Hunter's Mercy

[AlanBruce]

Greetings! Stupid question, I know, but it was argued ad nauseum at my game today. Hunter's Mercy (Spell Compendium p.117) states that your bow will strike a critical hit. The ranger who cast the spell stated that the damage was automatic - no roll necessary. I counter argued that you do get to score critical damage, but you need to hit the target first, using a d20 to determine success whether you hit or not. I am almost certain that I am right, but I would greatly appreciate if more experienced DMs and players out there could clarify this little spell for me.

Thank you very much in advance.

[tyckspoon]

Your first hit with a bow
(not including crossbows) in the next
round is automatically a critical hit. If
you don’t hit in the round following
the casting of this spell, the effect is
wasted.

I don't really see how you can read that as 'you don't have to try and hit any more'. Your player is wrong, smack him and tell him to stop munching. (Don't actually do this. But seriously, if it meant 'you automatically hit' it would, well, say that.)

[MarsRendac]

I don't really see how you can read that as 'you don't have to try and hit any more'. Your player is wrong, smack him and tell him to stop munching. (Don't actually do this. But seriously, if it meant 'you automatically hit' it would, well, say that.)

I agree, minus the parenthetical. Actually smack this fool.

[Answerer]

"Your first hit" means you have to hit first. If it was an automatic hit, it would say that, or say something like "your first attack..."

The spell has no effect on any attack unless it hits (and is the first hit of the round).

[AlanBruce]

It's what I argued, but he was adamant in stating that the crit damage was just dropped on the enemy- which made no sense. I ruled against him and naturally, got frowned upon. I have linked him here so he may read the response and finally understand.

Thank you so much for the responses.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I agree with you and the others. The spell clearly only takes affect if you roll a succesful attack with the bow. I simply can't understand how your player (or anyone else) could read that any other way.

Maybe if english isn't his first language?

[AlanBruce]

It isn't. We have both versions of the book- english and spanish. However, the wording in spanish is terrible, despite me telling the player that the english version stated he needed to roll an attack to get the benefit of the spell.

[TuggyNE]

It isn't. We have both versions of the book- english and spanish. However, the wording in spanish is terrible, despite me telling the player that the english version stated he needed to roll an attack to get the benefit of the spell.

Suffice it to say that the native language of the original publishers (in this case, English) should pretty much always control. But yeah, that's unfortunate to have a misleading translation.

[BowStreetRunner]

If it was supposed to be an automatic hit, it would say 'your first attack with a bow in the next round is automatically a critical hit" and "if you don't attack in the round following the casting of this spell, the effect is wasted."

But it doesn't say attack, it says hit. So in order to trigger the effect (an automatic critical) you don't just have to make an attack, you have to succeed in making a hit. The language here is very precise - it is the hit that triggers the automatic critical.

[ThiagoMartell]

Suffice it to say that the native language of the original publishers (in this case, English) should pretty much always control. But yeah, that's unfortunate to have a misleading translation.

That happens oh so often.
Rainbow Servant in Portuguese has sparked so many debates...

[Slipperychicken]

You could tell him:

1) That's not how the spell works. The English version states this clearly. You need to roll to hit first. This advice forum full of people who argue over dnd rules-wording for fun doesn't find any ambiguity here.

2) Even of that was how it worked, that would it overpowered as all get-out, and we're not using something that broken. If you keep pushing this, I'll simply ban the spell.