point blank shot on ranged spells

[evilbob]

I'm pretty sure this has been asked before, possibly multiple times, but since I have no archive searching capability:

I'm reasonably certain PBS would increase the AR of a ranged attack spell by 1 (within 30'), but would it increase the damage?

 

[mrtauntaun]

Per the RAW, Point Blank Shot will not affect ranged spells at all. From the SRD, empasis mine:

You get a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.

 

[Pinotage]

Complete Arcane gaves rules that indicated weapon-like spells such as Rays would be affected by feats such as Point Blank Shot. Per core only, nothing is said to indicate such, but I've always assumed it did.

Pinotage

 

[Kobold Stew]

Actually:

[from the SRD]

WEAPON FOCUS [GENERAL]

Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.

Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, base attack bonus +1.

Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.



(my emphasis)


If a Ray can be the direct object of the Weapon focus feat, then it is a Weapon by the core rules, I'd have thought. Consequently, the answer to the OP is yes, I believe.

Kobold Stew.

p.s. It's not explicit, but from this I also conclude one could take Weapon Focus (touch) as a spellcaster.

 

[mrtauntaun]

It's open to interpretation then, I would say you would have to house rule it. Because weapon focus clearly states for purposes of this feat
Point Blank Shot has no such statement, it only says weapon, not 'weapon (or ray, for purposes of this feat)'
Im going to do some more reading and see if either the PHB or DMG classifies a ray as a weapon outside of specific feats in the RAW.

 

[TheEvil]

It's open to interpretation then, I would say you would have to house rule it. Because weapon focus clearly states for purposes of this feat
Point Blank Shot has no such statement, it only says weapon, not 'weapon (or ray, for purposes of this feat)'
Im going to do some more reading and see if either the PHB or DMG classifies a ray as a weapon outside of specific feats in the RAW.

Why house rule? Why not accept what is written in Complete Arcane?

 

[Infiniti2000]

If you can do searches, search on "weaponlike spell" or similar spelling. There was a nice long debate about this recently.

 

[mrtauntaun]

Why house rule? Why not accept what is written in Complete Arcane?

You certainly could, if you had Complete Arcane

Do you know how that big long debate turned out?

 

[billd91]

On PH 3.5 page 175, there's a description of spells with a ray effect. In that, it says you aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon. I would say that's enough to indicate any ranged weapon-based combat feats would be appropriate for ray spells.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Do you know how that big long debate turned out?

Neither side capitulated, but IMO the majority believe that some spells can be "weapon-like", per RAW, and thus feats like PBS, weapon focus, etc. can apply to them. If it helps, Hyp, Patryn, and Thanee are in this camp. As well as I, of course, but I'm nothing compared to the likes of them.