Smite

[ShadowHM]

I am building my first ever Smite Paladin. :o Now he is planned to be an oddball character and this will have some impacts on how I build him. Basically, he will play naked except for his shield.

I have noted one real oddity. Smiting seems to wear out my weapon, and not my shield. The plan was to equip low end items and then let them wear out so as not to accidentally equip items in the field. But this now has me wondering what that does to Smite. Will I keep on Smiting for regular Smite damage even if I have a worn out sceptre equipped?

Next, what attributes impact my Smite damage? I will, of course, need sufficient strength to equip the shield. But how much will additional strength impact on this and in what way?

Dexterity will be needed, I assume, to keep my shield block up. I am, I am sorry to say, hazy about how much will be needed given that I will be maxing Holy Shield as well as Smite. How will it impact on my need for dexterity, especially since I will be woefully lacking in life without any other equipment or charms? Keeping blocking at a maximum will be important, but I don't want to squander points I could save for vitality.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer a woefully ignorant wannabe Variant Scum™. :)

Edit: I might have known more questions would occur to me. :(

Will a shield with Enhanced Damage make any difference to the Smite damage? If so, which would serve better to socket that shield - a plus to minimum damage jewel or a plus % damage jewel?