I wanted to express my concern with the Zariel Tiefling 3rd level racial spell, which is supposed to represent the paladin spell Searing Smite. In regular 5e, Searing Smite functions as a concentration spell, which deals additional fire damage with each attack while concentration is maintained, for up to 1 minute. In BG3, the Searing Smite Zariel Tiefling ability is being implemented as though it were a Battlemaster Fighter maneuver, adding fire damage to single attack, and then doing damage over time to that enemy until the enemy makes a saving throw. This is a significant downgrade, particularly at higher levels. To a lesser degree, this is unfortunate for the Zariel Tiefling, but if this ability works the same for paladins when they are introduced, it will be a huge nerf to the class.
Naturally, a Zariel Tiefling of any martial class would benefit more from its 3rd level racial spell if it was implemented the same way it works in 5e. A fighter, for example, would add fire damage to each attack, and a fighter can potentially land anywhere from 4-6 attacks in a single turn, depending on whether we reach lvl 11 and if the fighter uses Action Surge. This means that in 5e, a Zariel Tiefling using their Searing Smite racial spell can add an additional 1d6 fire damage on up to 6 different attacks in a single turn, regardless of whether those attacks hit a single enemy or multiple enemies, and each of those attacks could also be further improved through the use of battlemaster maneuvers, so long as the Zariel Tiefling maintains concentration on their racial spell. That is way better than the version of searing smite implemented in BG3, which adds 1d6 damage to a single attack, and has a chance to continue doing 1d6 to that enemy on later turns. In the current BG3 application, the racial spell actually competes with battlemaster maneuvers for which action should be taken, and only benefits the Tiefling a single time, whereas the 5e version continues to empower the Tiefling for a full minute. This is a big nerf to the Zariel Tiefling as a racial choice for martial classes.
More importantly, however, is the implications of BG3's current version of the Smite spell for paladins as a whole, as paladins rely on these smite spells to be a viable class. Maybe it is ok that Zariel Tieflings have been nerfed, because they can still use the regular powers of whatever class they choose. But if paladins are forced to use their smite spells as they have been implemented in BG3, they will effectively become weaker versions of the battlemaster fighter. Paladins already have the ability to channel spell slots into extra radiant damage on a single weapon attack through their divine smite class ability, so turning their smite spell repertoire into single turn actions is redundant. Instead of being able to stack smite spell damage with the divine smite class ability, they now would have to choose between the two. Furthermore, Paladins are already extremely resource dependent relative to other martial classes, and the BG3 version of the smite spell compounds the problem. Whereas in 5e, Paladins can make their half-caster spell pool last longer by relying on a single cast of a smite spell to last 10 rounds, here Paladins would have to consume a spell slot on each swing of their weapon to deal comparable damage. But Paladins already have the ability to consume a spell slot for extra damage on an attack with their divine smite class ability. Therefore, searing smite as currently implemented with the Zariel Tiefling essentially just takes away the Paladin's ability to make their smaller spell pool last, and reduces Paladins' maximum damage output by preventing the joint use of smite spells and the divine smite ability on a single weapon attack, while adding nothing to the class. It is a big nerf, that makes Paladin Smite spells function as Battlemaster maneuvers; a single weapon attack that creates a unique effect on one hit. But Paladins won't regain their "maneuver" on a short rest, they won't have action surge, and if the game goes to 11th level or higher they will have 1 fewer attack per turn. The searing smite spell nerf exhibited on the Zariel Tiefling therefore threatens to turn the Paladin into an inferior version of the Battlemaster Fighter, which would be a huge shame. It not only makes the Paladin substantially weaker, but also reduces the diversity of play styles available to BG3 players, making the Paladin class play too similarly to another class that is already available.
I wanted to write this post now, before the Paladin class is released, in hopes that Larion will realize that the smite spells must be kept consistant with their 5e versions, and not the version currently implemented on the Zariel Tiefling. While the Zariel Tiefling can likely survive the nerf created by BG3's current interpretation of the searing smite spell, Paladins as a class will be seriously damaged by this decision. I am hoping that at the very least, Paladins will be able to play as they do in 5e, even if Larion decides to keep the Zariel Tiefling nerf in place out of concern for racial attribute balance.
