Duskblade - Arcane Channeling Q's

[Thanee]

A Duskblade is using a rapier to deliver a shocking grasp spell with it (via Arcane Channeling).

1) If he scores a critical hit (rolling an 18 in the initial attack), does the shocking grasp spell also deal double damage, or just the weapon attack?

2) What if he rolls a 20 in the initial attack?

3) Does he get a +3 bonus to attack (with the rapier) because of the shocking grasp spell, if the target wears metal armor?

Bye
Thanee

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I've always ruled that when it comes ot dice damage, only the "weapon" damage is doubled, and not any secondary damage attached to it. If it's a shocking grasp, the 5d6 electricty is doubled, just as a rapier's d6 is doubled. If the shocking grasp is cast from the rapier, to me it is then an extra damage source, and since it is dice damage, it is not doubled. I also allow anyone to make an unarmed strike at full AC to deal unarmed damage with their spell, though. The ruling I follow means that between attacking full AC and not being able to crit with the spell, it is seldom a good idea to take that option. Duskblade gets enough benefits to make it worthwhile, such as not having ot cast defensively and later on being able ot full attack and add a single spell to all the damages that IMO it's still worth it for them. I never found it to be perfectly clear in the RAW, though, so can't help you with that.

I'd answer your questions as follows:
1) He can't crit with the shocking grasp even if he got a nat 20, it's extra dice damage.
2) As above.
3) I'm really not sure. I'd allow it, though.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't Shocking Grasp be classified as a Weapon-like spell, and thus, subject to having its damage doubled on a crit?

If so, I'd rule that if you crit with the Rapier, the spell damage gets doubled as well...and give you the "target wearing metal" bonus as well.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't Shocking Grasp be classified as a Weapon-like spell, and thus, subject to having its damage doubled on a crit?

If so, I'd rule that if you crit with the Rapier, the spell damage gets doubled as well...and give you the "target wearing metal" bonus as well.

yes, spells that require a roll to hit should get double damage on a crit. However, they normally only crit on a natural 20. Not sure how it works with a duskblade, though.

 

[Thanee]

If that helps...

Arcane Channeling (Su): ... you can use a standard action to cast any touch spell you know and deliver the spell through your weapon with a melee attack. ... If the melee attack is successful, the attack deals damage normally; then the effect of the spell is resolved.

I'm leaning towards a 'no' for all three questions myself.

I see it as two seperate parts of the attackl, one of which just hits automatically, if the other connects. So, basically, you make no attack roll for the shocking grasp spell (its effect is simply resolved) and thus you cannot crit and do not get the attack bonus either.

But I'm not really sure about it, therefore looking for other opinions as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Runestar]

The sage once tackled a similar scenario (a warlock using hideous blow). He ruled that the extra eldritch blast damage is not multiplied on a crit, since it is a "rider-on" effect, the same way the fire damage from a +1 flaming weapon is not multiplied on a crit.

1) If he scores a critical hit (rolling an 18 in the initial attack), does the shocking grasp spell also deal double damage, or just the weapon attack?

2) What if he rolls a 20 in the initial attack?

3) Does he get a +3 bonus to attack (with the rapier) because of the shocking grasp spell, if the target wears metal armor?

No to all. Note that you are not actually attacking with the spell, so any extra benefits it may confer (such as a to-hit bonus vs foes wearing metal armour) will not apply.

 

[Abciximab]

From the FAQ

If a duskblade scores a critical hit when channeling a
spell through a melee attack, is the spell’s damage
multiplied just like the weapon’s?

The rules aren’t as clear as they could be, but the Sage is
inclined to say no. Here’s the key sentence, from the PHB II,
page 20: “If the attack is successful, the attack deals damage
normally; then the effect of the spell is resolved.”
If you score a critical hit, the attack deals the normal
(critical) damage. Then the spell resolves normally, but it’s just
a rider effect applied due to the successful attack roll—you’re
not actually using the spell in the normal manner, so it can’t
score a critical hit.

 

[Sharkon]

I think it is like the spellstoring weapon ability ,so when a crit is scored the spell damage is not multiplied. But in my opinion if the enemy wears a metal armor you get the +3 on the attack roll

 

[Thanee]

Thanks for hunting that quote down, Abciximab.

Bye
Thanee

 

[gwcummings]

I know that Customer Services is often wrong, but I did ask them about the +3 bonus shocking grasp bonus and they indicated that it would apply when a duskblade channel's shocking grasp. Take it for what it is worth.

Jerry