Searing Smite

A
Damage

Searing Smite is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

See all Damage spells →
spell that ignites your strike, burning a foe now and again at the start of its turns until it shrugs off the flames.

2024 Rules

Level & School
1st-level evocation
Casting Time
Bonus action, which you take immediately after hitting a target with a Melee weapon or an Unarmed Strike
Range
Self
Components
V
Duration
1 minute
Classes
Paladin
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

As you hit the target, it takes an extra 1d6 Fire damage from the attack. At the start of each of its turns until the spell ends, the target takes 1d6 Fire damage and then makes a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the spell continues. On a successful save, the spell ends.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. All the damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1.

2014 Rules

Level & School
1st-level evocation
Casting Time
Bonus action
Range
Self
Components
V
Duration
Concentration, 1 minute
Classes
Paladin, Ranger
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack during the spell's duration, your weapon flares with white-hot intensity, and the attack deals an extra 1d6 fire damage to the target and causes the target to ignite in flames. At the start of each of its turns until the spell ends, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 fire damage. On a successful save, the spell ends. If the target or a creature within 5 feet of it uses an action to put out the flames, or if some other effect douses the flames (such as the target being submerged in water), the spell ends.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial extra damage dealt by the attack increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Searing Smite 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

No longer requires Concentration, and Rangers no longer get it. The flame can’t be ended by an action to douse it anymore. The save timing changed too: the target now takes the ongoing damage before making the Con save, and a successful save ends the spell while a failed save lets it keep burning.

Searing Smite popularity

How popular is Searing Smite? It is a commonly found spell in the game, and is chosen above nearly all other options when available. This spell is a widely sought-after option.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated.

Spells similar to Searing Smite