Smiting Avenger (3.5e Prestige Class)

Smiting Avenger

“	SMITE EVIL!	”
—Miko Miyazaki, Human Monk/Paladin, OotS 200

Smiting Avengers are the martial servants of their dieties, using divine power to smite their enemies. Their abilities allow much more frequent and powerful smites

Becoming a Smiting Avenger

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Any Good.
Base Attack Bonus:	+6.
Special:	Must be able to Smite Evil, and have defeated an opponent of equal strength exclusively with it.

Table: The Smiting Avenger

Hit Die: d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Smite Evil, Smiting Power
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Flurry of Smiting
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Smiting Power
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Inspire Smiting 1/day
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Smiting Power
6th	+6	+5	+2	+2	Anysmite
7th	+7	+5	+2	+2	Smiting Power
8th	+8	+6	+2	+2	Inspire Smiting 2/day
9th	+9	+6	+3	+3	Smiting Power
10th	+10	+7	+3	+3	Double Power, Omnismite
Class Skills (<-skill points-> + Int modifier per level) <-list of class skills->.

Class Features

The Smiting Avenger's class features are all focused around smiting. Not only do they gain an absurd number of smites per day compared to a paladin, but each smite is many times more powerful. All of the following are class features of the Smiting Avenger

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a smiting avenger may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra points of damage per smiting avenger level. If the smiting avenger accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day. This stacks with any pre-existing Smite ability, adding damage bonuses and uses. Save DC's are 10+Charisma+(Smite Damage Bonus/2).

At each level after 1st, the smiting avenger may smite evil two additional times per day.

Smiting Power(Su): When a smiting avenger Smites Evil, she can imbue the smite with extra powers. This costs additional Smite attempts, usually one. She starts knowing three of these, then learns one of these every other level, to a total of seven at 9th level. Any time a smiting avenger learns a new power, she can also exchange one known power for a different available power. Some powers have a required smiting avenger level.

Empower Smite (Su): When you use this power, your smite deals an extra 1 damage per level. This costs one extra smiting attempt.

Holy Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your Smite must make a fortitude save or be Blinded for 1d4+1 rounds. On a successful save or a missed attack, they are Dazzled for 1d4+1 rounds instead. This costs one extra smiting attempt.

Elemental Smite (Su): When you use this power, your smite's extra damage is converted to an element of your choice. In addition, you take no reductions for smiting nonevil enemies. This costs one extra smiting attempt.

Slowing Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your Smite must make a fortitude save or be Slowed for 1d4+1 rounds. This costs one extra smiting attempt.

Exhausting Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your Smite must make a fortitude save or be Exhausted for 1d4+1 rounds. On a successful save or a missed attack, they are Fatigued for 1d4+1 round instead.

Confusing Smite (Su): When you use this power, any target of your Smite must make a Will Save or be Confused for 1d4+1 rounds. This costs one extra smiting attempt. Minimum Level 3.

Fearsome Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your Smite must make a Will save or be Panicked for 10 minutes. On a successful save or a missed Smite, the target is Shaken for 1d4+1 rounds. This costs one extra smiting attempt. Minimum Level 3.

Stunning Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your Smite must make a fortitude save or be Stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. On a successful save or a missed attack, they are Staggered for 1 round instead. This costs one extra smiting attempt. Minimum Level 3.

Minor Smite (Su): When you use this power, your smite has half the bonus to damage and attack, but costs one less smite attempt. Minimum level 3.

Destructive Smite (Su): When you use this power, any enemy you hit must make a fortitude save or take 1d6 damage per smiting avenger level. If any enemy drops to negative hit points from this attack, they are Disintegrated, as the spell. In addition, you can use this ability to destroy a 5 foot cube of nonliving matter. This costs two extra smiting attempts. Minimum Level 5.

Extend Smite(Su):' As a free action, you may spend a daily use of Smite Evil to turn all attacks you make against eligible targets for 2 rounds. This extends an extra round for every 2 levels of Smiting Avenger after 3rd, to a maximum of 5 rounds at 9th level. This costs two extra smiting attempts. Minimum Level 5.

