Wrathful Smite
2024 Rules
- Level & School
- 1st-level necromancy
- 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
- 1 minute
- Classes
- Paladin
The target takes an extra 1d6 Necrotic damage from the attack, and it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Frightened condition until the spell ends. At the end of each of its turns, the Frightened target repeats the save, ending the spell on itself on a success.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. 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, up to 1 minute
- Classes
- Paladin
The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends. As an action, the creature can make a Wisdom check against your spell save DC to steel its resolve and end this spell.
Wrathful Smite 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences
Wrathful Smite popularity
How popular is Wrathful Smite? It is a commonly found spell in the game, and is often chosen over other options when available. This spell is a reliable addition to any spellbook.
- Top 50% of all 5e spells
- Bottom 50% picked level 1 Paladin spell
- Bottom 10% of all level 1 spells
Spells similar to Wrathful Smite
Searing Smite 1st-level evocation
It’s a paladin self-buff that adds extra damage on your next hit and lasts for up to a minute, matching the same ‘smite-on-hit’ niche.
Thunderous Smite 1st-level evocation
This is another paladin smite that augments a melee attack with extra damage and an adverse condition on the target, fitting the same tactical use.
Blinding Smite 3rd-level evocation
Although higher level, it follows the same pattern of a paladin activating a short-duration effect to add damage and impose a weakening condition on a successful hit.
Banishing Smite 5th-level conjuration
It’s a paladin smite that consumes a spell slot to boost a single attack and can remove or incapacitate the target, so it occupies a very similar design space.
Divine Smite 1st-level evocation
As the paladin’s core way to convert spell resources into extra damage on attacks, it’s conceptually what Wrathful Smite is designed around mechanically.