Eldritch Theurge and Crits

[Yorae]

So, Eldritch Theurge has the interesting Spellblast ability, which combines an area spell with an eldritch blast. Since this adds a ranged touch attack to the spell, and spells with attack rolls can crit, does this mean that an eldritch theurge can crit with spells that normally cannot crit? What about area spells that have attack rolls (do these exist? only think I can think of is Tornado Blast, and that's a power...)? If the spellblast crits, does the fireball portion do extra damage?

[Cog]

Nope. You're hitting with the Eldritch Blast which may crit or not crit as normal for it; the Spellblast is simply a rider effect that resolves after the attack roll without an attack roll of its own.


What about spells that normally CAN crit, like fireball?
Fireball can't normally crit. Are you thinking of Scorching Ray or Orb of Fire? At any rate, I'm not aware of any area spells that also have attack rolls, which are required for critting.

[Yorae]

Nope. You're hitting with the Eldritch Blast which may crit or not crit as normal for it; the Spellblast is simply a rider effect that resolves after the attack roll without an attack roll of its own.


Fireball can't normally crit. Are you thinking of Scorching Ray or Orb of Fire? At any rate, I'm not aware of any area spells that also have attack rolls, which are required for critting.

I am; derp. Don't know what I was thinking, I'll edit that out.

Edit: Fixed.

[Cog]

Assuming Tornado Blast was a spell...

The attack roll seems to be separate from targeting the area effect itself, and the vortex doesn't appear to necessarily be at the precise center of the effect. Given that, I think what would happen is:

Cast Spellblast and fire off Eldritch Blast. EB may crit.
Tornado Blast is centered on a corner intersection of EB's target.
Choose a target for TB's vortex within the resulting area. This is a separate attack, and this attack may crit.
TB's area effect resolves. This effect cannot crit.


I think that any other case like this would depend on the specific wording of the spell in question, as any interaction of area spells and attack rolls would by nature be an exception.