Does a spell cast trigger Sneak attack?

[Dragrun]

as question above

[Frog Dragon]

If it has an attack roll and deals damage, yes.

[Kadarai]

What do you mean?

A) can u sneak attack with a spell? Yes, but according to SRD all simultaneous attack rolls trigger only 1 precision damage effect (no 3 times sneak with scorching ray, only 1 time).

B) can u sneak attack a casting opponent? Casting without using "casting on the defense" and making a concentration check provokes attacks of opportunity. If you are in a flanking position then you apply sneak attack to the damage if you hit with the attack of opportunity, but in any other case the attack is not always a sneak attack.

You can bypass this with feats. "Sneak Attack of Opportunity", let's u apply sneak attack to any attack of opportunity (dragon magazine feat). This used to be an epic feat that later was made a normal one. Mercurial Strike (Dragon Compendium) let's you catch an opponent flatfooted if you draw a weapon as a part of the attack of opportunity(maneuver allowed by the feat).

There are a couple more i think, one called "flick of the wrist" which works with headed weapons, similar to mercurial strike and others that are more applicable to fighter than rogue.

[Dragrun]

ok thanks guys got what i needed

[NeoSeraphi]

Generally speaking, you may only trigger Sneak Attack damage with a weaponlike spell (a spell that requires an attack roll) when the conditions are met. There are exceptions to this, however. The most notable is the Surprise Spells feature of the Pathfinder Arcane Trickster, which allows you to make Sneak Attacks with a spell you cast against a creature who is flat-footed. This allows you to Sneak Attack creatures with spells like fireball and lightning bolt. The extra damage becomes much more useful and powerful when it's applied in an AoE, meaning that Arcane Trickster is actually one of the best options for a blaster in PF. (One greater invisibility and suddenly you're a blasting cannon.)

[Keld Denar]

Casting a spell is distracting enough to result in an attack of opportunity (assuming no casting defensively), but it is not distracting enough to cause you to be flat footed vs the attack. There would have to be some sort of alternate condition that enables SA, such as attacking from hiding/invisible, or the foe to be balancing without the proper ranks in Balance, or the foe to be flanked, etc.

[Amidus Drexel]

Another note on sneak attacking with spells - if the spell does energy drain or ability damage the sneak attack damage is negative energy.

[gorfnab]

From Rules of the Game: All About Sneak Attacks (Part Four) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040309a)


Spells as Sneak Attacks

Any spell that requires an attack roll and deals damage can be used in a sneak attack. In this case "damage" is normal damage, nonlethal damage, ability damage, or energy drain. You can sneak attack with a Melf's acid arrow spell, but not with a magic missile spell.

Ranged spells are effective as sneak attacks only at ranges of 30 feet or less (just like any other ranged sneak attack).

A successful sneak attack with a weaponlike spell inflicts extra damage according to the attacker's sneak attack ability, and the extra damage dealt is the same type as the spell deals. For example, a 10th-level rogue who makes a successful sneak attack with a Melf's acid arrow spell inflicts 2d4 points of acid damage, plus an extra 5d6 points of acid damage from the sneak attack (note that continuing damage from this spell is not part of the sneak attack). Spells that inflict energy drains or ability damage deal extra negative energy damage in a sneak attack, not extra negative levels or ability damage. For example, a 10th-level rogue who makes a successful sneak attack with an enervation spell deals 1d4 negative levels plus an extra 5d6 points of negative energy damage.

If the sneak attack with a weaponlike spell results in a critical hit, the damage from the spell is doubled but the extra sneak attack damage is not doubled (as with any sneak attack).

With spell effects that allow you to make multiple attack rolls, such as the energy orb spells or the Split Ray feat from Tome and Blood, you must treat the effect like a volley -- only the first attack can be a sneak attack.

[Unusual Muse]

"Sneak Attack of Opportunity", let's u apply sneak attack to any attack of opportunity (dragon magazine feat).

Just to be clear, SAoO lets you apply sneak attack to your first AoO of the round... so it doesn't turn you into a cuisinart if you have Combat Reflexes/Backstab/etc. :smallsmile: