Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

I don't really see the utility of this spell, esp. given that a lower level Smite spell is more useful in pretty much every situation.

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

Smite has only Range 25, which means your prophet can not stand at the bottom line and attack.
Futhermore, WoP can paralyze the enemy and I believe it can be used together with penetration items as an anti-SC/Thug weapon if you are playing a communion race with Soul Slay not researched yet.

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

If your enemy has a sc with many hp and regen it might be more useful to hold him in place and finish his army first.

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

Yeah, against SCs paralyzing them might be best.

On the other hand it's MR-negates and holy-4 is hard, so I have to agree it's a bit disappointing. It doesn't even give very long-lasting paralysis compared to the Paralyze spell.

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

Maybe if it was AoE 2 or more lasting or unresistable, it would have been worthy and more thematic. After all, that's a spell only the equivalent of a Pope can cast :p

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

Communion.

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

Yeah, I know chris, but if you can do a communion it's a bit of a disappointing outcome. It's arguable whether it's even worth casting it rather than paralyze (lower fatigue but less duration).

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

I guess it might help in the early game against elephants...?

But that's all I can think of, really. If it did Smite + Paralyse, that would be pretty funky.

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

Another neat possible improvement would be if that not only paralyzes but also curses the target. Seems thematic too :)

Re: Is there any benefit to casting Word of Power over Smite?
 

I don't think it's entirely fair to compare Word of Power and Paralyze.
Paralyze is better but can't be cast in all situations (mages lacking paths, research).
Also a mage who can cast paralyze can maybe cast something better than smite.
So instead of having the mage cast paralyze and the priest cast smite have the priest cast Word of Power and the mage cast something else.