View source for 5e Spell Design (5e Guideline)

====Smite damage====
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
! Spell<br>Level
! One Target<br>Smite
|-
! 1st
| '''9''' (2d8)
|-
! 2nd
| '''13.5''' (3d8)
|- 
! 3rd 
| '''18''' (4d8)
|-
! 4th 
| '''22.5''' (5d8)
|}
Paladins have an array of spells which deal damage, but follow a different and distinct pattern. Casting one of these "smite" spells only requires a Bonus Action, lasts for 1 minute with Concentration; if you hit with a weapon attack while it lasts, the spell does extra damage on top of that weapon attack, and then usually the spell ends.

This kind of spell has numerous benefits. A Bonus Action cast instead of an action cast means it has much less weight on your action economy]]. Triggering only on a weapon attack that ''hits'' mean the spell slot is rarely if ever wasted, as even if you miss the attack roll the spell is still there waiting for your next hit. Because of all these benefits, a Paladin's smite spell usually deals much less damage on a hit compared to a normal damaging spell cast by a Sorcerer or Warlock.

Based on the Paladin's Divine Smite feature, we can see a guideline for a ''smite'' is 9 (2d8) damage at 1st level, and an extra 1d8 for each level after this, to a maximum of 22.5 (5d8) damage. All ''smite'' spells in the ''Player's Handbook'' deal less damage than this feature, but trade that extra damage for benefits such as knocking the creature Prone or making it Frightened.

Smite spells are intentionally designed to be low in level, and don't scale to the extent normal damage spells do. Weapon damage and spell damage both scale as player levels increase, and consequently giving a character full progression in both domains can result in an overpowered character. Even with 5th level spell slots, a Paladin is unable to outright deal more than 5d8 damage with any smite.
Identifier	5e Guideline +
Rating	Undiscussed +
Title	5e Spell Design +