# Tales of the Valiant Paladin: Divine Smite vs. Spell Economy Guide
> The definitive spending guide for Paladin spell slots in Tales of the Valiant - damage math, breakeven points, critical hit timing, Book of Blades action-economy support, Labyrinth Worldbook and Player's Guide 2 smite spells, and a decision framework that tells you when to smite and when to save your slots.
Source: https://theroleplayersguild.com/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/class-guides/tov-paladin-guide/tov-paladin-smite-guide
Published: 2026-06-15
Updated: 2026-06-30
Author: Andrew Blase
Site: The Role Players Guild
---
## Introduction
Here is the question every Paladin player eventually faces, usually in the middle of a combat that matters:
_Do I smite this, or do I save the slot?_
Most Paladin guides answer this badly. They tell you to smite on crits (true), to cast Bless (true), and to not waste slots. Then they move on. What they never do is show you the actual math — the damage per slot and the breakeven points that tell you, concretely, when Divine Smite is the higher-value decision in a given situation. For spell-by-spell ratings, use the [Best Paladin Spells guide](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-paladin-spells).
This guide answers that question rigorously. We will do the math. We will rate every meaningful spell on the Paladin list by whether it beats or loses to smiting with the same slot. We will build a decision framework you can internalize and use in real time. And we will cover the hot takes — the mistakes most Paladins make, when nova-smiting is actually correct, and the specific subclass considerations that change everything.
**Book of Blades** does not change Divine Smite's dice, slot scaling, or once-per-turn limit in the local material reviewed for this guide. It does change the turns around smiting: [Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades) adds commander tools, [Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) improves planned openers, [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) supports Martial Action weapon-option turns, and [Horse Lord](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#horse-lord-book-of-blades) plus [mounted support](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#book-of-blades-mounted-support) can make lance-and-smite positioning easier in open-field campaigns.
**Labyrinth Worldbook** does not change the base Divine Smite rule either, but it adds smite spells
that make the decision more interesting: **Sapping Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook)**, **Luminous Smite
(Labyrinth Worldbook)**, **Venomous Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook)**, and **Vengeful Smite (Labyrinth
Worldbook)**. These spells should be judged by their rider, not by damage alone.
**Player's Guide 2** adds **Radiant Smite (Player's Guide 2)**, **Eldritch Smite (Player's Guide
2)**, and **Abjuring Smite (Player's Guide 2)** to the smite conversation, plus support spells such
as **Deadly Weapon (Player's Guide 2)**, **Perceive Vulnerability (Player's Guide 2)**, **Aura of
Bane (Player's Guide 2)**, **Aura of Mercy (Player's Guide 2)**, and **Aura of Order (Player's Guide
2)**. It also adds **Avenger (Player's Guide 2)**, a level-20 epic boon that can refund Divine Smite
slots. That is not permission to spend like a fool; it is permission to be a little more smug about
1st-circle smites.
The Paladin in Tales of the Valiant is a half-caster divine warrior with a limited but powerful spell slot economy. That limitation is the point. Every slot is a decision. This guide is about making those decisions correctly.
**Verdict:** The Paladin is one of Tales of the Valiant's most satisfying martial-caster hybrids — explosive nova damage potential, meaningful sustained buffs, excellent action economy, and a spell list that rewards thoughtful slot management. The players who master slot economy consistently outperform those who don't, often dramatically.
---
## Disclaimer
Ratings use colored dots to indicate how strong a feature or option is _for the Paladin specifically_ as a slot expenditure decision. These evaluate each spell against the opportunity cost of spending that same slot on Divine Smite.
| Rating | Meaning |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| ● | Cast it — unambiguously better than smiting this slot |
| ● | Usually cast it — beats smiting in most scenarios |
| ● | Situational — beats smiting in specific circumstances |
| ● | Probably smite instead — narrow edge cases only |
| ● | Always smite — this spell does not justify the slot |
---
## The Paladin's Spell Slot Economy
Before we can evaluate smite vs. spell decisions, we need to understand what resources we are working with. The Paladin is a half-caster: spell slots progress at half the rate of full casters, and the Paladin never reaches 6th-circle slots or above.
### Spell Slot Progression Table
| Paladin Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Total Slots |
| ------------- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ----------- |
| 2nd | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| 3rd | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| 4th | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| 5th | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 6th | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 7th | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | 7 |
| 8th | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | 7 |
| 9th | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 9 |
| 10th | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 9 |
| 11th | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 10 |
| 12th | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 10 |
| 13th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 11 |
| 14th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 11 |
| 15th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | 12 |
| 16th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | 12 |
| 17th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| 18th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| 19th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| 20th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
### What This Means for Resource Planning
The Paladin's total slot count grows slowly and plateaus. At 5th level you have 6 total slots. At 11th level you have 10. At 20th level you have 15. Compare to a Cleric at 20th level with 22 slots across all nine circles.
This scarcity is the defining constraint of Paladin play. Here is what it means in practice:
**The standard adventuring day in Tales of the Valiant assumes approximately 2–4 medium-to-hard encounters between long rests.**
At 5th level with 6 total slots:
- In a 2-encounter day: ~3 slots per encounter
- In a 4-encounter day: ~1.5 slots per encounter
At 11th level with 10 total slots:
- In a 2-encounter day: ~5 slots per encounter
- In a 4-encounter day: ~2.5 slots per encounter
**The practical implication:** At low-to-mid levels in a normal-length adventuring day, you have roughly 2–4 slots to deploy per fight. Every single slot that goes to a suboptimal use — a spell that does less than smiting, a smite on a routine hit when a spell would have done more — represents a meaningful percentage of your entire combat budget. This is not a game where waste is acceptable.
### The "How Many Fights Left?" Heuristic
Before spending any slot, ask: _how many fights remain before the next long rest?_
- **Last fight of the day:** Spend freely. Burn slots for maximum damage. Nova-smiting is valid here.
- **Penultimate fight:** Reserve at least 2 high-quality slots (one 2nd+ for a crit-smite opportunity, one for Bless).
- **Early in the day:** Play conservatively. One 1st-circle slot for Bless, hold everything else.
If your GM runs short adventuring days (1–2 encounters), your slot budget is generous. If they run long dungeon crawls (4–6 encounters), every slot is precious and smiting casually is a path to irrelevance by the third fight.
