Blog: Sneak Attack Vs. Backstab 3/28/12

[Janaxstrus]

Empower Spell, however, is a 3.0 and 3.5 feat that is core.



When we played D&D 3.X up to Epic, the high-level wizard always had some empowered fireballs handy, which did 15d6. To say nothing of Delayed Blast Fireball (also core) which could do up to 20d6.

Technically, 10d6*1.5, not 15d6.

We always roll 10d6 and multiply the results (and could have sworn that's how they said it was to work, but I'm way too lazy to go find it right now)

 

[WizarDru]

Technically, 10d6*1.5, not 15d6.

We always roll 10d6 and multiply the results (and could have sworn that's how they said it was to work, but I'm way too lazy to go find it right now)

Honestly, I'm not sure, since I don't have the 3E PHB in front of me. We always played it as 15d6 in that situation. The SRD does say this: "An empowered, maximized spell gains the separate benefits of each feat: the maximum result plus one-half the normally rolled result."...so I think you're probably right. It's quite likely the wizard in my group was casting DBF, which could go that high normally.

 

[Stalker0]

I don't mind the idea, I think its scales too much.

If you let the rogue take enough backstab to get 10d6 damage, then you have the same problem the OP mentioned. Instead I would put a cap, for example you can take this ability up to 3 times.

And from there you can incorproate nondamage uses of backstab, such as movement killing