Explanation of Critical Hits with Weapon-Like Spells

[Corwin_of_Amber]

My DM had an interesting question for me: What is actually happening when my inflict spell gets a critical hit? His reasoning behind this question was due to the fect that the spells descriptions involves infusing the entire body with negative energy, not targetting a specific place. I explained it by mentioning that I have a feat (Mastery of Day and Night) that specifically mentions that I have a sense of the locations of the positive and negative energy planes and can better focus my spells. This seemed like a poor reason.

I am wondering how this exactly happens now. Since he said that spells like inflict and cure don't target specific areas I asked if I can then score critical hits on things without anatomy or that are just immune to traditional crits (e.g. - stabbing something and hitting its heart).

Is there any information about this? Can inflict spells crit like other weapon-like spells or do they follow a separate set of sules that allows them to bypass crit immunity?

[Kumori]

Assuming that you are speaking of v3.5:

Any Touch or Ranged touch spell (those that require an attack roll) can cause a critical hit. From the PHB:

Touch: You must touch a creature or object to affect it. A touch spell that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can. A touch spell threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. Some touch spells, such as teleport and [i]water walk[/], allow you to touch multiple targets. You can touch as many willing targets as you can reach as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell.
[...]
Ray: [...] If a ray spell deals damage, you can score a critical hit just as if it were a weapon. A ray spell threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.

I hope that answers the question.

[Corwin_of_Amber]

I assumed that there was nothing more in-depth than the PHB description/rules. Thank you.

[BobVosh]

Also the fluff reasons could be along the lines of the creature was particularly distracted and the damage was more than normal, your hate empowered the spell, etc.

[Keld Denar]

As far as fluff, maybe you just opened a large conduit to the negative energy plane and more of the creature's life essence was allowed to be lost.

[elpollo]

"You manage to grasp one of the creature's limbs, and negative energy blazes out of your hand, scarring the monster where you touch it. It tries to pull free from your unholy touch, but you manage to hold on to it despite its flails, and continue to pour negative energy into the beast."

Or something.

[Ganurath]

I'd think it'd have more to do with hitting someplace particularly deadly or painful to be hit in, given the nature of a critical hit. Inflict Serious Wounds in the eye or a Scorching Ray to the groin, for example.

[Feliks878]

I'd think it'd have more to do with hitting someplace particularly deadly or painful to be hit in, given the nature of a critical hit. Inflict Serious Wounds in the eye or a Scorching Ray to the groin, for example.

I always pictured it more like this as well. If, during your normal inflicts you grasp someone's arm or touch them on the chest, perhaps on a critical hit you tap them right over the heart or on the forehead.

Or in some sort of mystical weakspot that acts a conduit for the soul.

[Corwin_of_Amber]

Those all seem to be reasonable explanations. One of my "funny" party-mates made the suggestion that I touched him in a naughty place.

[Kalim]

So would it be possible, then, to take Improved Critical for spells in general, or would you have to specify Touch or Ray?

[Ryuuk]

Here's how I see it, just jump to the ten second mark.

The first attack is a normal attack, the second is a critical. Casting spells shouldn't be an exact science. Sometimes you deal a lot less damage then you think you will (rolling 1 on the damage roll), other times everything seems to align just right and you somehow deal much more then you thought possible (crit).

[Skavengoblin]

So would it be possible, then, to take Improved Critical for spells in general, or would you have to specify Touch or Ray?

The Improved Weapon feat says to pick a type of weapon (such as GreatAxe), so I imagine you would, at best, get EITHER rays or touch. your DM may say that you take it for a specific spell, but this makes it so limiting you'd never want to waste a feat on it.

I would describe it as touching a vital part as well. While the negative energy goes throughout the body, so does getting shocked by lightning. and yet we all know that getting a static shock anywhere on our face hurts WAY more then on the tip of our finger.
You could even go so far to describe the area effected by a Inflict spell as being blackened slightly, with black viens fading out from the origin. This description, of course, would make touching someone's face seem much more painful.

[Galsiah]

So would it be possible, then, to take Improved Critical for spells in general, or would you have to specify Touch or Ray?

I do not believe that you can take improved critical on spells at all, but if your DM allowed it, I would say only rays can be chosen for it. My reasoning behind this is that weapon focus, a feat similar in that you have to choose a weapon, specifically calls out that you can take it for rays, but it does not say anywhere that you can do it with melee touch attacks. I believe this is because out of all the spell types, only a ray is enough like a weapon to actually practice hitting a vital with. Just my 2cp.

[Urpriest]

I do not believe that you can take improved critical on spells at all, but if your DM allowed it, I would say only rays can be chosen for it. My reasoning behind this is that weapon focus, a feat similar in that you have to choose a weapon, specifically calls out that you can take it for rays, but it does not say anywhere that you can do it with melee touch attacks. I believe this is because out of all the spell types, only a ray is enough like a weapon to actually practice hitting a vital with. Just my 2cp.

Complete Arcane begs to disagree.

[Galsiah]

Complete Arcane begs to disagree.

Ahh, right you are. I completely forgot about that section, my mistake. So yes, you can take improved critical on either touch or ranged spells

[Aotrs Commander]

And believe me, it's not funny when the sorcerer crits on your advanced behir with a Sudden Maximised Orb of Force...

[Callista]

Hitting an enemy with a ray spell is damaging enough--but what if you got him right in the face? THAT is a critical hit.

[Corwin_of_Amber]

Thanks for the input, Improved Critical sounds great for inflicting, although is it really worth that feat for an extra 5% crit chance?

This all spawned from dropping the BBEG (8 or 9 headed Hydra) to enough hp to be finished by the Sorcerer with one hit as a result of a freely Maximized crit Inflict Serious Wounds (78 damage from a level 7 character).

[Galsiah]

Thanks for the input, Improved Critical sounds great for inflicting, although is it really worth that feat for an extra 5% crit chance?

This all spawned from dropping the BBEG (8 or 9 headed Hydra) to enough hp to be finished by the Sorcerer with one hit as a result of a freely Maximized crit Inflict Serious Wounds (78 damage from a level 7 character).

Personally, I would take something else, like metamagic or an item creation feat, as opposed to Improved Critical. Having a sure benefit is much better than a shaky 5% better chance to crit.

[Callista]

I tend to agree--the less randomness, the better for the PCs.

[Keld Denar]

Plus, Imp Critical requires a +8 BAB. Outside of gish or a 3/4 BAB caster, you'd have to wait till level 16 to qualify, and level 18 before you get your first feat to spend on it. Waiting till level 18 to get a +5% chance to crit is VERY not strong.

[Corwin_of_Amber]

Plus, Imp Critical requires a +8 BAB. Outside of gish or a 3/4 BAB caster, you'd have to wait till level 16 to qualify, and level 18 before you get your first feat to spend on it. Waiting till level 18 to get a +5% chance to crit is VERY not strong.

Well, currently I'm a Cleris/Bone Knight so I can get it at level 12. While I think it may be useful, since I'm using Steady Concentration with defensive casting to be really front-line, I might be able to get my DM to allow me to make a variant of Keen Edge for spells. But, I do agree that one feat out of a total of 9 for a 10% chance to do more damage seems really sub-optimal.

[Keld Denar]

You'd be better off taking it for your weapon, if it has a decent critical hit range. You'll get much more use out of it in the long run, given that you probably primarily attack with a weapon.

You shouldn't really be acting attack spells very often. Its much more efficient to cast buffs. I you really want to use attack spells, get a Spell Storing weapon that can cast the spell for you when you go into combat. It adds a little extra nova to your first hit per combat.