D&D 5E Dumb question re: Ensnaring Strike

[Weezknight]

Dumbest question I'll ever ask, but Ensnaring Strike "ends" if the target creature dies, correct?

If the ranger keeps killing things, the original casting of ES does not continue until a creature is hit and lives...he has to re-cast it?

 

[Paraxis]

The spell ends when the ranger stops concentrating on it or 10 rounds (1 minute) passes.

The spell only affects the target of his first successful hit after casting though, so there is no reason to keep concentrating on the spell if the target is dead.

 

[Weezknight]

We were thinking that if the first hit is a deathblow, does that still count, and it now has to be recast.

 

[Paraxis]

We were thinking that if the first hit is a deathblow, does that still count, and it now has to be recast.

Yes it is the first successful hit even if that hit kills the target. The paladin should be more selective of when they cast the spell and who they strike with the spell going.

Now that is how the rules handle it, if the DM wants to be nice (some do) then sure they could let the spell stay up.