fanaticism. IAS is also important for faster attacks.
14. Does Grief boost Smite damage?
Yes, the runeword Grief is extremely beneficial to Smite Paladins. It provides a high flat damage, which directly adds to your Smite output. The IAS bonus is also very useful.
15. Is Smite a good single-target skill?
Yes, Smite is an exceptionally powerful single-target skill. Because Smite always hits, and with high damage output with the correct gear, it can quickly defeat tough bosses and single targets in the game.
By understanding these mechanics, you can create a more effective and powerful Smite Paladin. While auras like Holy Fire are useful for general combat, they do not directly enhance Smite. Focusing on the shield base damage, IAS, and flat damage modifiers will lead you to optimizing your Smite character.