Poll: Should Smite spells become interrupt-only (like Shield/Counterspell)?

[Yoonmoonsik]

Following up on #827 (Smite spells as an interrupt).

Divine Smite and Eldritch Smite already work as interrupts — they're granted through a passive that makes them Always Prepared, so there's no "is this currently known/prepared" state to track.

The other Smite spells (Wrathful, Searing, Staggering, Blinding, Thunderous, Branding, Ballistic, etc.) are regular prepared spells, so whether a character has one in their spellbook — and whether it's currently prepared — varies per character and changes between rests. Dynamically wiring an interrupt to match that state for each of them gets complicated fast.

An alternative is converting those Smite spells to work only as an on-hit interrupt, similar to how Shield or Counterspell function, instead of being cast directly as an active spell. That's feasible, but it comes with a tradeoff: since each prepared spell maps to exactly one interrupt, there's no way to branch behavior on critical vs. non-critical hits the way the active-spell version currently can.

Vote below on which direction you'd prefer.

[lovemachine44]

I already voted but could you provide a bit more info on this?

If the purpose of converting all the smites into interrupts is just for ease-of-use for the player, then I actually don't mind this.
I voted for "Keep current behavior" because I was afraid this would change the rules of the spells and possibly remove the bonus action cost. I feel a bit silly now for thinking that might be the case if divine smite already works this way in-game, and still uses the bonus action cost.

[fwhite0782-cyber]

The RAW wording of 2024 makes them triggers on hit with no need to cast and concentrate like 2014. As long as the code only consumes the bonus action and spell slot it would be closer to RAW.

[lovemachine44]

I hadn't thought about interrupt being closer to RAW wording, but I believe you are correct.

[mizunofujin]

i voted no because the existing build allows for a prompt asking if we want to divine smite on critical hit and implementation can no longer distinguish between critical vs non-critical.

I can't see a situation where i would want to use a "utility" smite (wraithful, thunderous etc) on criical hit because the damage is lower than divine smite. If i want the utility, i would want it regardless if it would crit so i would manually cast it even if it fails to crit.

Having to deal with a prompt asking if i want to smite on every non-crit hit would be very annoying in combat (which is the result we would get if i understand correctly)

Part of the reason i save smite only for crit is because the spell slots are limited and i avoid resting too regularly. But i understand some players may enjoy to burn every slot and rest since bg3 allows so this is not a limitation they face.

If i understand the original request, it is to benefit a specific multiclass to use blade cantrip with utility smite - which, if multiclass were done RAW (which bg3 doesnt check if a multiclass meets minimum requirements), it probably only really benefit the valor bard or heroic sorc multiclass (cha casters with war magic) unless they were planning a non RAW multiclass or really niche build that i cant really think of.

As such, when i weigh up that

1. This change would be highly annoying to people playing a pure paladin with prompt on every attack (if they set interrupt on crit only) - i personally would dump paladin as an option. I hate relentless prompts but i am sure others would like it. Can anyone point to how this benefits a pure paladin? Happy to learn something I missed.
2. the benefit would likely only be for a specific multiclass just to use utility smite during a blade cantrip - and likely over-resting (and this is just a me thing - I don't expect people to be policed how they play). The existing build seems,fine for everything else and consumes bonus action
3. the level of work for mod maintener is likely high and there are a lot of things i feel better for resource to be placed to update to 2024 on in my humble opinion

my vote is currently no

***edits for clarity & typos

[lovemachine44]

Ohhh wait, do you turn the interrupt off for divine smite?

[mizunofujin]

Yes, I set it so the prompt only ask me if I want to divine smite when I crit.

If I am happy for smite (utility or divine) to be used when I don't crit, I just cast it manually

[mizunofujin]

If I understand the implementation, it can no longer separate crit from non crit hits

[lovemachine44]

Yes, you are correct. I missed that part about crit option not being possible.

Even if that was an option, I imagine on a crit you'd probably only use divine smite for the damage (except in some rare cases)?
Which would mean that the only way to use the spells on non crits would be to have the pop up all the time. Which in your scenario would be annoying.

[mizunofujin]

That is correct :)