Smite Evil

Andreas · Post by **Andreas** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 2:29 pm

I'd like to propose the addition of Smite Evil to the paladin skills. A paladin's unique abilities to combat evil are what set them apart from the average fighter, crusader or cleric.

Since spells/skills don't run on a 24-hour timer on the MUD like they would in table top, I think it could function the same as Lay On Hands - as long as you have enough mana it will work. I believe the mana cost should be significantly higher, though. Smite Evil is a very powerful weapon in a paladin's arsenal and potentially deadly at high levels. I believe this would be a counterbalance to some of the "insta-death" spells such as Harm (favoured by evil clerics), Distintegrate or Finger of Death. As with some other skills/spells, Smite Evil would only be useable when the paladin has high enough Favour.

For those who don't have the book, here's what I'm talking about

"Smite Evil: Once per day, a paladin of 2nd level or higher may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma modifier (if positive) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per level. For example, a 13th-level paladin armed with a longsword would deal 1d8+13 points of damage, plus any additional bonuses for high Strength or magical effects that normally would apply. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect but it is still used up for that day. Smite evil is a supernatural ability."

3rd Edition Players' Handbook, p. 42

Legault · Post by **Legault** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:22 am

I can see this, somewhat like the barbarian skill(which I just learned is actually a barbarian skill), being used by the paladins.

Argentia · Post by **Argentia** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:17 am

Are you saying smite evil is used by barbarians? o_O I've only ever known paladins to have the ability. I actually wondered why they did not have it on the MUD.

Maybe with this skill, evils will finally fear paladins like they should!

Just kidding of course... To a certain extent.

Glim · Post by **Glim** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:14 pm

I would think this ability would merely be similar to dispel evil, which already does a large amount of damage to evils.

Paladins already have dispel evil, do they need a smite evil ability which already sounds quite similar?

Legault · Post by **Legault** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 8:24 pm

OOPS! I meant to put this in there-

Similar to the Bardbarian skill called RAGE.

sorry, my bad

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 1:23 am

Argentia wrote:Are you saying smite evil is used by barbarians? o_O I've only ever known paladins to have the ability. I actually wondered why they did not have it on the MUD.

Maybe with this skill, evils will finally fear paladins like they should! Just kidding of course... To a certain extent.

Doing the smite code would also prepare for the coming of prestige classes, as many would have a smite special ability at certain levels.

The Divine Champion prestige class, has smite infidel which affect servants of the dietie's foe (Cyric to Torm, Malar to Mielikki, etc), to simplify they could get either smite evil *or* smite good, depending on the align of the diety served.

Justiciar's of Tyr get smite anarchy (which affects chaotics instead of good/evil) the perfect thing to deal with all those CN thieves roaming about

Ellian · Post by **Ellian** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 7:31 pm

*scoffs* As though anarchy were a bad thing...

-El-

Kirkus · Post by **Kirkus** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 8:07 pm

I am all for this. I especially liked that someone mentioned smite evil, stuff like this could very easily disrupt game balance. One thing I would like if this gets put into the game is that that it can only bring the enemy down to 1 hp. It can't kill. I am a firm believer in the thought that a defeated foe brings about alot more possibilities for rp than a dead one.

Exer · Post by **Exer** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 8:16 pm

I'll second the motion for having smite evil put into the game and given to Paladin's. A paladin emobides goodness, and they would use that spell with care.

Micheal · Post by **Micheal** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 7:52 am

Not unless someone also gets a smite good. And I mean implimented, not just something that is coded and not in the game yet. Things are already unbalanced as they are.

Argentia · Post by **Argentia** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 5:12 pm

Not unless someone also gets a smite good. And I mean implimented, not just something that is coded and not in the game yet. Things are already unbalanced as they are

You think? Without giving away IC info... I once faced a priest of Cyric with two other of my goody friends(they were level 50 and I was level 47 or 48 at the time) and we got our butts royally kicked. I can remember a time when an old priest of Ilmater went adventuring with a young one of the faith and encountered the Truescar. There was a bonfire. I can remember a fight between a Malarite who wore no armour and the warden. The Malarite won. And I can remember several fights that the orc boss has won over goodies.

