Is Divine Smite stackable with other smites, or spell slots. For instance. Is it stackable or do you have to choose between having Divine Smite, and spell slots for casting/abilities and such. I'm wondering because if it's stackable, that's a ton of damage at low levels. I have a friend explaining it, but I'd like to see what you can come up with as well. Which would be amazing! Just looking for some help with clarification.
Since it does not specifically state that you cannot do it, I would rule that you can add divine smite onto an attack that used, say, branding smite. It might be powerful at low level, but you are also expending almost all of your resources at once to do so.
RAW doesn't say anything about stacking nor does it say that it can't. This would be on a DM to rule if it stacks or not. If you read the other smites though, they all require concentration to activate and if I was DMing I would have to rule that it can't stack because it requires concentration. So to answer your question I'd say yes and no, and it's up to the DM to chose which.
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Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
RAW doesn't say anything about stacking nor does it say that it can't. This would be on a DM to rule if it stacks or not. If you read the other smites though, they all require concentration to activate and if I was DMing I would have to rule that it can't stack because it requires concentration. So to answer your question I'd say yes and no, and it's up to the DM to chose which.
It'd be up to the DM to rule as much as whether Halflings get +2 to their Dexterity score is up to the DM to rule. Divine Smite and the various Smite spells are different features, and nothing in their description precludes them from working with one another. The Smite spells use Concentration, but Concentration allows using other spells and features, as long as they don't require Concentration themselves. The rules regarding that are unequivocal (if not immediately obvious): a Paladin can use Divine Smite on an attack already being boosted by, say, Branding Smite. The DM might decide that's too much immediate damage for their game, and they're free to introduce a house rule preventing it, but it'd be a house rule, not an interpretation of official rules.
From playing a paladin and DMing for a couple paladins, I've only ever seen this once. Branding smite was cast, and the player rolled a 20, then dropped a divine smite on top of it. (Because paladins should always divine smite on a crit for the most part.) Outside of capitalizing on a 20, this shouldn't be a problem from a damage perspective. Smite spells deal less damage than divine smites. So unless there is a reason for the smite spell, like preventing invisibility in my example, it's usually better to save slots for divine smites. In other words, stacking spell and divine smites ends up being less damage dealt between rests.
Paladins can do some crazy burst/nova damage. The craziest level 2 damage I can think of is variant human with magic initiate for booming blade (this combo won't scale well at higher levels), duelist fighting style with longsword, bonus action thunderous smite, action booming blade, special action divine smite. 1d8+2+STR slashing + 2d6 Thunder + 2d8 radiant, the target must succeed a STR save or be knocked 10 feet away and prone, and if they move from that spot another 1d8 Thunder. Assuming 16 STR, average damage: 25.5 (10-41) not counting 1d8 if they move.
And yes, you can stack both those smites onto the weapon attack from booming blade.
I see no problem with a paladin casting Thunderous Smite then hitting the target and expending an available spell slot to add divine smite, which is not a spell. Even better if it's a critical hit :)
EDIT: If you want to get really wacky, imagine being a 5th level or higher paladin, having a smite spell already active from a previous round, then on your turn, taking the attack action, hitting your target, which would use that smite spell, then electing to add divine smite, then casting another smite spell as a bonus action, then taking the second attack from the attack action you already used, hitting with the new smite spell, then adding on divine smite once again.
Yeah, you just used four spell slots, but talk about a thump!
Question on Paladin mechanics.
Is Divine Smite stackable with other smites, or spell slots. For instance. Is it stackable or do you have to choose between having Divine Smite, and spell slots for casting/abilities and such. I'm wondering because if it's stackable, that's a ton of damage at low levels. I have a friend explaining it, but I'd like to see what you can come up with as well. Which would be amazing! Just looking for some help with clarification.
Since it does not specifically state that you cannot do it, I would rule that you can add divine smite onto an attack that used, say, branding smite. It might be powerful at low level, but you are also expending almost all of your resources at once to do so.
RAW doesn't say anything about stacking nor does it say that it can't. This would be on a DM to rule if it stacks or not. If you read the other smites though, they all require concentration to activate and if I was DMing I would have to rule that it can't stack because it requires concentration. So to answer your question I'd say yes and no, and it's up to the DM to chose which.
Remember this is a game and it's suppose to be fun for everybody. Let's all have fun and kill monsters.
It'd be up to the DM to rule as much as whether Halflings get +2 to their Dexterity score is up to the DM to rule. Divine Smite and the various Smite spells are different features, and nothing in their description precludes them from working with one another. The Smite spells use Concentration, but Concentration allows using other spells and features, as long as they don't require Concentration themselves. The rules regarding that are unequivocal (if not immediately obvious): a Paladin can use Divine Smite on an attack already being boosted by, say, Branding Smite. The DM might decide that's too much immediate damage for their game, and they're free to introduce a house rule preventing it, but it'd be a house rule, not an interpretation of official rules.
I appreciate the follow up guys/gals. After reading over your posts it makes it a bit clearer.
From playing a paladin and DMing for a couple paladins, I've only ever seen this once. Branding smite was cast, and the player rolled a 20, then dropped a divine smite on top of it. (Because paladins should always divine smite on a crit for the most part.) Outside of capitalizing on a 20, this shouldn't be a problem from a damage perspective. Smite spells deal less damage than divine smites. So unless there is a reason for the smite spell, like preventing invisibility in my example, it's usually better to save slots for divine smites. In other words, stacking spell and divine smites ends up being less damage dealt between rests.
Paladins can do some crazy burst/nova damage. The craziest level 2 damage I can think of is variant human with magic initiate for booming blade (this combo won't scale well at higher levels), duelist fighting style with longsword, bonus action thunderous smite, action booming blade, special action divine smite. 1d8+2+STR slashing + 2d6 Thunder + 2d8 radiant, the target must succeed a STR save or be knocked 10 feet away and prone, and if they move from that spot another 1d8 Thunder. Assuming 16 STR, average damage: 25.5 (10-41) not counting 1d8 if they move.
And yes, you can stack both those smites onto the weapon attack from booming blade.
Have a Blade Lock with Eldritch smite with Paladins lvls, and watch the madness...
Even though it would be ressources intensive( at least 2 slots for the double Smite) and at least another slot for the Thunderous/Searing smite
"Normality is but an Illusion, Whats normal to the Spider, is only madness for the Fly"
Kain de Frostberg- Dark Knight - (Vengeance Pal3/ Hexblade 9), Port Mourn
Kain de Draakberg-Dark Knight lvl8-Avergreen(DitA)
I see no problem with a paladin casting Thunderous Smite then hitting the target and expending an available spell slot to add divine smite, which is not a spell. Even better if it's a critical hit :)
EDIT: If you want to get really wacky, imagine being a 5th level or higher paladin, having a smite spell already active from a previous round, then on your turn, taking the attack action, hitting your target, which would use that smite spell, then electing to add divine smite, then casting another smite spell as a bonus action, then taking the second attack from the attack action you already used, hitting with the new smite spell, then adding on divine smite once again.
Yeah, you just used four spell slots, but talk about a thump!
"Not all those who wander are lost"
The kind of final attack to make sur a BBeG is dead
"Normality is but an Illusion, Whats normal to the Spider, is only madness for the Fly"
Kain de Frostberg- Dark Knight - (Vengeance Pal3/ Hexblade 9), Port Mourn
Kain de Draakberg-Dark Knight lvl8-Avergreen(DitA)
I think that chain all works, as long as you can cast the second smite spell using a bonus action. Don't let my paladin player read this.