---
## Divine Smite: The Complete Damage Math
Divine Smite in Tales of the Valiant triggers as follows: **once per turn, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one Divine spell slot to deal extra radiant damage.**
- **1st-circle slot:** 2d8 radiant (avg 9)
- **2nd-circle slot:** 3d8 radiant (avg 13.5)
- **3rd-circle slot:** 4d8 radiant (avg 18)
- **4th-circle slot:** 5d8 radiant (avg 22.5) — maximum
- **vs. Fiend or Undead:** Add 1d8 to each tier (avg +4.5)
### Smite Damage Table (Normal Hit)
| Slot Circle | Dice | Average | vs. Fiend/Undead |
| ----------- | ---- | ------- | ---------------- |
| 1st | 2d8 | 9 | 13.5 |
| 2nd | 3d8 | 13.5 | 18 |
| 3rd | 4d8 | 18 | 22.5 |
| 4th | 5d8 | 22.5 | 27 |
### Smite Damage on Critical Hits
**Critical hits in Tales of the Valiant double ALL damage dice, including smite dice.** This is the defining interaction of Paladin combat. On a critical hit:
| Slot Circle | Normal Smite Avg | Crit Smite Avg | vs. Fiend/Undead Crit |
| ----------- | ---------------- | -------------- | --------------------- |
| 1st | 9 | 18 | 27 |
| 2nd | 13.5 | 27 | 36 |
| 3rd | 18 | 36 | 45 |
| 4th | 22.5 | 45 | 54 |
A 2nd-circle crit-smite against a Fiend deals 6d8 smite damage (avg 27) before your weapon damage dice (also doubled). On a greatsword (2d6 → 4d6 on crit), with STR 20, total average damage from a single swing: **4d6 (avg 14) + 6d8 (avg 27) + 5 (STR) = avg 46 damage.** In a single attack. At 5th level.
This is why the crit-smite is the highest-value use of any smite slot in the game. And this is why holding your best slots for crit opportunities — rather than burning them on routine hits — is the core discipline of Paladin play.
### Smite Efficiency: Damage per Slot by Circle
To properly evaluate smiting vs. casting spells, we need to think about _incremental_ damage — the extra damage smiting provides compared to not smiting (i.e., just making a regular weapon attack without expending a slot).
| Slot Circle | Smite Avg Added | Incremental vs. Previous Circle |
| ----------- | --------------- | ------------------------------- |
| 1st | 9 | — (baseline) |
| 2nd | 13.5 | +4.5 for 1 circle |
| 3rd | 18 | +4.5 for 1 circle |
| 4th | 22.5 | +4.5 for 1 circle |
Each circle above 1st adds exactly 4.5 average damage. This marginal return matters: upcasting smite is less efficient than it looks because the incremental gain per circle is constant, while spells often scale more dramatically when upcast.
### Smite Opportunity Cost by Level
The following table answers a crucial question: what does smiting a slot actually cost you in terms of forgone spell value?
| Smite Circle | Forgone Spell | Spell Value Summary |
| ------------ | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1st | Bless | +1d4 to 3 creatures' attacks/saves, 10+ rounds |
| 2nd | Hold Person | Paralyzed condition, crit-vulnerability for all attacks |
| 3rd | Haste (Justice) | Double attacks, +2 AC, extra action for 1 min |
| 4th | Greater Invisibility (Justice) | Advantage on all attacks + enemy disadvantage for 1 min |
The opportunity cost is the whole game. Let's calculate it properly.
---
## Smite vs. Spell: Breakeven Analysis
For a spell to be worth casting instead of smiting, it needs to generate more total value — in damage, conditions, or team effect — than the smite damage you forgo. Here is the analysis that most Paladin guides skip.
### 1st-Circle Slot: Smite (avg 9) vs. Spells
**Bless** — cast on yourself and two allies. Affects attack rolls and saving throws for up to 3 creatures. In a 4-round combat:
- Bless adds avg 2.5 per attack roll per affected creature (1d4/2)
- Three creatures × 2 attacks per round (at 5th+) × 4 rounds × 2.5 = **60 expected damage added** (across the party)
- Plus equivalent reduction in failed saves
**Bless wins by a factor of 6:1 over a 1st-circle smite.** It is the single best use of a 1st-circle slot in nearly all circumstances.
**Wrathful Smite / Thunderous Smite (if available)** — these "Smite spells" cost a 1st-circle slot and add damage + conditions, but require concentration. The damage is comparable to Divine Smite (1d6 or 1d8 extra) and the condition (frightened, pushed/prone) can be useful — but spending concentration on a smite spell when Bless is available is almost always the wrong call. **Bless still wins.**
**Shield of Faith** — +2 AC to one ally. In a fight where your ally takes 10 hits at +55% hit rate, this prevents roughly 1.1 hits × avg damage of 8 = 8.8 prevented damage. **Smite wins** — slightly, and Shield of Faith requires concentration.
**Verdict for 1st-circle slots:** Cast Bless if it isn't up. Otherwise, smite on any hit with a 1st-circle slot — but note that Bless takes such overwhelming priority that most 1st-circle slots should go to it, not smiting.
### 2nd-Circle Slot: Smite (avg 13.5) vs. Spells
**Hold Person** — WIS save, paralyzed for concentration duration. A paralyzed creature is automatically critted by any melee attacker within 5 feet. If your Fighter lands even one attack against the paralyzed target in the first round, those doubled dice represent more expected value than the smite. In a 2-round window: Fighter makes 2 attacks (both auto-crit) × avg 14 weapon damage × 2 = **56 damage** before the Fighter's own modifiers. **Hold Person wins dramatically**, though it depends on a failed WIS save.
**Warding Bond (Devotion)** — 50 HP buffer + resistance to damage for one creature. Party survival tool. Against 1 encounter its value equals the damage prevented (resistance = half damage). In a fight where the target takes 30 damage: prevented damage ≈ 15 HP. **Smite wins** unless the target is the primary damage sponge.
**Misty Step (Justice)** — 30-foot teleport, bonus action. Positioning/escape tool. No direct damage comparison. Worth more than smiting when positioning is critical (reaching a backline caster, escaping a grapple, enabling an attack that couldn't happen otherwise). **Situational — matches or beats smiting when it enables an additional attack.**
**Verdict for 2nd-circle slots:** Hold Person beats smiting on a normal hit. Misty Step beats smiting when positioning determines whether you can attack at all. In all other cases, smite. **2nd-circle is the sweet spot slot** — cap your smite power at 3d8 while still having enough gas to drop Hold Person when a humanoid boss appears.
### 3rd-Circle Slot: Smite (avg 18) vs. Spells
**Haste (Justice)** — concentration, 1 minute. Doubles speed, +2 AC, and grants an extra action each round (one weapon attack). For a fighter-level Paladin at 11th level with Multiattack: base 2 attacks + 1 Haste attack = 3 attacks/round. Over 4 rounds: 4 extra attacks × avg 14 damage = **56 added damage** from the Haste bonus attacks alone (before the +2 AC value). **Haste wins by a wide margin**, provided concentration holds.
