Getting precision damage on all attacks of a volley spell

[TuggyNE]

So, sneak attack/skirmish/etc on e.g. scorching ray: how do you get more than one ray per target to give you precision damage? Or do you simply have to find multiple targets to benefit fully?

[Kane0]

I'd say each one qualifies as any other attack would, so each ray would be dealing that extra damage so long as it is a valid target for the precision damage, but I'm not sure about RAW.

[dungeonnerd]

RAW works for weaponlike spells just the same as multiple attacks in a round - in other words, precision damage only applies to the first such ray.

However, if you can convince your GM of it, then you can probably pass by precision damage on different targets in a round, if each target would be susceptible to precision damage (I.E. flanking multiple people, ambushing multiple people).

[TuggyNE]

I'd say each one qualifies as any other attack would, so each ray would be dealing that extra damage so long as it is a valid target for the precision damage, but I'm not sure about RAW.

IIRC, Rules Compendium specifically says that volleys (i.e., Manyshot, scorching ray, etc where you're making multiple attack rolls at once) only get precision on one of them (and only get criticals on one of them, for that matter). I believe, however, it's limited to one per target, not one per round, although I could be wrong on that.


RAW works for weaponlike spells just the same as multiple attacks in a round - in other words, precision damage only applies to the first such ray.

However, if you can convince your GM of it, then you can probably pass by precision damage on different targets in a round, if each target would be susceptible to precision damage (I.E. flanking multiple people, ambushing multiple people).

It's entirely practical and rules-legal to get skirmish/sneak attack damage multiple times per round on the same target (for example, blink plus full attack is the trivial way to do it for sneak attack, and 10'-stepping/tumbling is probably the simplest way to do it for skirmish). What you can't do (easily) is multiple times as a simultaneous ranged attack, or volley.

I know there's a feat (Greater Manyshot, XPH) to enable precision damage/criticals (as well as multitargeting) for Manyshot, so I'm asking about the similar case of weapon-like spells.

[eggs]

Per rules compendium volley attacks that aren't spells can deliver sneak attack on each attack, provided they take greater than a standard action.

So I'm thinking Sorcerer/Dweomerkeeper to metamagic a ray into a full-round action, then cast it as a supernatural ability. It's a pretty heavy investment to fit together, though - especially alongside the SA that would make it worthwhile.

[TuggyNE]

Per rules compendium volley attacks that aren't spells can deliver sneak attack on each attack, provided they take greater than a standard action.

So I'm thinking Sorcerer/Dweomerkeeper to metamagic a ray into a full-round action, then cast it as a supernatural ability. It's a pretty heavy investment to fit together, though - especially alongside the SA that would make it worthwhile.

Ouch, yes, that's a lot of work. Hmm.