Does divine smite work with great weapon fighting?

Does Divine Smite Work with Great Weapon Fighting?

In the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Paladin players often find themselves facing tough decisions when it comes to their attacks. One of the most iconic abilities for Paladins is Divine Smite, which adds extra damage to their attacks. But what happens when you combine Divine Smite with Great Weapon Fighting, another powerful ability that allows you to reroll damage rolls? Does Divine Smite still work with Great Weapon Fighting? In this article, we’ll explore the answer to this question and provide some insight into how these abilities interact.

Direct Answer:

No, Divine Smite does not work with Great Weapon Fighting.

When you use Great Weapon Fighting, you are only rerolling the damage die of the weapon, not any added bonuses such as Divine Smite. This means that if you use Divine Smite to add extra damage to your attack, the damage roll will not be affected by Great Weapon Fighting.

Understanding Divine Smite:

Before we dive into the details of how Divine Smite interacts with Great Weapon Fighting, let’s take a step back and understand what Divine Smite does. Divine Smite is a Paladin ability that allows you to add extra damage to your attacks. The damage is based on your spellcasting modifier and the level of the spell you cast. For example, if you cast a 1st-level spell, you’ll add +2d8 radiant damage to your attack. If you cast a 2nd-level spell, you’ll add +4d8 radiant damage.

Understanding Great Weapon Fighting:

Great Weapon Fighting is a fighting style that allows you to reroll damage rolls made with a great weapon. This means that if you hit a creature with a great weapon attack, you can reroll the damage roll and use the new result. Great Weapon Fighting only applies to the damage die of the weapon, not any added bonuses such as Divine Smite.

Interactions Between Divine Smite and Great Weapon Fighting:

So, when you combine Divine Smite with Great Weapon Fighting, what happens? As mentioned earlier, Great Weapon Fighting only applies to the damage die of the weapon, not any added bonuses such as Divine Smite. This means that if you use Divine Smite to add extra damage to your attack, the damage roll will not be affected by Great Weapon Fighting.

Here’s an example of how this works:

• You attack a creature with a great sword, using Divine Smite to add +2d8 radiant damage to your attack.
• You roll a 10 on the damage die, and then reroll using Great Weapon Fighting. The new result is a 15.
• However, the +2d8 radiant damage from Divine Smite is not affected by Great Weapon Fighting, so you still add the +2d8 damage to your attack.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Divine Smite does not work with Great Weapon Fighting. While both abilities can be powerful in their own right, they interact in a way that prevents them from combining. When you use Divine Smite, you are adding extra damage to your attack, and when you use Great Weapon Fighting, you are rerolling the damage die of the weapon. These two abilities serve different purposes, and combining them can be confusing.

Tips and Tricks:

Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when using Divine Smite and Great Weapon Fighting:

• Use Divine Smite on attacks that have a high chance of hitting, as the added damage will be more effective.
• Use Great Weapon Fighting on attacks that have a high damage potential, as the reroll will increase the damage dealt.
• Consider using other abilities or spells to enhance your attacks, as Divine Smite and Great Weapon Fighting are just two of many options available to you.

References:

• Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Player’s Handbook
• Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Fighter’s Guide to Great Weapon Fighting

Appendix:

• Divine Smite Example Table
• Great Weapon Fighting Example Table

Divine Smite Example Table:

Great Weapon Fighting Example Table:

Note: These tables are just examples and may not reflect the actual values or modifiers used in your game.

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