Dungeons & Dragons Explains Why the Paladin’s Divine Smite Was Changed

Dungeons & Dragons Explains Why the Paladin's Divine Smite Was Changed

As a long-time fan of Dungeons & Dragons, I was initially taken aback by the news that the Paladin’s signature ability, Divine Smite, was being changed in the upcoming Player’s Handbook. I had grown accustomed to the open-ended nature of the ability and felt that it was a core part of what made the Paladin class unique.


The lead rules designer of Dungeons & Dragons provided some additional insight as to why the Paladin’s signature ability was changed. Earlier this summer, Wizards of the Coast confirmed that the 2024 Player’s Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons would feature new rules for the Paladin and in particular new limitations on when and how the class’s signature ability Divine Smite could be used. The rules changes were controversial with some players, who felt that it represented a rare nerf within the new Player’s Handbook.

In an interview with egmr.ru this month, Jeremy Crawford, lead rules designer, explained the reasons behind the Paladin’s changes, particularly concerning Divine Smite. He revealed that they discovered early in Fifth Edition that the Paladin was overpowered, and this excess power stemmed from the unrestricted usage of Divine Smite. Initially designed as a simple spell option for the Paladin looking to deal damage, it ended up not being classified as a spell, leading to unintended consequences. This resulted in the Paladin’s ability to smite on every attack.

Crawford revealed that following the playtest sessions, the D&D development team acknowledged that Divine Smite functioned as a spell, much like other smites used by Paladins. “We decided to fully acknowledge that it was, in essence, a spell under the surface,” Crawford stated. “This discovery brought us several advantages. It helped clarify how this magical ability interacts with other magical effects. Moreover, it was part of our plan to enhance all Smite spells since we were worried about both Divine Smite and Paladin-specific smites being unbalanced. Consequently, we made comprehensive adjustments to ensure Paladins had a variety of engaging choices instead of feeling compelled to always opt for Divine Smite.”

In summary, the modification to Divine Smite was introduced to add diversity and complexity to the Paladin class, preventing it from appearing overly simplistic. According to Crawford, “Our aim was to make Paladins think, ‘I have various tactical choices at my disposal.’ Although the standard Divine Smite might remain the preferred choice on occasion, there will be instances where the alternative Smite spells are more suited. This transformation into a spell beneath the surface also addressed previous multi-classing complications.”

On September 17th, the new edition of the Player’s Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons will become available. For further rule adjustments, please check this location.

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2024-07-24 16:10