I'm just rebuiling my cheapo vt to a smiter.
You stash once when you enter a game and that's it usually.
For FFA games you should play max LR aura = 95% LR with aura active = chargenamelock any light opponent to death.
If a FBer is in game, equip hots for 95% FR. they will never kill you with such high resists.
Against blizz you can use 2*raven and, if needed, 205resi targe, and still maintaining max or high dr and maxblock (I statted dex for exile maxblock).
basically a smiter can work well against almost everyone in pubs without too many gear switches.
Good necros and hammerdins will kill you if they got any clue. Whereas most pubby necs dont expect you to telesmite them after they BP'd you so even those are often not that hard.