arcane eye blocks enemy!!!!!!!

they stack

Quote from MrShoggs >>

Does this deal an extra 2d6 radiant damage with every weapon hit for the full minute? Or is it lost once the t8the weapon hits once?

It does however work for range

My main question is the glowing that occurs, and it says that this ends after the spell ends, so when you land the attack does the spell end, or can you keep concentration up just for the glow effect?

That's not the issue at all. Unarmed attacks count as weapon attacks and melee weapon attacks, colossus slayer and battlemaster maneuvers work. What they DON'T count as (though I ignore it anyway) is an attack with a weapon. That means that the rules clarifications tend to strictly prevent them from working when a weapon is mentioned in the spell. In this case "the weapon gleams with astral radiance as you strike." The dnd higher ups consider unarmed strikes a weapon attack with no weapon rather than consider your body a valid weapon. I ignore it for most things except crimson rites.

That's even what the sage advice entry you mentioned says. It says nothing about monk unarmed being unique. It doesn't say that they are "weapon attacks" specifically, but that term includes all melee/ranged weapon attacks.

Quote from samiatinterlaced >>

I am trying to add this spell to my 8th level Eldritch Knight, which should be possible because Eldritch Knights focus their study of magic on the abjuration and evocation schools. Further, page 75 of the PHB says, "The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic."

However, this spell is not shown as an option when I go to add it from the Manage Spells u.i. I had to create a Paladin (and then level him up to 5th) before the Branding Smite spell would appear as an option to learn (or, in the case of the Paladin, "prepare").

Is this simply a bug? I have confirmed that I have the available spell lots of the proper level, and many other spells were available to be learned/added, just not Branding Smite.

 

 Any school but still only from the wizard spell list.

Also, it is intriguing that this and banishing smite are the ONLY two spells that can be used with ranged attacks.  What's the logic behind that?  

 These are the smite spells available to battle smiths. They often use ranged weapons.

Quote from AlexReiden >>

Also, it is intriguing that this and banishing smite are the ONLY two spells that can be used with ranged attacks.  What's the logic behind that?  

 These are the smite spells available to battle smiths. They often use ranged weapons.

 You didn't read my whole comment.  Banishing smite and branding smite were released in the PHB.  Battle Smith was released in Tasha's.