About the Cuthbert's Smite feat...

[Clistenes]

The Cuthbert's Smite feat, from Dragon Magazine #306/Living Greyhawk Journal #20 allows a paladin to smite chaos in addition to evil, plus it grants an extra daily smite. It's only requirements are the Smite Evil feature and having Saint Cuthbert as a patron god.

Do you think that removing the requirement of having Saint Cuthbert as a patron god and allowing the feat to all paladins is a good idea? It drastically improves the versatility of paladins, allowing them to use their best attack against a lot more creatures, so I can see that many DMs would consider it cheesy/excesive/overpowered.

What are your thoughts about the issue?

[jindra34]

Right... Might be an issue if Paladin's had enough uses to make it through a day. And smite actually having significant use later on. And if paladin's actually did a lot.

[Clistenes]

Right... Might be an issue if Paladin's had enough uses to make it through a day. And smite actually having significant use later on. And if paladin's actually did a lot.

Oh, the value of the feat isn't the extra daily smite, but the fact that it allows the paladin to smite non-evil chaotic creatures, like Slaads, Djinni, Marids, Githzerai, Satyrs, or even Eladrins, not to mention the many chaotic humanoid foes they are likely to face.

[jindra34]

Oh, the value of the feat isn't the extra daily smite, but the fact that they allow the paladin to smite non-evil chaotic creatures, like Slaads, Djinni, Marids, Githzerai, Satyrs, or even Eladrins, not to mention the many chaotic humanoid foes they are likely to face.

The ability to use it on chaotic things that aren't evil isn't that useful. Primarily because they have no real way of making that discernment. And its still not that big a boost to damage or to hit not that often a day.

[Clistenes]

The ability to use it on chaotic things that aren't evil isn't that useful. Primarily because they have no real way of making that discernment. And its still not that big a boost to damage or to hit not that often a day.

The group I play with usually uses a homebrewed version of Smite Evil that lasts a whole round per use. It basically is the same as the Pathfinder Beta's version of Smite Evil.

About not knowing if your foe is chaotic before trying...Well, if you have to fight that creature, and you aren't hitting it, and it's beating you, why not trying Smite Chaos, just in case? If the creature happens to be chaotic, it may save your bacon.

But even if the feat isn't mechanically overpowered on itself, I think many people would see it as making the paladin step out of its archetype and dislike it.

[Slipperychicken]

If he also got Detect Chaos, that would be useful. Seriously, when was the last time someone blew a spell slot on, then actually cast, Detect Chaos?

[Clistenes]

If he also got Detect Chaos, that would be useful. Seriously, when was the last time someone blew a spell slot on, then actually cast, Detect Chaos?

I guess the feat could be refluffed so the Paladin also gets Detect Chaos, but it would make it even more likely that many people sees it as an overpowered feat.