I really don't think the game is unbalanced towards evils.

Though that is just in the PvP sense.

Also, if I have stated something that anyone does not wish stated, please let me know and I will edit it.

Zilvryn · Post by **Zilvryn** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 5:38 pm

All of them, besides Daunyelle are old chars, they beat you down because their skills are at much higher levels than yours...

A good guild gets a new skill, the evils should as well, the game is already stacked in the goods favour...

by saying that I mean an evil causes a ruckus somewhere and all of a sudden 10495847 good players turn up, start a fight somewhere as a good, nothing happens... (this is just from my own experience, so take it as it is...)

Tretch · Post by **Tretch** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 7:29 pm

I agree it would be good to have. I also completely agree with Micheal.

Not going to talk about unbalanced....just want to make sure that both sides acquire good ideas.

I think both should get a similar skill

Jake

Exer · Post by **Exer** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:03 pm

I'm going to disagree on this one. Since only the Paladin should get smite, I see no reason why evil should get it as well. The is no equivalent Paladin class for the evils. And it's not as if there are a ton of Paladins running around.

Andreas · Post by **Andreas** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:37 pm

1. Paladins don't get the berserker rage. No idea how anyone ever thought that they did. *boggle*

2. It's a class skill and after discussion with the coders (namely Greg) it was coded. I just need to get into gear and write a quest for it. *BLUSH*

3. It's a Prestige Class skill. Let's take Jane Doe who wants to be a paladin. She begins playing and after a REAL LIFE year or more, she finally gets knighted. After another year or so of RP, the Imms decide Lady Doe is ready for a Prestige Class (and has all the requisite skills, feats and stats) and they give her some sort of token which will trigger the quest at the approriate mob. So first a paladin character will have to go through all the steps to attain a Prestige Class (and it ain't easy) THEN they might have the ability to find and complete the Smite Evil feat quest.

4. Smite Evil is not designed to be an instant death skill... not like the Harm or Disintegrate spells which are already in the game and in use.

Dalvyn · Post by **Dalvyn** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:48 pm

Three points I'd like to make to close this SIDE discussion about good vs evil balance. If you wish to answer, feel free to start a new thread about it (and this new thread will be heavily moderated, since it is quite likely to degenerate into an unconstructive flame war).

1 - We are talking about a paladin's skill here.

In my opinion, paladins and bards are two classes that stand apart when discussing balance, because they both take special roleplay to obtain, as it can clearly be seen in the 1+ year roleplay that is necessary to become a paladin. I do not buy at all the fact that giving them smite evil will unbalance the mud. We are talking about players that must have accumulated a LOT of roleplay, and are thus more interested in making the mud interesting for all than in being more powerful than others at pkill.

2 - Although this is called smite evil, make sure you know what this is.

This is not an insta-death spell/skill that kills evil on sight. It just adds to damage when a paladin hits an evil creature, and this might be accompanied with nice echoes, that's all.

3 - Balance between good and evil.

I have often heard the claim (well, only from evil characters though), that good characters are more power than evil ones, but never have I seen even a hint of a concrete fact backing up this claim. And, frankly, I cannot really grasp why adding a (1) mostly-rp, non-insta-death skill to (2) paladins who have roleplayed for more than 1 year can be damaging or unbalacing when, in the other "camp", people only need to complete 1 quest to obtain something as powerful as harm.

Timaeus · Post by **Timaeus** » Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:59 pm

Smite is coded and currently in the bugzilla system as it is not bug free yet. It is also coded to be available to either goods or evils. In effect it could be a smite good or smite evil. It is supposed to cause damage to opposite alignments. Smite as coded, last time I was testing the skill, causes damage as an extra special attack much like kick and uses mana as a cost.

Smite Evil

Smite Evil

RE: Smite Evil