Shivering Touch's interaction with Paragon Template. RAW Ruling?

[Oxylepy]

SRD rule for Paragon Creature

Damage
A paragon creature gains a +20 luck bonus on damage rolls for all melee and thrown ranged attacks.


Shivering Touch is a spell from Frostburn (melee touch attack, deals 3d6 Dex damage)

Rules compendium is silent on the exact ruling, from what I can tell, however it offers specific rules that may be tangentally, but not specifically, applicable: Point Blank Shot does not deal extra ability damage, Precision Attacks deal negative energy damage instead of ability damage, critical hits do multiply the ability damage.

From a baseline assumed RAI I cannot see why this +20 damage would make Shivering Touch deal 3d6+20 Dex damage, a 'lethal' number to anything under 23-38 Dex, and crippling to anything the caster can hit.

However I just want to see if there is any ruling that is directly applicable to this by RAW, or if the 3d6+20 is correct as written, even though I think it's a bit RAWdiculous

[tyckspoon]

That is, AFAIK, correct - there are a few other things that will do this, where somebody didn't specifically restrict a bonus to 'weapon damage' or similar in the effect text, and they make any source of ability damage much more potent.

[Feantar]

SRD rule for Paragon Creature


Shivering Touch is a spell from Frostburn (melee touch attack, deals 3d6 Dex damage)

Rules compendium is silent on the exact ruling, from what I can tell, however it offers specific rules that may be tangentally, but not specifically, applicable: Point Blank Shot does not deal extra ability damage, Precision Attacks deal negative energy damage instead of ability damage, critical hits do multiply the ability damage.

From a baseline assumed RAI I cannot see why this +20 damage would make Shivering Touch deal 3d6+20 Dex damage, a 'lethal' number to anything under 23-38 Dex, and crippling to anything the caster can hit.

However I just want to see if there is any ruling that is directly applicable to this by RAW, or if the 3d6+20 is correct as written, even though I think it's a bit RAWdiculous

Paragon creature is an epic template - this suits it just fine.

[nedz]

The rules in CArc indicate that Shivering Touch is a weapon like spell (roll to hit, does damage) so this should work.
It's a double cheese combo — but Epic so it's fine I guess.

[Chronos]

I think that the intent of the rules is that it would work the same way as with precision damage, so a paragon creature using Shivering Touch would deal 3d6 damage to Dex and 20 negative energy damage to HP.

But they didn't actually extend that to all effects that add damage, even though they might have intended to, so yes, RAW it would actually deal 3d6+20 damage to Dex.

[Oxylepy]

I finally found a contrary ruling! 3.5e FAQ 2008 page 47

Do feats that affect damage, such as Weapon Specialization, increase the amount of ability damage done with an attack such as a shadow’s touch attack?
Although they do use the same word, damage and ability damage are completely different. Feats and other sources that give bonuses to damage do not affect ability damage unless they specifically say so.

[Darg]

I finally found a contrary ruling! 3.5e FAQ 2008 page 47

Doesn't even need the FAQ, it's right in the PHB:


Some modifiers apply to both weapon and spell damage, but only if so stated.

Any bonus to spell damage must be explicitly stated.

[Oxylepy]

Any bonus to spell damage must be explicitly stated.

Oi, where have you been for 5 days!? Also what you're talking about is in the glossary, page 307, not through any of the index entries, and I cannot seem to find it on the SRD, but yup, 307 PHB, in case anyone else looks for it. Thanks.