**Revivify** — bring an ally back from 0 HP with 1 HP. Pure value in fights where someone dies. Impossible to quantify in damage terms but its situational ceiling is "saves the entire encounter." **Slot for slot, saves the best slot for clutch situations.**
**Bestow Curse** — multiple options, concentration required. Strong debuff, but concentration conflicts with Haste. In a smite-forward Paladin who isn't running Haste: **Situational — can beat smiting** if the curse effect (disadvantage on ability checks/saves, necrotic damage on every hit, no actions on failed WIS saves) significantly impacts combat for 3+ rounds.
**Dispel Magic** — removes ongoing spell effects. Context-dependent. Worth more than a 3rd-circle smite when a critical spell effect (Hold Monster, Wall of Force, Dominate Person) is crippling your party. **Situational.**
**Verdict for 3rd-circle slots:** If you are a Justice paladin with Haste, cast Haste. It is your dominant 3rd-circle play and it dramatically outperforms smiting. For Devotion paladins, the 3rd-circle pool is your primary smite reservoir — use 3rd-circle smites on crit opportunities and use 3rd-circle slots for spells only when Hold Person or Revivify are situationally called for.
### 4th-Circle Slot: Smite (avg 22.5) vs. Spells
**Greater Invisibility (Justice)** — concentration, 1 minute. Advantage on all attack rolls and disadvantage on attacks against you. In a 4-round combat: advantage on 8+ attacks (2/round at 11th level) increases expected hits by roughly 25% (from, say, 60% hit rate to 75%), which at avg 14 damage/hit = **+16.8 expected damage** just from the advantage component. This is a lower bound — the disadvantage on incoming attacks has survival value too. **Smiting for 22.5 on one hit vs. advantage on 8+ attacks... Greater Invisibility wins easily.**
**Stoneskin (Devotion)** — resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, slashing damage. Concentration. Transforms your Paladin into a damage-absorbing frontline tank against non-magical weapon-users. In a fight with 5 hits of 12 avg damage: prevents 30 damage. Comparable to smiting, especially because the protection applies across the whole fight. **Contextual win for Stoneskin** — superior when you are taking sustained physical damage; smite wins in ranged or magical damage scenarios.
**Greater Hold (Justice)** — Hold Person equivalent for any creature type. Paralyzed = auto-crit from melee. If your party lands 2+ attacks against the paralyzed target: **Greater Hold wins** unless they make the WIS save.
**Verdict for 4th-circle slots:** These are your most valuable slots. Smiting for 5d8 (avg 22.5) is tempting, but Justice paladins should almost never smite with a 4th-circle slot — Greater Invisibility and Greater Hold are both clearly superior. Devotion paladins can smite with 4th-circle when the crit-smite is available (5d8 doubled = 10d8 avg 45 on crit) but should hold them for Stoneskin in sustained-damage scenarios.
---
## Smite Timing: The Critical Hit Imperative
**The rule is simple: smite on crits, hold slots on regular hits.**
The math is decisive. On a critical hit, your smite dice are doubled. A 2nd-circle crit-smite (6d8) averages 27 — more than a 4th-circle normal smite (5d8, avg 22.5). You are getting 3rd-circle smite value or better from a 2nd-circle slot, simply by waiting for the crit.
### Critical Hit Probability
In Tales of the Valiant, a natural 20 on the d20 is a critical hit. Base probability: **5% per attack roll** (1 in 20). With Multiattack at 5th level making 2 attacks per round, your per-round crit probability is approximately **9.75%** (1 - 0.95²). Over a 4-round combat with Multiattack, expected crit frequency: **approximately once every 2.6 combats.**
That probability is low. This has implications:
1. **You cannot rely on crits every fight.** Holding all your best slots for a crit that doesn't come is a resource lockup problem.
2. **You should designate one slot as the crit-smite reserve** — typically a 2nd or 3rd-circle slot — and hold it specifically for the crit opportunity. If the fight ends without a crit, this slot moves to the next fight.
3. **For everything else, spend slots based on the smite-vs-spell analysis above**, without waiting for crits.
### Setting Up Critical Hits
Certain features increase your crit rate and therefore the expected value of holding a slot for a crit:
**Justice Paladin: Channel Divinity — Judgement**
- Advantage on attack rolls against the designated target for 1 minute.
- Advantage on attack rolls effectively doubles your crit rate: 1 - 0.95² = **9.75% per attack** (up from 5%). With 2 attacks per round under Judgement: **18.5% per-round crit chance**.
- In a 4-round combat with Judgement active: expected crits ≈ **0.74** — meaning roughly 3 out of 4 combats with Judgement active will produce a crit-smite opportunity.
- **Justice Paladins should always activate Judgement before spending a slot on smiting.** The crit probability under Judgement makes holding a slot for the crit the highest-EV play.
**Justice Paladin: Aura of Vigilance (7th Level)**
- +PB to initiative rolls — being first in initiative order increases the number of rounds you have to land a crit before the fight ends.
**Deadly Weapon / Perceive Vulnerability (Player's Guide 2)**
- [Deadly Weapon (Player's Guide
2)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-2nd-circle-spells-guide) expands a weapon
user's critical range for one hour with no concentration. That is the kind of support spell that
makes Paladin crit-smite math wake up and start taking notes.
- [Perceive Vulnerability (Player's Guide
2)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-2nd-circle-spells-guide) helps identify
weakness and improves critical-damage setup. It is strongest in parties that already coordinate
focus fire.
**Flanking / Tactical Advantage**
- Any source of advantage on attack rolls (flanking, Bless, etc.) effectively doubles your crit rate. Stack advantage sources before committing high-value smite slots.
### The Hold Protocol
Here is the actual in-combat timing sequence for optimal smite execution:
1. **Roll attack.** Normal hit: evaluate smite-vs-spell. Critical hit: proceed to step 2.
2. **Critical hit confirmed.** Immediately assess: which slot is your crit-smite reserve?
3. **Spend the reserve slot on the crit.** Do not pause to consider other options — a confirmed crit is the trigger you were waiting for.
4. **After the crit-smite, reassess.** Now your reserve is gone. Either designate a new reserve from remaining slots or shift to spell-casting mode.
**Never smite a critical hit with a 1st-circle slot** unless that is your only remaining slot. A 1st-circle crit-smite deals 4d8 (avg 18). A 2nd-circle crit-smite deals 6d8 (avg 27). The difference is worth protecting.
---
## Spell Ratings
For Paladin spell ratings by circle, oath spell notes, Old Margeve spell picks, and spell hot takes, use the [Best Paladin Spells guide](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-paladin-spells).
This smite guide keeps the slot-economy math, smite timing advice, and resource framework here. Spell-by-spell decisions belong in the spell guide.
