Hunter's Mercy...Melee wants in

[kreenlover]

I'm assuming that everyone is familiar with Hunter's Mercy, that game changing little spell that (depending on your critical rules and artificers) can make your party ranger the most terrifying monster in your campaign.

Is there anything comparable for melee characters? I understand that melee gets enough nice things, and that the spell is pretty ridiculous to exist once, let alone twice, but if anyone knows of a way to ensure a crit, I'd be interested.

For the record, character I am looking to optimize will never be used. I was just wondering if my Goliath gish could deal 6d6+14 times 4 damage when needed, or if I'd be stuck with just (:smalltongue:) the 6d6+14.

Thanks,
Kreen

[Twilightwyrm]

Let me just start off by saying, yes at the level you get it, Hunter's Mercy is pretty darn good. However, it cannot be used as part of a full attack, meaning that assuming you have things like Rapid Shot, Speed/Haste, and other such effects that increase your number of attacks, you are likely going to do more damage just full attacking. Granted, all those attacks need to hit, but that should be less of an issue at the higher level you will have them. Plus, elemental damage effects (shocking, DFI, etc) will only apply once on a crit, verses multiple times on the multiple attacks. So with this in mind, you may be better off just full attacking with your melee weapon in many situations (especially since melee has charging, which precludes the use of such a spell, and has been known to multiply damage well beyond x3 or x4). Ask your DM if you want to get it, but as you gain levels it will drop off in effectiveness.

[Valwyn]

The closest I can think of is (Swift) Bless Weapon, which auto-confirms criticals against Evil targets. Not exactly what you were looking for, since you have to roll a critical first, but it's a start.

[Snowbluff]

Let me just start off by saying, yes at the level you get it, Hunter's Mercy is pretty darn good. However, it cannot be used as part of a full attack, meaning that assuming you have things like Rapid Shot, Speed/Haste, and other such effects that increase your number of attacks, you are likely going to do more damage just full attacking. Granted, all those attacks need to hit, but that should be less of an issue at the higher level you will have them. Plus, elemental damage effects (shocking, DFI, etc) will only apply once on a crit, verses multiple times on the multiple attacks. So with this in mind, you may be better off just full attacking with your melee weapon in many situations (especially since melee has charging, which precludes the use of such a spell, and has been known to multiply damage well beyond x3 or x4). Ask your DM if you want to get it, but as you gain levels it will drop off in effectiveness. You either quicken it, or you use it on rounds you somehow cannot get a full attack in.

Also, if you have shocking/etc on your bow, you've made a mistake.

[kreenlover]

Let me just start off by saying, yes at the level you get it, Hunter's Mercy is pretty darn good. However, it cannot be used as part of a full attack, meaning that assuming you have things like Rapid Shot, Speed/Haste, and other such effects that increase your number of attacks, you are likely going to do more damage just full attacking. Granted, all those attacks need to hit, but that should be less of an issue at the higher level you will have them. Plus, elemental damage effects (shocking, DFI, etc) will only apply once on a crit, verses multiple times on the multiple attacks. So with this in mind, you may be better off just full attacking with your melee weapon in many situations (especially since melee has charging, which precludes the use of such a spell, and has been known to multiply damage well beyond x3 or x4). Ask your DM if you want to get it, but as you gain levels it will drop off in effectiveness.


The closest I can think of is (Swift) Bless Weapon, which auto-confirms criticals against Evil targets. Not exactly what you were looking for, since you have to roll a critical first, but it's a start.

Ok, thanks guys!


However, it cannot be used as part ~~snip~~ only apply once on a crit, verses multiple times on the multiple attacks.


You either quicken it, or you use it on rounds you somehow cannot get a full attack in.

Hence why I said artificers; item of use activated hunter's mercy!
(And yes, I understand that that is ridiculously RAW broken, cheese, not allowed)
And besides, you can full attack the next round anyways. I'm not sure where you are getting that from, but you definitely can. It just only triggers on the first attack.