Sneak Attacking w/ Scorching Ray {Pathfinder ONLY}

[Ravens_cry]

Can you sneak attack with each ray you get with scorching ray?
I asked the question in the Pathfinder Q&A thread, but the answers were a bit ambiguous.
One said yes, after all it says you can sneak attack with ranged attacks. Each ray is a ranged attack that you have to roll for. Others said no, citing a 3.5 rule that was not imported into Pathfinder as well as the surprise spell Arcane Trickster ability and Manyshot.
The trouble I had with this was that with manyshot you only rolled once for both arrows and the examples from sudden spell you couldn't ordinarily sneak attack with at all (no attack roll.)
This leaves the answer, as I said, ambiguous to say the least.
I was informed in a thread about sneak attack that at least one developer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12028919&postcount=11) was leaning in this direction.
However, I never got a source on the statement when asked.
So Playground?
Can you help me?
Can you help a Ravens Cry find a definitive Pathfinder answer to this burning question, if not RAW than RAI, and potentially help them watch the world burn while hiding in the flickering shadows?
I got marshmallows.

[Curious]

As far as I know, if it has an attack roll, it can be a sneak attack.

[GoatBoy]

Agreed that every attack roll should grant sneak attack damage. The ruling on multiple-roll spells from Complete Arcane is a specific ruling, which won't apply to Pathfinder unless they choose to incorporate it.

I don't know if there are any spells or abilities in Pathfinder which could be used to abuse this, unless you incorporate 3.5 material, in which case the Complete Arcane ruling should apply.

[tyckspoon]

Since Pathfinder has not, to the best of my knowledge, had clarifications on what 'Precision damage' is and when exactly you can and can't apply it the way 3.5 had, the basic rules on Sneak Attack should hold; if you are within 30 feet, your target is denied Dex to AC for some reason, and he does not have concealment against you, every attack triggers Sneak Attack.

[ericgrau]

All I know is 3x full BAB touch sneak attack is a lot of damage. 6x with quicken spell gets nuts, or even 4x earlier on quickening cantrips. The main drawback to SA damage is normally that you miss on half or more of your attacks because they're secondaries on a medium BAB character.

Let's see you can get 3 rays by level 12 with the right talent for +2 caster level on a gish. 5th level spells so only 4 attacks so far, but empowered rays. Sneak attack 5d6, ray 4d6. 4d6 x 3 x 1.5 + 5d6 x 3 + 5d6 + 1d3 = 135 damage. 7 BAB + dex + point blank shot + precise shot means it usually hits on all but a 2. PF melee of the same level has to roll well to break 100 (if that), and you're at range. Fire resistance is more common than other resistances, but still uncommon and even then you'll do 50 or 90. 3 attacks isn't much less, and soon 6 attacks will really ramp it up.

In the above example you'd lose 35 damage the 3.5 way, so you're still doing a lot without the extra 2 sneak attacks, though more on par with others. And still much more than other ranged, but you have less HP. I think you gotta do it the 3.5 way to keep it from going over the top; PF already gave sneak attack and arcane tricksters a boost.

[Ravens_cry]

Addendum, does Empower affect the sneak attack dice?

[Yuki Akuma]

Addendum, does Empower affect the sneak attack dice?

There is no reason why it would.

[Fax Celestis]

All I know is 3x full BAB touch sneak attack is a lot of damage. 6x with quicken spell gets nuts, or even 4x earlier on quickening cantrips. The main drawback to SA damage is normally that you miss on half or more of your attacks because they're secondaries on a medium BAB character.

Let's see you can get 3 rays by level 12 with the right talent for +2 caster level on a gish. 5th level spells so only 4 attacks so far, but empowered rays. Sneak attack 5d6, ray 4d6. 4d6 x 3 x 1.5 + 5d6 x 3 + 5d6 + 1d3 = 135 damage. 7 BAB + dex + point blank shot + precise shot means it usually hits on all but a 2. PF melee of the same level has to roll well to break 100 (if that), and you're at range. Fire resistance is more common than other resistances, but still uncommon and even then you'll do 50 or 90. 3 attacks isn't much less, and soon 6 attacks will really ramp it up.

In the above example you'd lose 35 damage the 3.5 way, so you're still doing a lot without the extra 2 sneak attacks, though more on par with others. And still much more than other ranged, but you have less HP. I think you gotta do it the 3.5 way to keep it from going over the top; PF already gave sneak attack and arcane tricksters a boost.

Acquiring such damage, though, requires caster level loss and/or specific multiclassing. Plus, it's fire damage. Resistances may be common but small, sure, but blanket immunity is also common--whether from natural state, subtype, or spell. And you have to be uncomfortably close to the dude you're sniping--or his friends. Not like you can get multiple ranged touch sneak attacks easily during an encounter: this is pretty much a surprise round nuke (and then only if you focus on one guy).

[ericgrau]

That's where the casting helps, with things like greater invisibility, grease if they need to move, glitterdust, etc. But true it burns a round, so your actual damage over a combat is probably 20-33% lower. 100 for melee was also a bit high. Melee might really get ~85-90. Hmm, same as 2/3 of 135, I could maybe see a case until you get endless sneak attacks permanently with a ring or get a buff round, but it's still a stretch. I mean you have equal or higher damage than others and unlike the archer who you out-damage even further you can do more than just sling rays. Melee also faces things like DR.

Worst case it's easy to prepare alternate energy types, but again this is uncommon. SR is a damage reducing issue too, btw, but for that you get 2-3 feats. None of these obstacles seem significantly greater than what melee might face. You could make a more fair comparison to an archer, but then they have less damage from the start so I doubt you'd be able to bridge the gulf.

[Ravens_cry]

Acquiring such damage, though, requires caster level loss and/or specific multiclassing. Plus, it's fire damage. Resistances may be common but small, sure, but blanket immunity is also common--whether from natural state, subtype, or spell. And you have to be uncomfortably close to the dude you're sniping--or his friends. Not like you can get multiple ranged touch sneak attacks easily during an encounter: this is pretty much a surprise round nuke (and then only if you focus on one guy).

With Magical Knack traits, I only lose one CL and if I take one of the many traits that increase CL by one for one spell, I achieve parity. Or take one (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/magical-lineage) that reduces metmagic by 1 for one spell. Sniping,especially with the halfling alternative racial ability that knocks 10 off, plus Quicken, either as a rod or as the metamagic, I can make someone who is able to be burnated burn very fast.

[Fax Celestis]

Sure you maintain CL, but you don't get further progression with Magical Knack. So you can have an awesome scorching ray, sure, but Mister Wizard is throwing, say, lesser globe of invulnerability, rendering you useless. Or perhaps solid fog, denying you line of sight.

I'm not saying it's a big gun: it is. But there are a multitude of things that amount to kevlar, bulletproof glass, and similar against it.

[Ravens_cry]

It's one 2nd level spell. Even a Crossblooded Primal/Draconic sorcerer (+2 per fire damage die is nothing to sneeze at considering it includes the sneak attack dice) will have other tricks up their sleeve. Once I have achieved parity, sneak attack is basically extra CL that overclocks.
As for the question of being too near the baddies, two words: sniper goggles. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/e-g/goggles-sniper-goggles) And if I do get in close, the burnation will only increase.

[Fax Celestis]

And I have four words of my own: lesser globe of invulnerability.

[Ravens_cry]

And I have four words of my own: lesser globe of invulnerability.
Pah, I can use some other spell.
And they shall burn. They shall all burn. Ha-haha-ha! ! !