---
## Per-Level Spending Guide
### Levels 1–4: Scarce Slots, Clear Priority
**What you have:** 2–3 1st-circle slots. No Multiattack yet.
**Spell known count:** 2–3 spells.
At these levels, your slots are too precious for casual smiting. You get 2–3 spell slots per long rest and potentially 2–3 combats before the next long rest. Smiting every combat burns through your resources by the third fight.
**Priority order:**
1. **Bless** — spend your 1st slot on Bless every combat. No exceptions. The 1d4 attack bonus over multiple rounds generates more value than smiting on a single hit.
2. **Hold one slot for emergency smiting** — if a critical hit happens (1-in-20 chance per attack), spend it. Otherwise, hold it.
3. **Do not smite routinely on normal hits.** At this level, smiting is a crit-only or desperation tool.
**Hot take for early levels:** Most level 2–4 Paladins smite too often because it feels strong. It is strong — 9 radiant damage on one hit is excellent at level 2. But Bless is stronger across the fight, and you only have 2–3 slots to spend before you are dry. Discipline now makes you significantly more effective in long adventuring days.
**What to know at 3rd level:** When you gain your subclass, immediately learn your oath spell list and internalize which spells beat smiting. For Devotion: Sanctuary is your emergency "protect the healer" tool. For Justice: Pendulum (1st-circle) adds damage without concentration — cast it before Bless if you want a no-concentration damage add-on, then cast Bless on the same fight.
### Levels 5–8: Multiattack Changes Everything
**What you have:** 4–7 slots across 1st and 2nd circles. Multiattack at 5th.
Multiattack is the inflection point. You now make 2 attacks per round. This does two things:
1. **Your base damage output doubles.** You need fewer smite slots to feel strong.
2. **Your crit probability almost doubles per round.** With 2 attacks at 5% each: 9.75% per-round crit chance.
**Priority order:**
1. **Bless, 1st-circle slot, every fight.** Still true. More urgent now because you have more attacks that benefit from +1d4.
2. **Hold one 2nd-circle slot as crit-smite reserve** starting at 5th level. The crit-smite (6d8 avg 27) is now a dominant tool. Designate one 2nd-circle slot as "crit only" and do not spend it unless a crit happens.
3. **For remaining 1st-circle slots after Bless:** Smite on normal hits if the fight is going long and you have extra slots. Command is worth considering against low-WIS enemies.
4. **For remaining 2nd-circle slots:** Hold Person against humanoid casters/commanders. Smite otherwise.
**The 5th-level budget example:**
- Combat 1 of 3: Bless (1st), crit-reserve (2nd held), smite on a normal hit (1st)
- Combat 2 of 3: Bless (1st, if slot available), crit-reserve (2nd held)
- Combat 3 of 3: Final push — spend crit-reserve on whatever is available, Lay on Hands for healing
This is a tight budget. Welcome to half-caster life.
**At 7th level (Devotion):** Aura of Devotion comes online — charm immunity within 10 feet. The paladin is now a zone-control anchor.
**At 7th level (Justice):** Aura of Vigilance — +PB to initiative for yourself and allies within 10 feet. Going first more often lets you activate Judgement and Bless before enemies act. **This is a significant tactical advantage** that indirectly increases the value of your slots by giving you more setup time.
### Levels 9–12: Third-Circle Access Changes the Game
**What you have:** 9–10 slots. 3rd-circle access from 9th level.
The 3rd-circle unlock is significant. For Devotion: Revivify becomes available — **always hold one 3rd-circle slot as a Revivify reserve from here forward.** No exceptions. For Justice: Haste at 9th level changes your entire offensive profile.
**Priority order:**
1. **Bless, 1st-circle, every fight.** Unchanged.
2. **Revivify, one 3rd-circle slot, always held.** This is the "break glass in emergency" slot.
3. **For Justice paladins: Haste.** One 3rd-circle slot goes to Haste whenever the fight is expected to last 3+ rounds. Haste's 3rd-circle slot generates more expected value than any 3rd-circle smite.
4. **Crit-smite reserve, one 2nd-circle slot.** Held.
5. **Remaining slots: smite on normal hits or Hold Person on humanoid threats.**
**Budget at 9th level (10 slots):**
- Bless: 1st-circle
- Revivify reserve: 3rd-circle (held all day)
- Haste (Justice) or Hold Person (Devotion): 3rd-circle
- Crit-smite reserve: 2nd-circle (held)
- Flexible: 3× 1st-circle, 2× 2nd-circle — smite or Hold Person as appropriate
### Levels 13–16: Fourth-Circle Access and Sustained Power
**What you have:** 11–12 slots. 4th-circle access from 13th level. Channel Divinity refreshes twice per rest.
The 4th-circle unlock matters enormously for Justice paladins (Greater Invisibility at 13th). For Devotion, Stoneskin is situationally useful.
**Priority order:**
1. **Bless, 1st-circle.** Still.
2. **Revivify reserve, 3rd-circle.** Always.
3. **Justice: Greater Invisibility, 4th-circle.** This is now your dominant offensive tool. Cast it on yourself every combat where you expect 3+ rounds of fighting. Do not smite with a 4th-circle slot.
4. **Justice: Haste, 3rd-circle** — if Greater Invisibility is down, Haste is your next best slot expenditure. Haste + Greater Invisibility cannot both run simultaneously (both need concentration), so alternate based on the fight.
5. **Devotion: Stoneskin, 4th-circle** in melee-intensive fights. Smite with 4th-circle slots in fights dominated by magic or range.
6. **Crit-smite reserve, 2nd-circle.** Held.
7. **Remaining slots: smite normally.**
**Channel Divinity (2/Rest):** At 13th level, Justice paladins can activate Judgement twice per long rest. This means two fight-openers with advantage on attacks and higher crit rates. The crit-smite reserve protocol pays dividends in both fights.
### Levels 17–20: Capstone Power and Full Expression
**What you have:** 14–15 slots. Auras extend to 30 feet. 5th-circle access at 17th level for Justice (Greater Hold).
**Priority order:**
1. **Bless.** Still.
2. **Revivify reserve.** Still.
3. **Justice: Greater Hold, 5th-circle.** This is your fight-ender. Cast it against any non-trivial boss. If it lands, the auto-crit window for your party eclipses any smite damage.
4. **Justice: Greater Invisibility, 4th-circle.** On any fight where Greater Hold is either spent or not applicable.
5. **Devotion: Mass Cure Wounds, 5th-circle.** Emergency party recovery.
6. **Crit-smite reserve.** Still held. A 2nd-circle crit-smite remains the correct protocol — you don't need to upcast the crit-smite beyond 2nd circle because the crit doubles the dice anyway.
7. **Remaining slots: smite freely.** At 17th+, your slot count is generous enough that post-Bless, post-reserve smiting on normal hits is fully justified.
---
## Book of Blades Smite Support
Book of Blades is not a smite-damage book for Paladins. It is a setup book. The useful options either improve hit reliability, improve party formation, or create better opening turns so your limited spell slots land when they matter.
### Battle Tactician: Commander Turns Before Smite Turns
[Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades) is strongest on Paladins who already invest in CHA and position around allies. That means it fits the same character who makes Aura of Protection great.
The smite-economy point is simple: a commander Paladin should not treat every round as "attack twice and maybe smite." Some rounds are worth more if you protect an ally, enable a focus-fire turn, or keep the formation alive long enough for Bless and aura math to win the fight. Battle Tactician is best when it makes a later smite more decisive instead of competing with your best spell slots.
**Slot verdict:** It does not change smite damage. It changes whether you need to spend a slot defensively this round.
### Tactical Planning: Better First-Round Slot Decisions
[Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) helps when the party can scout and prepare. That matters because the first round is where Paladins make their worst slot mistakes.
If you know the enemy is a Fiend or Undead before initiative, you can justify more aggressive smiting. If you know the boss is a humanoid, holding a slot for Hold Person becomes more attractive. If you know the fight is a long set piece, Bless or a Justice concentration spell moves up the priority list.
**Slot verdict:** Prepared information is worth damage because it stops bad smites before they happen.
### Weapon Option Specialist: Martial Action Support
[Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) is relevant because Paladins get Martial Action. If your table uses weapon options and your Paladin has a favorite control option, the talent can make a non-smite bonus action more reliable while still adding PB damage when it hits.
That matters most on rounds where you should not spend a slot: early-day fights, non-critical normal hits, or rounds where Bless is already doing the heavy lifting. Weapon-option pressure gives you something meaningful to do without burning the spell budget.
**Slot verdict:** Good when it gives you non-slot impact. Bad if it encourages complicated turns that still end in casual smiting.
### Mounted Support: Lance Smite Needs Campaign Support
[Horse Lord](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/heritage-guide#horse-lord-book-of-blades), [Fell Rider](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#fell-rider), and [Book of Blades mounted support](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/monster-vault-animal-allies-and-summons-guide#book-of-blades-mounted-support) can make mounted Paladin play real. That matters because a lance hit with good positioning is one of the cleanest delivery systems for Divine Smite.
The limitation is geometry. Mounted smite play is strong in roads, fields, sieges, cavalry scenes, and open battle maps. It is dead in cramped ruins. Do not reserve your best slots around a mounted charge unless the encounter map will actually support the mount.
**Slot verdict:** Excellent setup in open terrain, irrelevant in dungeon corridors.
---
## Labyrinth Worldbook Smite Notes
Labyrinth Worldbook adds four smite spells to the Divine list. They do not increase Divine Smite's
base dice, and they do not bypass the basic Paladin slot problem. They are concentration spells
that ask you to spend a bonus action before the hit, then reward you with damage plus a rider on the
first successful melee hit before the spell ends.
That means the test is strict: **does the rider do enough work to beat a guaranteed Divine Smite on
a confirmed hit?**
### Sapping Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook)
●
●
● A 1st-circle smite spell that adds necrotic damage, then
forces CON saves at the start of the target's turns. Failed saves deal more necrotic damage and
halve speed until the start of the next turn; a successful save ends the spell.
**Slot verdict:** Situational. This is worse than Bless as your first 1st-circle slot and less
reliable than Divine Smite for immediate damage. It becomes good when the speed halving matters:
keeping a brute away from the backline, slowing a fleeing target, or forcing an enemy to waste a
turn reaching your aura wall.
### Luminous Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook)
●
●
●
● A 2nd-circle smite spell that adds radiant damage and
outlines the target in colorful light. Attack rolls against the affected creature have advantage if
the attacker can see the light.
**Slot verdict:** Usually worth casting when the party can focus fire immediately. A 2nd-circle
Divine Smite averages 13.5 radiant damage; Luminous Smite gives up some immediacy for a party-wide
accuracy engine against the marked target. If the Fighter, Rogue, Ranger, summons, or another
Paladin can pile on before the target falls, this is the best Labyrinth smite.
### Venomous Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook)
●
●
● A 3rd-circle smite spell that adds poison damage and
poisons the target until it saves at the start of one of its turns.
**Slot verdict:** Matchup-dependent. Poisoned is excellent against weapon attackers because it
imposes disadvantage on attack rolls, but poison damage and CON saves are common enemy strengths.
Against poison-resistant or high-CON monsters, smite instead. Against a dangerous martial enemy who
can actually be poisoned, this can prevent more damage than Divine Smite deals.
### Vengeful Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook)
●
●
●
● A 2nd-circle smite spell that adds psychic damage and
frightens the target until it succeeds on a WIS save at the end of one of its turns.
**Slot verdict:** Good. The damage is lower than a 2nd-circle Divine Smite, but frightened can
cripple melee enemies, protect your backline, and keep a boss from closing on vulnerable allies.
This is especially attractive before Aura of Courage comes online for the party or when fear control
matters more than burst damage.
### Old World (Labyrinth Worldbook) Smite Economy
Old World Paladins should be more conservative with Divine Smite than Justice Paladins. Their oath
spells and subclass features reward battlefield control, protection, and survival rather than
single-target execution.
The key warning is **Bygone Emissary (Labyrinth Worldbook)**: its vulnerability clause applies to
Paladin spells but explicitly does not include Divine Smite. In that form, look for spell riders and
control spells first. If you are just trying to hit one target as hard as possible, Justice still
does the cleaner smite job.
---
## Player's Guide 2 Smite Notes
Player's Guide 2 adds more smite spells, but the test does not change: does the rider beat a
confirmed-hit Divine Smite or a higher-impact spell using the same slot? Most PG2 smites are good
when the matchup says yes and merely stylish when it says no. Style is nice. Style does not refund
your slot unless Avenger says so.
### Radiant Smite (Player's Guide 2)
●
●
● A 1st-circle Divine/Wyrd smite spell that adds radiant
damage on the first melee hit and can keep burning the target on failed CON saves.
**Slot verdict:** Good, not automatic. It is clean, on-theme, and better when the target will live
long enough for ongoing radiant damage to matter. It still competes with Bless and confirmed-hit
Divine Smite, so do not cast it just because the spell name sounds like Paladin brand compliance.
### Eldritch Smite (Player's Guide 2)
●
●
●
● A 2nd-circle Divine/Wyrd smite spell that deals force
damage and lights up the target, giving attackers advantage if they can see the light and stripping
away the practical value of invisibility.
