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| jonroberts |
 Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:29 pm Post subject: PF Rules Query |
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I have a player who plays a rogue with a wand of scorching ray who uses each ray to get a sneak attack as a ranged touch. Now casting scorching ray is a standard action and I can think of no other scenarios where a rogue gets more than one lot of sneak attack damage from a standard action. Are there any rules that explicitly deals with this? Should I just house rule it? Is his approach legit?
Any ideas appreciated. |
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| Wolfgang |
| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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I'm inclined to agree that it's an abuse of sneak attack rules. Nothing in the rules says each ray gets its own tranche of sneak damage, nothing says it doesn't.
Clearly, it's unbalancing, so.... One lot of sneak attack per action (using a wand) seems correct.
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| Daigle |
| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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However, both rays can strike different targets, so if it was ruled that sneak attack only applied to one ray, which one would it be?
(Also, for a wand of scorching ray to be able to fire two rays, it would cost 10,500 and each charge would cost 210 gp, so the rogue in question is shelling out a bit of change each time it uses this tactic, not to mention, it has to catch the targets flat footed, so I'd rule the tactic okay because it's not like the character can do it every round every fight.)
Last edited by Daigle on Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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| Wolfgang |
| Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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At that point, I think it's a job for Ask the Kobold.
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| jonroberts |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:04 am Post subject: |
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At 14th level, that 210gp per round for a big fight is not an unreasonable expense. As for being able to do it every round - he has a ring of blur, which grants concealment and allows him to hide all the time. It's another thing that is (as far as I can see) within the letter of the rules.
He fights undead half the time so it's not too bad, but when they come across living opponents it's a bit of an engine of destruction. |
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| xellos |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| Under PF rules, sneak attack now applies to corporeal undead, though, I thought? |
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| jonroberts |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:31 am Post subject: |
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| Good call - I hadn't noticed that. |
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| Zherog |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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Is the ring of blur a custom magic item?
As for your main question, and going back to PF's 3.5 roots... I vaguely recall a discussion about a similar topic appearing in the pages of Complete Arcane. As I recall, the text there says that only the first ray of a volley attack gets sneak attack or other similar bonuses. But I'm old and have failing memory, so I could be misremembering. But that might be a place to reference.
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| jonroberts |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I have a memory of that too. It's in the beginning of the feats section I think in discussions of weapon like spells. That would come closer to being in line with many shot. It seems wrong to allow more than one sneak attack in a standard action.
Yes, the ring of blur is a custom item, using the pricing for custom magic items. |
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| Zherog |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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| jonroberts wrote: |
| Yes, I have a memory of that too. It's in the beginning of the feats section I think in discussions of weapon like spells. That would come closer to being in line with many shot. It seems wrong to allow more than one sneak attack in a standard action. |
Yep, that's exactly where it is.
| Quote: |
| Yes, the ring of blur is a custom item, using the pricing for custom magic items. |
Excellent - just wanted to check. So 24K, right?
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| jonroberts |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes indeed, 24,000gp. And the ruling in Complete Arcane specifically deals with it, thanks a lot! Glad you jogged my memory on that one. |
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| Daigle |
| Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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Man, why does Ling always have to be right?  |
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| Zherog |
| Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 7:43 am Post subject: |
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Such is the way of the world, Adam. The sooner you accept that fact, the easier it'll be.
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