Staggering Smite

A
Damage

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

See all Damage spells →
 spell that adds psychic force to a hit and can leave the target stunned until your next turn.

2024 Rules
Level & School
4th-level enchantment
Casting Time
Bonus action, which you take immediately after hitting a creature with a melee weapon or an unarmed strike
Range
Self
Components
V
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Paladin

The target takes an extra 4d6 Psychic damage from the attack, and the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Stunned condition until the end of your next turn.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The extra damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 4.

2014 Rules
Level & School
4th-level evocation
Casting Time
Bonus action
Range
Self
Components
V
Duration
Concentration, up to 1 minute
Classes
Paladin

The next time you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your weapon pierces both body and mind, and the attack deals an extra 4d6 psychic damage to the target. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can’t take reactions, until the end of its next turn.

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

It no longer requires Concentration, and it’s now Instantaneous instead of lasting up to 1 minute. On a failed Wisdom save, it now inflicts Stunned until the end of your next turn instead of disadvantage/no reactions. It also gains upcasting: +1d6 psychic damage per slot above 4th.

Staggering Smite popularity

Staggering Smite is one of the rarest level 4 spells in the game. Choosing it will set you apart from all other casters.

Spells similar to Staggering Smite

  • Wrathful Smite 1st-level necromancy

    A paladin bonus-action smite that adds extra psychic/mental-flavored harm and imposes a mental condition on a hit, so it plays the same tactic of trading a bonus action for single-target shutdown potential.

  • Blinding Smite 3rd-level evocation

    This is another paladin bonus-action smite that deals extra damage on your next hit and imposes a debilitating condition, making it mechanically similar in use and timing.

  • Thunderous Smite 1st-level evocation

    Like the target, it’s a paladin bonus-action enhancement to your next attack that adds significant burst damage and a disruptive secondary effect when you connect.

  • Searing Smite 1st-level evocation

    A lower-level paladin smite that functions the same way—cast as a bonus action to augment your next hit with extra elemental damage—so it shares the basic combat role and action economy.

  • Shining Smite 2nd-level transmutation

    Another paladin self-smite that boosts the next attack with extra damage and a follow-up effect, so it’s comparable in when and why you’d choose it in a fight.