Divine Smite and Improved Divine Smite both *only* apply for attacks that target creatures not objects. The real description in the sidebar correctly reads as whenever you hit a creature:
Divine Smite
Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend, to a maximum of 6d8.
Improved Divine Smite
By 11th level, you are so suffused with righteous might that all your melee weapon strikes carry divine power with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage.
However under the actions and the features & traits tab Divine Smite and Improved Divine Smite do not specify creature in their description
Divine Smite
When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal 2d8 extra radiant damage to the target plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st (max 5d8) and plus 1d8 against undead or fiends.
Improved Divine Smite
Whenever you hit with a melee weapon attack, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage.
This caused a problem in our last session as I was trying to hit objects that were vulnerable for radiant damage so we thought it was doing more damage originally and we had to take damage back once we realised the true wording of the ability. Only two words need to be added to the short description to make this perfectly clear.
The full descriptions are not displayed on the character sheets. Instead they display abridged versions (called “snippets”) of all features & traits to save space. If you tap/click on a snippet, the full description becomes visible in the sidebar that slides out.
Divine Smite and Improved Divine Smite both *only* apply for attacks that target creatures not objects. The real description in the sidebar correctly reads as whenever you hit a creature:
Divine Smite
Starting at 2nd level, when you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend, to a maximum of 6d8.
Improved Divine Smite
By 11th level, you are so suffused with righteous might that all your melee weapon strikes carry divine power with them. Whenever you hit a creature with a melee weapon, the creature takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage.
However under the actions and the features & traits tab Divine Smite and Improved Divine Smite do not specify creature in their description
Divine Smite
When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal 2d8 extra radiant damage to the target plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st (max 5d8) and plus 1d8 against undead or fiends.
Improved Divine Smite
Whenever you hit with a melee weapon attack, the target takes an extra 1d8 radiant damage.
This caused a problem in our last session as I was trying to hit objects that were vulnerable for radiant damage so we thought it was doing more damage originally and we had to take damage back once we realised the true wording of the ability. Only two words need to be added to the short description to make this perfectly clear.
The full descriptions are not displayed on the character sheets. Instead they display abridged versions (called “snippets”) of all features & traits to save space. If you tap/click on a snippet, the full description becomes visible in the sidebar that slides out.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
I totally get the space savings on snippets, but targeting restrictions are pretty important for the at a glance information.
Very many of the snippets are abridged to the point of inaccuracy. Never just go by the snippets, always read the full description.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting