Resolving inconsistencies between different Smites

[Byakko]

The Smite ability occurs in many different places, most famously as one the paladin's powers. Yet, many of these places fail to fully describe the power and leave questions open as to how they function.

I'll start with the paladin's Smite Evil, as it's best known and fully specified. To summarize:

attack rolls: charisma bonus if evil
damage bonus: paladin's level if evil
damage increase: vs evil outsider/dragon, undead
DR: bypass DR if evil
AC: Charisma to deflection vs target
duration: until rest

Okay, how about the the Celestial template?

Quote:

smite evil 1/day as a swift action (adds Cha bonus to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD against evil foes; smite persists until target is dead or the celestial creature rests).

It's unclear whether the text in parenthesis is reminder text, listing only the highlights of the paladin's power, or if is fully describing the effect. If the later, this is what we have:

attack rolls: charisma bonus if evil
damage bonus: HD if evil
damage increase: none specified
DR: none specified
AC: none specified
duration: until rest

So, does a Celestial templated creature receive the other benefits of a paladin's smite evil or not?

Alright, how about the Bracers of the Avenging Knight on a non-paladin?

Quote:

smite attack, gaining a bonus on the attack roll equal to her Charisma bonus, and a +5 bonus to the damage roll on a hit

Thus:

attack rolls: charisma bonus
damage bonus: +5
damage increase: none specified
DR: none specified
AC: none specified
duration: not specified

Note, the apparent lack of requirement that the target is evil. Is this supposed to function as the Smite Evil of a 5th level paladin? Or is it merely a similar, yet poorly specified, ability? If it is actually the Smite Evil of the paladin, does the character count as having the Smite Evil feature while wearing the gloves?

[RumpinRufus]

They all do exactly what they say.

Celestial template smite evil gives bonuses against evil creatures, +Cha to attack and +HD to damage. No bypassing DR, no AC bonus, or anything else not specified.

The Bracers of the Avenging Knight don't give Smite Evil or Smite Good or anything like that, just a generic smite attack. It does exactly what it says it does, +Cha to attack roll and +5 to damage.

[Byakko]

RumpinRufus wrote:

They all do exactly what they say.

Celestial template smite evil gives bonuses against evil creatures, +Cha to attack and +HD to damage. No bypassing DR, no AC bonus, or anything else not specified.

The Bracers of the Avenging Knight don't give Smite Evil or Smite Good or anything like that, just a generic smite attack. It does exactly what it says it does, +Cha to attack roll and +5 to damage.

Things in parenthesis are often reminder texts, not the full rules, which is why some people think otherwise, imho. Still, your interpretation is reasonable, although MANY players and GMs believe that celestial summoned creatures (for example) can bypass evil DR with their smite ability.

As for the bracers? Interesting. So a non-paladin can smite anything with these? Presumably the action type defaults to standard, preventing its use during a full attack, as well.

[RumpinRufus]

I had assumed that the bracers are used as part of an attack, rather than requiring command word activation, similarly to how the Bracers of the Merciful Knight are used as part of the Lay on Hands action.

[Calth]

RumpinRufus wrote:

I had assumed that the bracers are used as part of an attack, rather than requiring command word activation, similarly to how the Bracers of the Merciful Knight are used as part of the Lay on Hands action.

The bracers would be use-activated since they don't specify a command word, and since they are activated as part of an attack, they require no action to activate, as activation is subsumed during whatever action it takes to make the attack. So yes, what you said.

Use Activated:

: This type of item simply has to be used in order to activate it. A character has to drink a potion, swing a sword, interpose a shield to deflect a blow in combat, look through a lens, sprinkle dust, wear a ring, or don a hat. Use activation is generally straightforward and self-explanatory.

Many use-activated items are objects that a character wears. Continually functioning items are practically always items that one wears. A few must simply be in the character's possession (meaning on his person). However, some items made for wearing must still be activated. Although this activation sometimes requires a command word (see above), usually it means mentally willing the activation to happen. The description of an item states whether a command word is needed in such a case.

Unless stated otherwise, activating a use-activated magic item is either a standard action or not an action at all and does not provoke attacks of opportunity, unless the use involves performing an action that provokes an attack of opportunity in itself. If the use of the item takes time before a magical effect occurs, then use activation is a standard action. If the item's activation is subsumed in its use and takes no extra time use, activation is not an action at all.

Use activation doesn't mean that if you use an item, you automatically know what it can do. You must know (or at least guess) what the item can do and then use the item in order to activate it, unless the benefit of the item comes automatically, such as from drinking a potion or swinging a sword.

[Byakko]

Thanks guys, that all sounds reasonable to me. Learned some things about use-activated items as well. :)

On a side note, I'm guessing there's some items out there where it's not clear if they're supposed to be command or use activated.