[CAdv] Wracking Touch

[Pinotage]

I have a question about the wracking touch spell from complete adventurer. Say a Druid 3/Rogue 3 casts this spell and makes a succesful melee touch attack while in a flanking position. Damage from the spell is 1d6+3 and you get to include your 2d6 sneak attack as well as part of the spell effect. Do you also get an additional 2d6 damage since you're flanking at wracking touch is a weaponlike spell? What happens if you score a critical hit with wracking touch? I realise the 'flanking' sneak attack won't be doubled, but what about the 'sneak attack' part of the spell?

Thanks

Pinotage

 

[Pinotage]

On the same spell, say a high level rogue with use magic device activates a scroll or wand with this spell on. Is the 'sneak attack' damage part of the spell based on the original creator of the item or the rogue activating the item?

My guess is the latter, since you could imagine a Druid 3/Rogue 17 crafting such a wand and putting huge amounts of damage in for little cost.

Pinotage

 

[Len]

I don't think you get two sneak attacks from the one attack. The way it's written it sounds like you get a sneak attack, whether you're flanking or not.

On a critical hit you do not double the sneak attack damage. Nothing in this spell changes that.

As to your other question, I think you're asking how many sneak attack dice to use - is it determined by the creator of the wand or the user of the wand? Since a wand's caster level is determined by the caster level of the creator, you might say that the wand's "rogue level" is likewise determined by the class level of the creator.

I don't think it works that way, and the price of the wand doesn't support that. I guess it'd be fair to allow the creator to determine the sneak attack dice, if you counted the rogue levels as caster levels when setting the price.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The spell doesn't "load" sneak attack. It lets you apply it. You only get sneak attack once - your own sneak attack - not several times. Sneak Attack is striking at vital spots, and you need an opportunity to target them with impunity.

You don't get SA twice if you flank a flat-footed enemy, after all.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yeah. Effectively, it's as if they've rewritten the Sneak Attack ability from "You can sneak attack when your opponent is denied his Dex bonus to AC or when you flank the opponent" to "You can sneak attack when your opponent is denied his Dex bonus to AC, or when you flank the opponent, or when you are attacking with Wracking Touch".

A Rogue-5 with Use Magic Device activating a Wand of Wracking Touch would add +3d6 sneak attack damage, whether the Wand was made by a Wiz5 or a Wiz5/Rog15.

-Hyp.