Ranged Touch Attack

[Metheus]

Hi All,
I know this may be a stretch of the rules, so I wanted to see what people thought. I was wondering if a halfling that cast a spell requiring a ranged touch attack got a +1 for thrown weapon.
I know that spells get the +1 from Point Blank Shot, and this is just a racial variation on that. A halfling would be throwing the spell at the intended target, making it a thrown weapon.
If anyone has anything official on this, it would be great, or comments, thx.

 

[MythandLore]

Hi All,
I know this may be a stretch of the rules, so I wanted to see what people thought. I was wondering if a halfling that cast a spell requiring a ranged touch attack got a +1 for thrown weapon.
I know that spells get the +1 from Point Blank Shot, and this is just a racial variation on that. A halfling would be throwing the spell at the intended target, making it a thrown weapon.
If anyone has anything official on this, it would be great, or comments, thx.

Sorry no.
They can get "Weapon Focus" in "Rays" so "Rays" aren't "Thrown Weapons".

 

[Artoomis]

Re: Re: Ranged Touch Attack

Sorry no.
They can get "Weapon Focus" in "Rays" so "Rays" aren't "Thrown Weapons".

That logic is bizzare. You can have "Weapon Focus" in darts, but are thrown weapons.

Ranged touch attacks have nothing to do with throwing anything, though, so the bonus does not apply.

Thus, despite the weird logic, your conclusion is correct.

 

[Caliban]

Some ranged touch attacks are thrown attacks.

produce flame and fire seeds both produce missiles that you hurl at your target. I would say that the halfing "thrown weapon" bonus would apply.

 

[Artoomis]

Some ranged touch attacks are thrown attacks.

produce flame and fire seeds both produce missiles that you hurl at your target. I would say that the halfing "thrown weapon" bonus would apply.

Okay, good catch. I readily concede that in those cases the thrown weapon bonuses would apply - further I would not apply any non-proficiency penalty (which could be argued, I suppose, but, please, let's be reasonable).

 

[Metheus]

What about...

Thanks for the comments, here's one that's more of a borderline case. In Melf's Acid Arrow, it says that "a magical arrow of acid springs from your hand and speeds to its target." Would that spell get the racial bonus? In short, when is a ranged attack spell tangible enough to be included in the thrown weapon class? Using your arguments, how would Point Blank Shot help a spellcaster hit a target better?
I'm in no way trying to be argumentative, just trying to work through a grey area. Thx

 

[Caliban]

Re: What about...

Thanks for the comments, here's one that's more of a borderline case. In Melf's Acid Arrow, it says that "a magical arrow of acid springs from your hand and speeds to its target." Would that spell get the racial bonus? In short, when is a ranged attack spell tangible enough to be included in the thrown weapon class? Using your arguments, how would Point Blank Shot help a spellcaster hit a target better?
I'm in no way trying to be argumentative, just trying to work through a grey area. Thx

Here is how I believe it works, based on clarifications in the Tome and Blood:

There are two basic types of Ranged Touch Attacks from spells: Rays and Energy Missiles.

If the spell has "Ray" listed as the effect, it's a Ray. If it doesn't, it's an Energy Missile.


A Ray is beam of energy, it would never be "hurled" or "thrown".

An Energy Missile is a distinct missile or pulse of energy created by the spell. Depending on the spell description, it may be a "thrown" missile. Basically, the spell description would have to state that the missile is hurled or thrown.

Melf's Acid Arrow is an Energy Missile, but it springs from your hand, you don't hurl or throw it. I would say the halfling racial bonus doesn't apply.

Point Blank Shot applies to any ranged attack, so it would apply to both Ray's and Energy Missiles, whether they are thrown or not.