Spellsword and channel spell crit

[Lorsa]

Hello all.

I have a question regarding the 3.5 prestige class Spellsword (in CW) and the channel spell ability. Namely, if you channel a spell that normally has the possibility to crit (such as scorching ray) will it still be able to crit when it is discharged from the weapon? And if so, will it only crit on a natural 20, or will it use the weapon's threat range?

Please note that this is a rules question and not a question of how good or bad the prestige class in question might be. Hold such opinions to yourself.

[tyckspoon]

I'm not sure there is an actual definite rule on this anywhere.. here's how I handle it, and I think it's in line with the intent as displayed by other weapon-carried effects:

If the spell does not have its own attack roll, you can't crit with it. It becomes a bonus effect on the hit, and you treat it like it was a sort of Flaming/Shocking/etc enhancement. Just as those abilities don't do anything extra on a weapon crit, neither does a channeled Shocking Grasp/Scorching Ray/etc (on the other hand, if you can find a spell whose damage is not expressed as a die roll, then that would count into the crit whenever the weapon crit.)


The other ways to handle it would be:
Spell crits whenever the weapon does with an x2 multiplier. Probably makes high crit-range weapons more powerful than they should be.
Spell gets its own separate crit check roll, using the standard properties of spells (20/x2, normally.)
Spell and weapon crit independently but use the same roll, so weapon crits on 18-20 or whatever normally, and if you roll a 20 the spell might also crit.

[Amnestic]

Spell and weapon crit independently but use the same roll, so weapon crits on 18-20 or whatever normally, and if you roll a 20 the spell might also crit.

That's how I'd handle it, personally.

[FireGriver]

Spell and weapon crit independently but use the same roll, so weapon crits on 18-20 or whatever normally, and if you roll a 20 the spell might also crit.

I would rule it this way, using as a guide the weaponlike spell rules found on CA pages 85-86.

[amdskitzo]

The problem I see with that is that spells that have an attack roll can crit(on a 20/x2). I would see no problem with letting the spell crit assuming the die roll met the requirements for critting with the spell also.

example 1(assuming the critical was confirmed): Scimitar can crit 18-20. Die roll 19. player does critical weapon damage but not critical spell damage

example 2(assuming the critical was confirmed): Scimitar again. Die roll was a 20. Player does critical weapon and spell damage.

[Lorsa]

Thanks for the input! I will probably end up allowing some form of crit too, most likely on a 20 as suggested. Will read the rules in CA too.

[FireGriver]

Isn't this:



example 1(assuming the critical was confirmed): Scimitar can crit 18-20. Die roll 19. player does critical weapon damage but not critical spell damage

example 2(assuming the critical was confirmed): Scimitar again. Die roll was a 20. Player does critical weapon and spell damage.

the same as this?


Spell and weapon crit independently but use the same roll, so weapon crits on 18-20 or whatever normally, and if you roll a 20 the spell might also crit.

I don't see a problem then. :P

I'll quote the rule found in CA, wich I would use as a guide when deciding how a spell would crit while channeling.


Weaponlike Spells
Critical Hits
Unless the spell description says otherwise, a weaponlike spell threatens a critical hit on a roll of 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit.

Other parts of the weaponlike spell rules that might also find useful are the ones wich describes what kind of damage a crit would do, usually it's the same type as the spell (i.e., an acid spell would do acid damage on a crit), but with negative level spells (such as Enervation) the damage would be negative energy.
And last but not least important, any spell that requires an attack roll and deals damage is considered a weaponlike spell, that's it. :P