Are there any ACFs for Smite Evil

[tedcahill2]

Simply put, it offers nothing, conceptually, to the character I want to play. But I can't find any official options to get rid of the paladin's smite class feature.

For that matter I don't really want aura of good either.

I'm trying to make a curse breaker type character, so I'm starting with paladin and taking:
Detect magic, replaces detect good.
Aura of resolve, replaces aura of courage.
Divine counterspell, replaces turn undead.
Divine spirit, replaces mount.
Spellshatter, replaces remove disease.

Not everything I'm doing is strictly legal, and will require DM buy in.

[Matrota]

It's not an ACF, but there's a feat called From Smite to Song which allows you to use Inspire Courage instead of smiting, and it progresses as you level as if you were a bard of your character level. Unfortunately, that means you're pretty limited on how often you can inspire courage, but it's still pretty nice.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Some of the substitution levels from Champions of Valor replace Smite Evil.

Claw of the Sun and the Ankh sub levels replaces Smite Evil with claw attacks.
Eternal Order sub levels gives you stuff against undead instead.
Holy Judge gives Favored Enemy: Devils instead.
Mystic Fire Knight adds a casting disruption effect to smiting.

Warforged and Half-Orc paladins also get substitution levels that replace smite (in RoE and RoD).


It's not an ACF, but there's a feat called From Smite to Song which allows you to use Inspire Courage instead of smiting, and it progresses as you level as if you were a bard of your character level. Unfortunately, that means you're pretty limited on how often you can inspire courage, but it's still pretty nice.
Getting more smite uses isn't that expensive. There's a few items and weapon enhancements that grant them, so you don't even have to use a feat.
You can also potentially combine FStS with Harmonious Knight sub levels from the CoV web enhancement.

[ShurikVch]

To replace Smite Evil:
In Champions of Valor, Claw of the Sun and the Ankh replace it with growing magical claws; Eternal Order - with Corpsestrike (ignore non-Epic DR for Undead), and Holy Judge - with Favored Enemy (Devils)
Half-Orc Paladin sub. levels (Races of Destiny) replace it with Righteous Fury
Hunter of Fiends (Dragon #349) - instead gain Track and Favored Enemy (Evil Outsiders)
Also, obviously, there are a bunch of variants which have Smite something-which-is-not-Evil

For the "curse breaker" bit:
Avenger - CG Paladin class variant (Dragon #310) got Break Enchantment instead Remove Disease
Paladin of Light (Dragon #340) - Remove Curse instead Remove Disease (as 6th-level substitution)

[tedcahill2]

For the "curse breaker" bit:
Avenger - CG Paladin class variant (Dragon #310) got Break Enchantment instead Remove Disease
Paladin of Light (Dragon #340) - Remove Curse instead Remove Disease (as 6th-level substitution)

Which is the better ability, Spellshatter or Remove curse/break enchantment?

[ShurikVch]

Which is the better ability, Spellshatter or Remove curse/break enchantment?They're all have their pros and cons:

Spellshatter is a targeted Greater Dispel Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagicGreater.htm). It's good, but some spells are just can't be dispelled. Also, it's delivered with a melee attack; what's if you will need to dispel something on a friendly target?

Break Enchantment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/breakEnchantment.htm) is very good: it's explicitly able to break spells which are "that cannot be dispelled by dispel magic" - even if only up to 5th-level, and "can reverse even an instantaneous effect".

Remove Curse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/removeCurse.htm) may look a bit narrow, but certain spells are may be negated by it, but not by the Break Enchantment (such as Geas spell line)

Thus, it's up to you - there are no clear favorites and outsiders

[DEMON]

The Curse Breaker ACF from Complete Mage offers both Remove Curse (at 6th level) and later Break Enchantment (at 12th, costs 2 uses) instead of Remove Disease.

Spellshatter, on the other hand, is usable per day, rather than per week, which is nice. It is gained through the Mystic Fire Knight's sub level 6, so it also gives you d8 HD, instead of d10 and adds Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft to your class skills (at that level only). As a side note, MFK's sub level 5 enhances the smite evil ability (for 1 round, the target must succeed on a concentration check in order to cast spells or use spell trigger or spell completion items). RAW, this should even work on non-evil creatures, although it's probably not RAI.

Also, Detect Magic for Detect Undead is gained through Golden Lion sub level, so it probably can't be combined with Spellshatter (with Mystic Fire Knights and Golden Lions being different orders serving different Gods).

Also also, Aura of Resolve is Paladin of Freedom's ability, whose alignment might prevent you from joining any of the above Paladin orders, especially LG Torm's Golden Lions.

[ShurikVch]

Aura of Sanctity (Dragon #349) makes you immune to - by your choice - Compulsion (including possession), Death effects, or petrification; allies withing your Aura of Courage get +4 vs. chosen effect; unfortunately, it will replace Turn Undead

[Crake]

They're all have their pros and cons:

Spellshatter is a targeted Greater Dispel Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagicGreater.htm). It's good, but some spells are just can't be dispelled. Also, it's delivered with a melee attack; what's if you will need to dispel something on a friendly target?

Break Enchantment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/breakEnchantment.htm) is very good: it's explicitly able to break spells which are "that cannot be dispelled by dispel magic" - even if only up to 5th-level, and "can reverse even an instantaneous effect".

Remove Curse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/removeCurse.htm) may look a bit narrow, but certain spells are may be negated by it, but not by the Break Enchantment (such as Geas spell line)

Thus, it's up to you - there are no clear favorites and outsiders

Keep in mind that greater dispel magic can also remove anything that remove curse would normally remove, even if it is otherwise unable to be removed by dispel magic.