Ray Spells (doth they keep going?)

[DukeGurren]

Just a really quick question as to whether a ray spell keeps going to attempt to hit the next person in the direction it was cast. Most of what I hear is that the spell is considered to harmlessly hit terrain or something similar to it becoming harmless. On top of that, there's a bit of Ray VS Line spell kind of thing where Line spells keep going and Ray spells are supposedly implied to stop at the targets square regardless. Anyway, just need the clarification on my GMs behalf so I hope someone can help. Thanks and have a nice day.

[Venger]

Just a really quick question as to whether a ray spell keeps going to attempt to hit the next person in the direction it was cast. Most of what I hear is that the spell is considered to harmlessly hit terrain or something similar to it becoming harmless. On top of that, there's a bit of Ray VS Line spell kind of thing where Line spells keep going and Ray spells are supposedly implied to stop at the targets square regardless. Anyway, just need the clarification on my GMs behalf so I hope someone can help. Thanks and have a nice day.

That's not how spells work.

If your party is fighting a boss and he shoots a ray at you that's targeted at one creature, such as ray of stupidity and it misses you, that's the end of it. Even if your party fighter is standing behind you, the ray doesn't just keep going.

Spells that are lines, such as lightning bolt, are distinct from rays. If a lightning bolt went from the boss straight forward and clipped you and the fighter, you would both be affected.

basics on spells and many other aspects of the game are on the srd (http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm) available for free under the open gaming license.

hope this helped

[Falontani]

Since ranged feats work with Ray spells, how does improved precise shot work with Ray spells?

[georgie_leech]

Since ranged feats work with Ray spells, how does improved precise shot work with Ray spells?

Is this a trick question? All the benefits apply, just as if you were using it with a Longbow or something. Ray spells are Ranged Attacks, and IPS works on Ranged Attacks.

[Khedrac]

There is a general principle of D&D ranged combat here - missed attacks are wasted - which applies equally to magic and weapon attacks.
(There is a variant rule where misses due to cover can hit the cover, but it always raises the question how what counts as "due to cover".)

Ray (and Orb) spells are magic attacks - nominate a target, make an attack roll and work out if it hits or not, if not the attack is wasted.
Line spells are area of effects and hit multiple people in a line.

As for Precise Shot and Improved Precise Shot - they work normally for casters, in fact the rod of magical precision (Complete Mage iirc) grants the user the equivalent of IPS for their magic attacks - it is useful because using a ranged attack spell into melee othrwise increases the chance of missing (-4 for firing into melee and probably -4 for cover) - something that matters a lot more to most casters than most conventional ranged attackers: lost spell v. wasted arrow.

[Venger]

Is this a trick question? All the benefits apply, just as if you were using it with a Longbow or something. Ray spells are Ranged Attacks, and IPS works on Ranged Attacks.

No trick, it indeed just works normally.

AMFalontani, is there a reason you thought otherwise?

[Falontani]

No trick, it indeed just works normally.

AMFalontani, is there a reason you thought otherwise?

Because I just learned that the first dm that I ever had homebrewed part part of it; any ranged attack with improved precise shot acted as if it had the piercing shot ability from pathfinder. It made the ability wonderfully powerful, and I had to search to find an equivalent. I just never knew to the contrary until now. So new question: how does a Ray spell work with piercing shot?
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/3rd-party-spells/ascension-games/piercing-shot/

[The Glyphstone]

Absolutely no effect whatsoever, since the spell specifies a 'ranged weapon or thrown weapon'. A ray spell is a ranged attack, but it is not a ranged weapon.

[Falontani]

Absolutely no effect whatsoever, since the spell specifies a 'ranged weapon or thrown weapon'. A ray spell is a ranged attack, but it is not a ranged weapon.

Edit: Malimar said my argument much more eloquently and precisely

[Malimar]

The relevant text is in (IIRC) Complete Arcane, the part about "weaponlike spells". (I don't recall offhand what the official rules given in that section are, but my vague recollection is it lets most weapon-related feats work with spells that call for an attack roll.)

[The Glyphstone]

I mean, at that point you are blending rules from a previous edition with a homebrewed 3rd-party feat, so the sky's the limit. But by PF rules, I don't think 'weaponlike spell' is a thing.

[Venger]

The relevant text is in (IIRC) Complete Arcane, the part about "weaponlike spells". (I don't recall offhand what the official rules given in that section are, but my vague recollection is it lets most weapon-related feats work with spells that call for an attack roll.)

a weaponlike spell is a a touch attack which deals damage, a spell that makes a ranged attack, or a ranged touch attack (or ray)

[Malimar]

I mean, at that point you are blending rules from a previous edition with a homebrewed 3rd-party feat, so the sky's the limit. But by PF rules, I don't think 'weaponlike spell' is a thing.
Oh, somehow I missed that we're talking about PF.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

The Arms & Equipment Guide has the sorcerer's crossbow which can fire ray spells as if they were bolts. Use Piercing Shot on that.

Also, if you want to fire a single ray on multiple creatures in case you miss (and don't want to use a feat on Chain Spell or something), try aiming for the last creature in the line. Each one before it has a chance to be hit via being soft cover, so the odds are that one will probably get hit.

[heavyfuel]

(There is a variant rule where misses due to cover can hit the cover, but it always raises the question how what counts as "due to cover".)

Where can I find this rule?

[Vaern]

Piercing Shot says that it affects all creatures in a line from you out to a distance equal to your weapon's range increment. Ray spells don't have range increments - they simply don't function beyond the maximum range listed in their spell description - and so they are not compatible, even if you otherwise treat a ranged weapon-like spell as a ranged weapon.

[Khedrac]

Where can I find this rule?
Hmm, looks like I was mistaken and it was a DM's houserule and not an official variant.