Meteoric Smite (Su): When you use this power, any enemies within Close range (25ft + 5ft/2 levels) are dealt damage equal to your Smite damage bonus(Reflex halves). The original target must also succeed on a Reflex save to avoid being knocked prone. This costs two extra smiting attempts. Minimum Level 5.

Enervating Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your smite also gains 1 negative level per 2 points of Smite damage bonus, Fortitude negates. This costs two extra smiting attempts. Minimum Level 5.

Earth Shaking Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your smite must make a fortitude save or be stunned for 1d4+1 rounds, and any ground within 30 feet is shaken, halving speed and forcing a DC 10 Balance check to avoid falling prone. This costs two extra smiting attempts. Minimum Level 5.

Death Smite (Su): When you use this power, anyone damaged by your smite must make a Fortitude save (DC standard-10) or instantly die. On a successful save, the attack deals 5d6 (non-smite) damage. This costs two extra smiting attempts. Minimum Level 7.

Flurry of Smiting(Su): At second level, instead of Smiting with a single melee attack, a Smite can be used to make each attack in a Full Attack a Smite. When using this option, divide the damage bonus of the Smite by two.

Inspire Smiting(Su): Once per day as a full-round action, a smiting avenger can create an aura of divine power, allowing any ally within 30 feet to make one Smite attempt that round. At 8th level, the smiting avenger gains an additional use of this ability

Anysmite(Su): At 6th level, a smiting avenger can smite even nonevil enemies. When smiting neutral enemies, the smiting avenger deals half bonus smiting damage and half Charisma bonus to the attack roll, and against good enemies who don't worship the same diety, the smiting avenger deals one-quarter bonus smiting damage but with no bonus to the attack roll. The smiting avenger still cannot smite good enemies of the same diety.

Omnismite(Su): At 10th level, a smiting avenger has so much latent power that any attack she makes has some amount of divine energy behind it. The smiting avenger gets half her Charisma modifier to attack rolls and +4 to damage rolls against evil creatures.

Double Power(Su): At 10th level, a smiting avenger can activate two powers on a single smite.

Campaign Information

Playing a Smiting Avenger

Combat: Smiting avengers use their Smite Powers to debilitate and destroy their enemies. They have reasonable defensive capabilities, but mostly focus on dealing damage, especially against single, large enemies.

Advancement: Smiting avengers tend to be paladins who decide to focus on melee combat. Levels in martial classes like Fighter or Warblade or classes that enhance smiting capabilities work well as multiclass options for smiting avengers.

Resources: Smiting avengers have most of the same resources as paladins. They have divine connections and know other clergy, and can expect help from them. In addition, many serve a ruler, and can expect some support from them.

Smiting Avengers in the World

“

Orcs? What Orcs?

”

Smiting avengers tend to be combative and self-righteous, used to fighting, winning and being cheered on for it. They can often be pompous or abrasive, and will often start unnecessary fights. However, most genuinely wish for the good of the world, and as such some can be caring and kind.

NPC Reactions: Most NPC's will welcome a smiting avenger's services in fighting evil, even overlooking questionably provoked combat. However, if they overstep their bounds, NPC's might start getting irritated or angry with a smiting avenger, possibly firing or exiling them after a nasty, unneeded fight.

Smiting Avenger Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Religion) can research smiting avengers to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
11	Smiting avengers are divine servants with enhanced martial abilities.
16	Smiting avengers have enhanced smites, with a variety of different afflictions attatched.
21	Smiting avengers can smite even nonevil enemies, albeit to a lowered effect.
26	Powerful smiting avengers have so much strength they are constantly emitting divine power, and can cause mass mayhem.

Smiting Avengers in the Game

Smiting Avengers take much the same role as Paladins in a game. PC's might take the class to be a righteous warrior, perhaps fed up with lawful restrictions of the Paladin or not needing their support abilities. An NPC might be a dire foe for an evil party, or a helpful ally for a good one.

Adaptation: Perhaps in your campaign, not every devout warrior has innate spellcasting ability. Maybe that result, instead of being devout fighters, would be this class. In any case, smiting avengers can take the role of a paladin in most any campaign. Be sure to adjust for the fact that they tend to be better for fighting single enemies.

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPC of this class->

EL whatever: <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter->

Credit to Ziegander on GiTP forums for some of the Smiting Powers.

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