Searing Smite

Level 1 Evocation spell available to Paladins. It adds 1d6 Fire to a hit and sets the target burning for 1d6 a turn until it saves. A smite that keeps ticking.

Spell description: Your weapon flares with white-hot intensity. It deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage and marks the target with Searing Smite. A target with Searing Smite takes 1d6 Fire damage every turn until it succeeds on a Constitution Saving Throw. If the spellcaster misses the initial Attack, the Spell Slot and Bonus Action are not consumed.

Spell properties

• Damage: 1d6 Fire on hit, plus 1d6 Fire each turn
• Damage type: Fire
• Range: Weapon range
• Duration: 10 turns
• Save: CON save
• Attack type: Melee weapon Attack Roll
• Cost: Action + Bonus Action + Spell Slot
• Recharge: Per action

Spell upcasting

Casting Searing Smite at a higher level deals an additional 1d6 Fire initial damage for each spell slot level above the 1st.

How to obtain Searing Smite

• Paladin at Class level 2
• Zariel Tiefling at Character level 3 (a once-per-Long-Rest version)
• Source item: Skybreaker

When to cast Searing Smite

The burn is what sets it apart from a plain smite. The target keeps taking 1d6 Fire every turn until it makes a Constitution save, so against a tough enemy that keeps failing, the damage adds up well past the initial hit.

It also does not consume the slot on a miss, so there is no risk in leading with it. It is Concentration in effect through the burn, so it competes with your other buffs, but as an early-Paladin damage option it is a solid, cheap pick.