No longer works with Ranged Weapon Attacks like Branding Smite did :(

Quote from Piffinatour >>

No longer works with Ranged Weapon Attacks like Branding Smite did :(

 Yeah they really went hard on "Smites are for Melee" and didn't provide much for ranged weapon users.

Bright instead of dim light, and advantage - cool!

Branding Smite  *   Legacy This doesn't reflect the latest rules and lore. Learn More Basic Rules, pg. 219

Link to the legacy version of this spell

* Spell was renamed from Branding Smite into Shining Smite.

Quote from Piffinatour >>

No longer works with Ranged Weapon Attacks like Branding Smite did :(

Yes, but unless I’m mistaken (and I checked the 2024 rules glossary to try and make sure), you can still use it with melee weapons with the Thrown property when making a ranged attack.

Quote from Myastan_Torinn >>

Quote from Piffinatour >>

No longer works with Ranged Weapon Attacks like Branding Smite did :(

Yes, but unless I’m mistaken (and I checked the 2024 rules glossary to try and make sure), you can still use it with melee weapons with the Thrown property when making a ranged attack.

Yes, you can use this with any melee weapon you throw. The only requirements are:

"Immediately after hitting a creature with a Melee weapon or an Unarmed Strike."

Your DM would really have to jump through hoops to tell you why a longsword or dagger isn't a Melee weapon if thrown.

This is why you "Throw" fists.

I saw a ranking that had this as the worst 2024 smite spell. Do others agree? I just used it in two Rime of the Frostmaiden boss fights and it absolutely ruled. No saving throw and the entire party gets advantage on all attacks as long as I can hold concentration? How is that not OP?

Quote from LosMonstruos >>

I saw a ranking that had this as the worst 2024 smite spell. Do others agree? I just used it in two Rime of the Frostmaiden boss fights and it absolutely ruled. No saving throw and the entire party gets advantage on all attacks as long as I can hold concentration? How is that not OP?

I mean, if you want a serious answer, it's not overpowered because you don't get access to it until level 5 and (unlike almost all the other 2024 smite spells) you have to concentrate on it to keep its ongoing effect running

I don't really have an opinion on where it ranks against the other smite spells — obviously some spell has to be last — but I certainly wouldn't call it overpowered.

Yeah, being unable to throw up a Shield of Faith or whatever is certainly a downside. And there are plenty of other sources of advantage -- though I'm not sure how many give the whole party advantage with no saving throw to avoid/shake it.