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Is it possible to cast wrathful smite then on the next turn use Divine Smite and thunderous smite stacking with the effects of wrathful smite on the first attack?

If not, can I instead cast wrathful smite the turn before and let it trigger the next round on the first extra attack, then thunderous smite on the bonus action for the 2nd extra attack?

Thomas Markov
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Barkue
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1 Answers1

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You can't use all three on the same attack

Wrathful smite and Thunderous smite are both concentration, and both trigger "the first time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration", so you have to expend one before using the other.

Divine smite has no such restriction, though, and can be combined with either one.

...But yes, if you split the "stack" between two attacks

If you can make more than one attack per action, as with the "extra attack" feature, you can, for example:

  1. Cast Wrathful smite smite as a bonus action
  2. Wait until a later turn within the next minute
  3. Take the Attack action
  4. Make (and hit with) your first attack, triggering the effect of Wrathful smite
  5. Use Divine smite
  6. Stop concentrating on the (now depleted) Wrathful smite and cast Thunderous smite as a bonus action
  7. Make (and hit with) your second attack, triggering the effect of Thunderous smite
  8. (Optionally) Use Divine smite again.

Allowing you to apply the effects of all three in a single turn.

Thanks to @Exempt-Medic for supplying the RAW evidence for bonus actions definitely being allowed in between attacks.

Dragonfang
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  • Nice answer, good job for listing the interaction with divine smite and the bonus action problems, very comprehensive –  Mar 25 '22 at 07:03
  • OP might be playing Houses and Households, where paladins smite ability is defined as smacking a gavel on a piece of wood...´ – Trish Mar 25 '22 at 07:13
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    @ThomasMarkov Wrathful smite and Thunderous smite are both paladin spells that appear in no other system I can find via google, I'd say that counts as fairly solid tier 2 evidence. I'd have commented that on the OP, but I haven't passed that rep threshold. I've updated my answer to include this, though. – Dragonfang Mar 25 '22 at 07:20
  • @Dragonfang I agree. We just like to be as clear as we can in answers when questions are lacking some of the clarity we like to have. I made a revision as an example of how I would have formatted it, see revision 4. If you want to use it you can click “rollback” on revision 4 from the revision history. – Thomas Markov Mar 25 '22 at 07:26
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    Of note, RAW may not be unclear on inserting bonus actions into the middle of actions. That answer even reads almost exclusively in support of being able to insert bonus actions in-between attacks and that same user has said that that can be done with bonus actions that don't have trigger requirements, such as Cunning Action and smite spells – Exempt-Medic Mar 25 '22 at 10:30
  • Ok here is my dilemma... Wrathful smite says "Source: Player's Handbook

    1st-level evocation

    Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: Self Components: V Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

    The next time you hit with a melee weapon attack during this spell’s duration, your attack deals an extra 1d6 psychic damage. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the spell ends. As an action, the creature can make a Wisdom check against your spell save DC to steel its resolve and end this spell."

     – Barkue Mar 25 '22 at 17:03
  • So when casting wrathful smite the previous turn, it can teigger next melee hit, but what im asking is when using extra attack can i use divine smite and then thunderous smite aswell? Because as ive seen you can lose concentration in one spell when you cast another concentration spell. So here is the scenario – Barkue Mar 25 '22 at 17:07
  • So when casting wrathful smite the previous turn, it can teigger next melee hit, but what im asking is when using extra attack can i use divine smite and then thunderous smite aswell? Because as ive seen you can lose concentration in one spell when you cast another concentration spell. So here is the scenario. Attack with Extra attack and use wrathful smite: then next turn use ectra attack and let wrathful smite trigger. The 2nd attack use divine smite and thunderous smite. Is that possible? – Barkue Mar 25 '22 at 17:08
  • So your question is whether you can cast a spell as a bonus action between two attacks of an attack action. Is that correct? If so, please update your question to say that. – Darth Pseudonym Mar 25 '22 at 21:25
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    @Barkue For the record, "stacking" usually means "apply them all at once", so if you mean you want expend your wrathful smite with your first attack, then cast thunderous smite as a bonus action, then make a second attack, you aren't talking about "stacking". You'd only be stacking the Divine Smite with one of your spell-smites, but that's not what you appear to be asking about. – Darth Pseudonym Mar 25 '22 at 21:26
  • @DarthPseudonym updated – Barkue Mar 25 '22 at 21:36