Point blank, precise shot and spells...

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Hello out there!

Wondering if someone can set me straight on these things:

Firstly, does a ranged attack spell, with an attack roll required (such as a ray or orb), class as a weapon for the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats? In other words, does it benefit from them?

If the answer is yet, then:

If a spell does damage, such as polar ray, would it add the 1 point from point blank shot?

Does anything different happen to a spell which does not deal HP damage, such as Ray of Enfeeblement or Ray of Exhaustion?

Thanks very much in advance

 

[Infiniti2000]

Firstly, does a ranged attack spell, with an attack roll required (such as a ray or orb), class as a weapon for the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats? In other words, does it benefit from them?

Yes, according to the Complete Arcane (or Tome of Blood).

If a spell does damage, such as polar ray, would it add the 1 point from point blank shot?

Yes.

Does anything different happen to a spell which does not deal HP damage, such as Ray of Enfeeblement or Ray of Exhaustion?

No. +1 to "--" is still "--".

 

[glass]

I2k has answered most of your questions, but this one requires some more explanation.

Does anything different happen to a spell which does not deal HP damage, such as Ray of Enfeeblement or Ray of Exhaustion?

It is worth noting that your example spells not only do not do hp damage, they don't do any sort of damage.

IIRC (IDNHMBIFOM), spells that do non-hp damage (ability damage, ability drain, energy drain) add extra damage like from PBS, sneak attack, etc as normal (hp) damage.


glass.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Cool - thanks to both of you!

And that's why I was drawing a blank - looking in completely the wrong book. Was sure it'd be in the Phb.

Will bear in mind that last point... it may only be a point of damage, but better than nothing!

 

[Infiniti2000]

The FAQ calls it out as "negative energy damage" I think, which is stopped by death ward for example. I think that's a reasonable rule.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Certainly makes sense!

Particularly with the character in question being a necromancer... I'll point the player at this thread