**Slot verdict:** Usually worth it when the party can focus fire before the target saves. This is
the Player's Guide 2 cousin to Luminous Smite: less pure radiant identity, better damage type, and
a rider that lets the rest of the table participate in your excellent life choices.
### Abjuring Smite (Player's Guide 2)
●
●
● A 3rd-circle Divine/Wyrd smite spell that deals force
damage, hits harder against creatures native to another plane, and imposes disadvantage on their
INT, WIS, and CHA saves for the duration.
**Slot verdict:** Green or blue in planar, Fiend, Fey, Celestial, and extraplanar campaigns; orange
otherwise. A 3rd-circle Divine Smite is reliable immediate damage. Abjuring Smite becomes better
when the target is extraplanar and your party can exploit the save penalty. Against a local thug
with a bad attitude, save the slot.
### Reprint and Source Note
Some smite spells appear across earlier books and Player's Guide 2 depending on your table's source
set. Do not double-count them as separate spells. Label the source your table is using, then make
the same economy decision: rider first, damage second, concentration cost always.
### Avenger (Player's Guide 2) and Refund Math
Avenger changes the level-20 Divine Smite economy. When you spend a Divine spell slot of 5th circle
or lower on Divine Smite, roll a d6. If the result is higher than the slot's circle, you recover the
slot.
| Slot Spent | Refund Results | Refund Chance |
| ---------- | -------------- | ------------- |
| 1st | 2-6 | 83.3% |
| 2nd | 3-6 | 66.7% |
| 3rd | 4-6 | 50% |
| 4th | 5-6 | 33.3% |
| 5th | 6 | 16.7% |
**Slot verdict:** Avenger makes low-circle Divine Smites much easier to justify in long fights, but
it does not make 5th-circle slots disposable. The boring math answer is also the correct one: 1st-
and 2nd-circle smites become the value play; high-circle smites remain boss, crit, or last-fight
decisions.
### Player's Guide 2 Support Spells That Beat Smiting
- ● **[Deadly Weapon (Player's Guide
2)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-2nd-circle-spells-guide)** — One hour, no
concentration, expanded crit range. If the target is your Paladin, a Fighter, or a Rogue, this can
outperform multiple raw smites by increasing the chance of a catastrophic critical hit.
- ● **[Perceive Vulnerability (Player's Guide
2)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-2nd-circle-spells-guide)** — Better in
coordinated parties with crit, sneak-attack, or big weapon-damage payoffs.
- ● **[Aura of Bane (Player's Guide
2)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-3rd-circle-spells-guide)** — A close-range
d4 penalty aura. Best when you can survive near enemies and your party follows with save pressure.
- ● **[Aura of Mercy / Aura of Order (Player's Guide
2)](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/spell-guides/tov-paladin-spells)** — High-circle Paladin aura
spells that make positioning matter more than another pile of radiant dice.
---
## HOT TAKES
### #1: The Most Common Paladin Slot Mistake is Smiting Round 1 on a Normal Hit
You just landed your first attack of the fight. You're excited. You smite with a 2nd-circle slot because it feels powerful. The enemy takes 3d8+10 on round 1 and you feel great about it.
Here's the problem: Bless wasn't up. You spent your bonus action on something else. Now you have used your best slot on 13.5 smite damage when that same slot — or rather, a 1st-circle slot used for Bless — would have generated 60+ party-wide damage across the fight.
**The actual round-1 protocol:** Roll initiative. Cast Bless (bonus action via an ally, or action via your own turn). Get into position. Do not smite until Bless is running. Even if that means your round-1 attack is unaugmented.
### #2: Nova-Smiting Round 1 Is Usually Wrong — But Here's When It's Right
Nova-smiting (dumping multiple slots on round 1 before the enemy acts) is seductive. You can theoretically deal 60+ damage in round 1 by stacking multiple smites on multiple hits.
Here is the catch: **you only get one smite per turn** in Tales of the Valiant. Divine Smite
explicitly says "once per turn." You cannot smite two attacks in the same round. This kills the
nova-stacking fantasy immediately - your maximum smite output is one smite per turn, period.
What _can_ you nova is a single smite + high-circle slot on a crit. That's still dramatic. But the "dump all slots on round 1" strategy is mechanically impossible in ToV without multiclassing into a class that provides smite-equivalent bonus actions.
**When nova (spending multiple high-circle slots across turns 1–2) is correct:**
- Single-encounter day. You know there's no fight after this one.
- The enemy has high enough HP that they will survive to deal damage if you play conservatively — a boss fight where sustained efficiency still results in the boss getting a turn. In those scenarios, eliminating them quickly is worth the resource dump.
- The enemy is a Fiend or Undead. Your smite damage is 1d8 higher per slot tier — the math shifts more favorably toward smiting.
- The encounter is boss + no minions. You do not need to spread resources across multiple targets.
**When nova is wrong:**
- Multiple enemies. Slot efficiency matters when you need to control multiple threats.
- Mid-day combat. You need resources for what's coming.
- Any combat where Haste, Hold Person, or Greater Invisibility would outperform the smite in total fight impact.
- Against minor enemies. Don't smite with anything above a 1st-circle slot against standard
minions. Spending a 3rd-circle slot on a routine guard is a waste unless that guard is secretly
the campaign villain, in which case congratulations on the very efficient surprise.
### #3: The Paladin's Biggest Blind Spot is Aura of Protection
At 6th level, Aura of Protection adds your **CHA modifier** to all saves for you and every friendly creature within 10 feet. At CHA 20 (+5), this is a flat +5 to every save for every ally near you.
This feature doesn't cost a slot. It's always on. And it changes how you should think about your spell list.
**The implication:** Many save-or-suck spells that would normally threaten your party are now far less threatening. Your allies save at +5. This means that fear, paralysis, charm, and incapacitation effects against your party fail more often — which means you need fewer defensive slots for "protect allies from conditions" and more slots are available for offense.
Invest in CHA. Every point of CHA modifier is not just +1 to your spell save DC and spell attack rolls — it's +1 to every save for every ally within 30 feet (at 17th level). CHA is the Paladin's most valuable ability score, and it directly affects how aggressively you can spend spell slots on offense rather than defense.
### #4: The Half-Caster Tax Is Real, and Your Upcast Efficiency Is Worse Than You Think
Because the Paladin caps at 5th-circle spells, and because Divine Smite maxes at 4th-circle, the
Paladin's highest-tier offensive smite plateau is 5d8 (avg 22.5) on a normal smite. Meanwhile, a
dedicated Fighter is making repeated weapon attacks reliably without spending Paladin spell slots.
