Coupe de Gras question

[DungeonmasterCal]

Can a ranged attack be used to perform a coupe de gras? Or a ray attack, such as the Warlock's Eldritch Blast?

 

[dcollins]

The options are melee weapon, or bow or crossbow when adjacent. No spells. From the SRD:

Coup de Grace: As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Thanks! But I smell a house-rule comin' on.

 

[Ranger REG]

Unless I have a killer spell (one that allows me to enjoy seeing a life snuff out slowly before me), I wouldn't waste my magic on a helpless enemy if my dagger or staff can finish him off.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

True....but sometimes ya can't get that close, but you still want to make sure they're dead dead dead.

 

[Henrix]

Sorry to nitpick, but this is as annoying as the rouge that kept (keeps?) popping up everywhere.

It's coup de grâce (hope the 'roof' over the a in grâce is visible to all of you).

At least you managed to get it amusingly wrong! "Coupe de gras" would be a cup of grease/fat, if my poor french hasn't given up and gone home.

I can't really see how you can deliver that with a projectile weapon, but you should be able to throw it in somebody's face.

 

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

House Rule:
I allow PC spellcasters to use the spells Meteor Swarm, Ruin, or Vengeful Gaze of God to perform a coup de grace agianst an adjacent opponent.

Slings and hurled boulders or daggers are right out, though. The SRD clearly says that bows and crossbows are the only ranged weapons allowed for this action.

 

[Ranger REG]

True....but sometimes ya can't get that close, but you still want to make sure they're dead dead dead.

Lob a fireball.

 

[kenobi65]

True....but sometimes ya can't get that close, but you still want to make sure they're dead dead dead.

True...but, if you re-read the SRD quote that dcollins posted, if you want to make sure they're dead dead dead, doing it from a distance isn't really an option. If you're coup de grace'ing with a melee weapon, you need to be in melee range, so the only option for doing it and not being adjacent to the bad guy is a reach weapon. If you're coup de grace'ing with a bow or crossbow, as per the rules, you need to be adjacent to the victim.

 

[Henrix]

True....but sometimes ya can't get that close, but you still want to make sure they're dead dead dead.

And to get back on track, CdG'ing a poor bloke is something you cannot do from a distance. If you use a bow or crossbow you are doing it by standing over the poor fellow and shooting her in the eye (or whatever). Taking a full round action while adjacent to the helpless individual.