Hey @JeremyECrawford me and my friend were having a conversation and cant figure out if there is a mechanical reason to why Paladins can only Smite on melee attacks and not ranged. Is it actually a mechanics reason, or purely flavor?
— Chris C. (@CelticFireC) May 24, 2018
Divine Smite works with melee attacks only because the paladin is traditionally a melee combatant (story angle). Divine Smite is generously designed partly because the paladin has to use it in melee, and melee abilities often pose a risk to the user (rules angle). #DnD https://t.co/B53w6UEGvU
— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) May 24, 2018
The story angle doesn’t add up, since I’m sure some paladin somewhere would have figured out a way to use their divine might via ranged weapon. When I wrote "traditionally," I was referring to the paladin class's 40+ year history being primarily a melee combatant.
— Jeremy Crawford (@JeremyECrawford) May 24, 2018