The incremental return on upcasting smite is exactly 4.5 average damage per circle — constant. That means a 4th-circle smite (avg 22.5) costs twice the resource scarcity of a 2nd-circle smite (avg 13.5) for only 9 more expected damage. **The efficiency ratio degrades as you upcast.**
**The practical implication:** Do not upcast smites casually. A 2nd-circle smite (avg 13.5) is usually the sweet spot — enough damage to matter, low enough circle that you have several available. Reserve 3rd-circle slots for Haste/Revivify and 4th-circle slots for Greater Invisibility/Greater Hold. **Smite most often with 1st and 2nd-circle slots.**
### #5: Lay on Hands Is a Smite Tax You Are Not Accounting For
At level 20, Lay on Hands provides 100 HP of healing per long rest. Zero slots. Zero spell cost. **This is your healing resource.** Stop spending spell slots on Cure Wounds, Prayer of Healing, or any other healing spell in most situations.
If you are spending spell slots on in-combat healing that Lay on Hands could provide, you are
wasting those slots. Lay on Hands uses your action to heal others or your bonus action to heal
yourself, but it does not spend spell slots. Every healing spell is a slot that should have gone to
Bless, a smite, or a fight-shaping oath spell.
### #6: Book of Blades Does Not Make Casual Smiting Better
Book of Blades gives Paladins better tactical support, but it does not increase spell slots. That distinction matters.
[Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades) can make your party formation stronger. [Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) can make your opener cleaner. [Weapon Option Specialist](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#weapon-option-specialist-book-of-blades) can make Martial Action turns more valuable. None of that changes the core smite rule: if Bless is not up, if the hit is not critical, and if the day has multiple fights left, a normal-hit smite is still probably premature.
The best Book of Blades Paladin uses the sourcebook to avoid wasting slots, not to rationalize spending them faster.
### #7: Luminous Smite Is the Labyrinth Spell That Actually Beats the Smite Reflex
Most smite spells are worse than they feel because they ask for concentration, a bonus action, and a
hit that has not happened yet. Divine Smite asks for none of that. It waits until the hit is
confirmed, then spends the slot.
Luminous Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook) is different because advantage for every visible attacker
against the outlined target can turn one Paladin hit into a whole-party focus-fire turn. That is the
kind of rider that can beat the raw 2nd-circle Divine Smite average.
### #8: Eldritch Smite Is Luminous Smite's Force-Damage Cousin
Eldritch Smite (Player's Guide 2) and Luminous Smite (Labyrinth Worldbook) live in the same tactical
neighborhood: hit the target, make it easier for allies to pile on, and let the party convert your
bonus-action setup into a focus-fire turn.
The choice is damage type and table source. Luminous is cleaner radiant identity. Eldritch is force
damage and invisibility pressure. Either way, the spell is only worth it if allies can attack the
target before the fight state changes. If the party ignores the lit target, congratulations, you
cast a very fashionable Divine Smite with extra paperwork.
### #9: Avenger Makes Low-Circle Smites Feel Like Coupons
Avenger (Player's Guide 2) makes 1st- and 2nd-circle Divine Smites dramatically easier to justify at
20th level because they refund often. That does not mean you should throw 5th-circle slots into the
volcano and call it faith.
The correct Avenger play is disciplined aggression: spend low-circle smites on meaningful hits,
save high-circle smites for crits or final fights, and enjoy the rare Paladin experience of getting
a resource back without needing a motivational speech.
### #10: Abjuring Smite Is Campaign Math
Abjuring Smite (Player's Guide 2) is excellent when extraplanar enemies matter. The extra force
damage and mental-save pressure can set up the party's control spells beautifully.
Against ordinary local enemies, it is just a 3rd-circle smite spell competing with Divine Smite,
Revivify, Spirit Guardians, Aura of Bane, and other serious options. That is not bad, but it is not
automatic. The spell is a silver key, not a hammer.
### #11: Old World Paladins Should Stop Chasing Justice Paladin Damage
Old World (Labyrinth Worldbook) gives you elemental damage reduction, restraint, reaction self-heal,
and Bygone Emissary. None of that says "spend every slot on burst damage." The subclass wants you
to win by making the party harder to kill and the battlefield harder for enemies to cross.
The hottest read is also the plainest one: if you picked Old World, your best turns often involve
not smiting. Upheaval, spike growth, wall of stone, Luminous Smite setup, and aura positioning are
the subclass doing its actual job.
---
## The Decision Framework
Here is the complete decision tree for when to smite vs. when to cast a spell. Use this in real-time during combat.
```
BEFORE COMMITTING ANY SLOT THIS ROUND:
Step 1: Is Bless active?
├── NO: Cast Bless with a 1st-circle slot. End of decision tree.
└── YES: Continue to Step 2.
Step 2: Do I have a concentration spell I want to maintain?
├── YES: Check if it's 3rd+ circle (Haste, Greater Invisibility).
│ ├── YES: Protect it. Do not smite in ways that risk losing it.
│ └── NO: Evaluate whether keeping it beats smiting. Usually yes.
└── NO: Continue to Step 3.
Step 3: Is there a powerful spell available that beats smiting with this slot?
├── 1ST CIRCLE: Hold for Bless if not up.
│ Radiant Smite only if ongoing radiant pressure matters.
│ Smite or Command otherwise.
├── 2ND CIRCLE: Deadly Weapon if crit support matters.
│ Eldritch/Luminous Smite if focus fire is ready.
│ Hold Person if eligible target. Smite if not.
├── 3RD CIRCLE: Haste (Justice) always. Revivify reserve always.
│ Aura of Bane if save pressure matters.
│ Abjuring Smite if extraplanar rider matters.
│ Smite with remaining 3rd-circle slots.
├── 4TH CIRCLE: Greater Invisibility (Justice) always.
│ Greater Hold (Justice) on eligible targets.
│ Stoneskin (Devotion) in melee-heavy fights.
│ Smite on crit only otherwise.
└── 5TH CIRCLE: Greater Hold (Justice). Smite on crit only.
Step 4: Did I hit on the current attack?
├── MISS: Do not spend any slot. Done.
└── HIT: Continue to Step 5.
Step 5: Was the hit a CRITICAL HIT?
├── YES: Is my crit-smite reserve slot available?
│ ├── YES: Spend it. Smite with the highest available slot.
│ └── NO: Smite with the next available slot (1st > 2nd > 3rd).
└── NO (Normal Hit): Continue to Step 6.
Step 6: How many fights remain before long rest?
├── LAST FIGHT: Smite freely with any available slot.
├── 1 FIGHT REMAINING: Smite with 1st-circle slots.
│ Hold 2nd+ circle unless crit or Hold Person.
