Paladin's Smite Evil

[bucmeister]

Can someone explain to me exactly how this works? Does it buff you for one strike? I've tried to use it and it never is apparent if it helps or not. This is a special ability I virtually ignore most of the time.

Thanks in advance.

[Kakero]

In teory, it lets your paladin does extra damage against enemy that is evil alignment. however, my experience is that the damage it does is unnoticeable.

[firithwingion]

the smite evil ability allows your Paladin to add his charisma modifier(the number next to the actual stats; i.e. CHA 18 - +4; the +4 would be the modifier) to your BAB. it also adds one additional point of damage per level of your paladin FOR THAT ATTACK. The extra attack and damage bonuses work against anythiing, not just evil. The downside to this is that the paladin only gets *1* smite evil per day, unlike other class specific skills that give you more uses/day as you level up (barbarian rage/druid shapeshift/etc.). There is no way to increase the amount of smite evils you get/day other than taking them as feats, which is a horrible way to implement it imo. Who would waste feats on something that does so little as an extra 20-ish damage and +4 to your BAB for ONE ATTACK? Although the damage does help; it is far too much trouble to activate it at the beginning of every round (you can only use it once/round remember); especially when you have the paladin's other skills such as lay on hands and his spellcasting abilities to think about. i suggest you skip it and wait for draw upon holy might once your paladin hits around level 15.