Spell description says "next time you hit" but the spell is a concentration spell that lasts up to 1 minute. So how is "next time" adjudicated? Is it every turn, as in "next time it is your turn and you hit" or is it, effectively, every time as in "you hit last time but this is the next time, so the spell applies now as well", not clear on how this is used.
Effectively the concentration is so that you don't lose it if you miss.
you cast Branding Smite, you concentrate on it for up to 1 minute making attack rolls. But once you make on that hits. Then you cause the spell to do it's effect and no longer have to concentrate on it because it's done it's thing.
Without the concentration component it would be cast, it, Attack, and then if the attack missed the spell is wasted.
That's all there is to it. Just keeping it around (assuming you don't lose concentration) until you can make it work instead of wasting it on an attack that doesn't connect.
My interpretation is that it only lasts for one.hit, but the concentration allows you to make that hit within 1 minute.
So, scenario 1:
You cast Branding Smite (hereby shortened to "Smite"). Your next attack hits, the effect takes place, spell now over.
Scenario 2:
You cast Smite, your next attack fails, your concentration continues, the next round you hit, the effect takes place, the spell ends.
Scenario 3:
You cast Smite, your attack misses, someone else attacks you and breaks your concentration, the spell ends and no effects ever occur.
Scenario 4:
You cast Smite. Your attack misses, your teammate gets knocked unconscious so you're distracted for a few rounds, another teammate needs help doing something so another few rounds without attacking. You finally get around to attacking but miss and that was your tenth round of Smite. The spell ends without ever taking effect.
The purpose of the 1 minute duration is so that it's not wasted if you miss or have to do something else with your next action, etc.
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Once you cast the spell, the first attack that successfully hits triggers the effect and can only do so once. Having concentration helps by increasing the chance of a successful hit.
But the Smite spells typically include an ongoing effect, and you need to maintain concentration if you want that effect to continue. In the case of Branding Smite you get bonus damage on the hit and force invisible creates to become visible. If you maintain concentration the target also sheds dim light and it can't become invisible again for the remaining duration.
Whether the ongoing effect is worthwhile is entirely up to you. If you just want the damage and initial effect you are welcome to drop concentration right after it triggers.
This is something I hadn't really thought about... I hadn't read the spell in too much detail, but I thought the way it worked was you Concentrate on it until you land One Hit, then the effect hits the enemy and persists for a minute, freeing you up to concentrate on something else.
But even after landing the One Hit that benefits from the damage boost, you still need to maintain concentration to keep up the Light/Forced Visibility effect.
Spell description says "next time you hit" but the spell is a concentration spell that lasts up to 1 minute. So how is "next time" adjudicated? Is it every turn, as in "next time it is your turn and you hit" or is it, effectively, every time as in "you hit last time but this is the next time, so the spell applies now as well", not clear on how this is used.
Effectively the concentration is so that you don't lose it if you miss.
you cast Branding Smite, you concentrate on it for up to 1 minute making attack rolls. But once you make on that hits. Then you cause the spell to do it's effect and no longer have to concentrate on it because it's done it's thing.
Without the concentration component it would be cast, it, Attack, and then if the attack missed the spell is wasted.
That's all there is to it. Just keeping it around (assuming you don't lose concentration) until you can make it work instead of wasting it on an attack that doesn't connect.
My interpretation is that it only lasts for one.hit, but the concentration allows you to make that hit within 1 minute.
So, scenario 1:
You cast Branding Smite (hereby shortened to "Smite"). Your next attack hits, the effect takes place, spell now over.
Scenario 2:
You cast Smite, your next attack fails, your concentration continues, the next round you hit, the effect takes place, the spell ends.
Scenario 3:
You cast Smite, your attack misses, someone else attacks you and breaks your concentration, the spell ends and no effects ever occur.
Scenario 4:
You cast Smite. Your attack misses, your teammate gets knocked unconscious so you're distracted for a few rounds, another teammate needs help doing something so another few rounds without attacking. You finally get around to attacking but miss and that was your tenth round of Smite. The spell ends without ever taking effect.
The purpose of the 1 minute duration is so that it's not wasted if you miss or have to do something else with your next action, etc.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
This is something I hadn't really thought about... I hadn't read the spell in too much detail, but I thought the way it worked was you Concentrate on it until you land One Hit, then the effect hits the enemy and persists for a minute, freeing you up to concentrate on something else.
But even after landing the One Hit that benefits from the damage boost, you still need to maintain concentration to keep up the Light/Forced Visibility effect.
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