└── 2+ FIGHTS REMAINING: Smite only with surplus 1st-circle slots.
Hold everything else for spells or crits.
Step 7: Am I level 20 with Avenger?
├── YES: Low-circle Divine Smites refund often. Spend 1st/2nd-circle slots
│ more aggressively on meaningful confirmed hits.
└── NO: Follow the normal slot discipline above.
```
### The One-Sentence Summary
**Cast Bless first, hold one 2nd-circle slot for crit-smites, use Justice oath spells (Haste, Greater Invisibility, Greater Hold) instead of smiting at their respective circle levels, and smite routinely only when you have confirmed surplus slots for the day.**
---
## Example Builds and Scenarios
### Build A: The Devotion Support-Nova Hybrid
**Core stats:** STR 18, CHA 16 → 18 (Improvement), CON 14, WIS 12
**Equipment:** Plate armor, shield, longsword
**Key talents:** [Combat Casting](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-magic-talents-guide#combat-casting) (concentration saves), [Battle Tactician](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#battle-tactician-book-of-blades) (Book of Blades commander support), [Hard Target](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-technical-talents-guide#hard-target) (WIS saves)
**Slot spending philosophy:** Devotion paladins lean toward party support first, damage second. Your oath spells are defensive — spend them before fights when possible (Warding Bond, Protection from Energy) rather than during combat.
**Typical combat sequence:**
- **Round 1:** Action: Bless (1st-circle). Bonus action: Sacred Weapon (Channel Divinity). Move into
aura position.
- **Round 2:** Attack twice (Multiattack). If crit: smite with held 2nd-circle slot. If no crit:
hold slot.
- **Round 3:** Attack twice. Consider Hold Person on humanoid if combat is extended. Otherwise continue holding crit reserve.
- **Round 4+:** Spend surplus 1st-circle slots on smites as fight concludes.
**Against Fiends/Undead (extra smite d8):** Increase smite aggression. The +1d8 per tier means a 2nd-circle smite averages 18 vs. the standard 13.5. Consider smiting normal hits more freely against these target types.
### Build B: The Justice Judgement Machine
**Core stats:** STR 16 → 18, CHA 18 → 20, CON 14
**Equipment:** Plate armor, greatsword (or longsword + shield for versatility)
**Key talents:** [Combat Casting](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-magic-talents-guide#combat-casting) (concentration saves), [Tactical Planning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#tactical-planning-book-of-blades) (Book of Blades setup), [Combat Conditioning](/articles/tales-of-the-valiant/talent-guides/tov-martial-talents-guide#combat-conditioning) (HP)
**Slot spending philosophy:** Justice paladins have the strongest offensive spell list in the game. Their Channel Divinity (Judgement: advantage on attacks) dramatically raises crit probability. Play around the crit-smite system more aggressively than any other subclass.
**Typical combat sequence:**
- **Round 1:** Bonus action: Judgement (Channel Divinity, advantage on attacks vs. target). Action: Bless (1st-circle). Move into range.
- **Round 2:** Attack twice with advantage (Judgement active). Crit probability: ~18.5% per round. Hold 2nd-circle slot for crit-smite.
- **Round 3:** If crit happens: smite with 2nd-circle (6d8 avg 27 + weapon damage doubled). If no crit: cast Haste (3rd-circle) if fight is running long.
- **Round 4:** With Haste active (if cast), 3 attacks per round. Crit reserve now deployed. Spend remaining slots as the fight allows.
**Scenario — Boss fight at level 11:** Judgement (free), Bless (1st), hold 2nd for crit, hold 3rd for Haste. Round 3 the crit lands: 2nd-circle smite (6d8 avg 27) + 2d6 greatsword crit + STR = ~43 average damage on one swing. Round 4: Haste active, 3 attacks at advantage. Two 4th-circle slots remain: one for Greater Invisibility (cast for advantage on all future attacks), one held for Greater Hold or emergency Revivify.
**The Justice Paladin is the closest thing in Tales of the Valiant to a surgical damage-control character.** Judgement + crit-smite + oath spells form a toolkit that rewards precise resource management with explosive, fight-defining moments.
---
## Final Notes
The Paladin's spell slot economy is small by design. The class is built around _concentrated impact_ rather than sustained magical output — a few slots that, spent correctly, tip fights decisively.
The mistake most Paladins make is treating every slot as a smite slot. The mistake the _next tier_ of Paladins make is treating every slot as a spell slot. The correct answer is a hierarchy:
1. Bless first.
2. Subclass spell beats smiting at the relevant circle (Haste, Greater Invisibility, Greater Hold, Hold Person).
3. Crit-smite with the reserve when the crit lands.
4. Smite routinely when surplus slots exist.
Mastering that hierarchy across a full adventuring day — accounting for fight count, enemy types, and remaining slot budget — is what separates a Paladin who runs dry by the third fight from one who still has gas for the boss.
The Devotion Paladin is the safest and most party-friendly build: Sacred Weapon gives free attack bonuses, Aura of Devotion protects against charm, and the oath spell list shores up party survival. Play it when your group needs a durable support-anchor who can spike damage when it matters.
The Justice Paladin is the higher-variance, higher-ceiling option: Judgement creates crit opportunities on demand, and the oath spell list contains three of the best combat spells in the game at their respective circles. Play it when you want to be the player who chooses how a hard fight ends.
Both are excellent. Both demand slot discipline. And now you have the math to back the discipline up.
Book of Blades strengthens that discipline when you use it correctly. Battle Tactician gives commander Paladins better non-slot turns. Tactical Planning makes the opening slot decision cleaner. Weapon Option Specialist can make Martial Action turns matter when a smite is not justified. Horse Lord and mounted support can make lance smites more practical in open terrain. None of these options change the slot math; they make the surrounding turns better.
Labyrinth Worldbook adds real alternatives, but not free ones. Sapping Smite, Luminous Smite,
Venomous Smite, and Vengeful Smite all ask for concentration and setup, so they are correct only
when their riders change the fight. Old World (Labyrinth Worldbook) reinforces that lesson: a
Paladin can win by controlling space and refusing to fall, not only by turning every slot into
radiant dice.
Player's Guide 2 adds better tools, not a license to ignore the budget. Radiant Smite is clean
low-circle pressure, Eldritch Smite is the focus-fire pick, Abjuring Smite is campaign math, and
Deadly Weapon may beat all three when the party has a real crit engine. At 20th level, Avenger
changes Divine Smite more than any new spell does: low-circle smites become efficient enough to
spend with confidence, while high-circle smites still belong to crits, bosses, and final fights.
---
_Tales of the Valiant is published by Kobold Press. This guide is fan-made and not affiliated with or endorsed by Kobold Press._