Scorching Ray

[Scion]

unless you're shooting a Rogue.

and here I thought monks were the ones who were good at dodgeing the touch attacks

 

[jgsugden]

Which is better against a golem? Acid arrow or Scorching ray?

Acid arrow has its place. It isn't overpoweringly good, but it is one of only a few spells that are useful against creatures that have high SR or are otherwise 'immune' to magic. It is pretty much the *only* low level spell that ignores SR and deals direct damage ...

 

[Thanee]

In our campaign, the Sorcerer took both Melf's Acid Arrow and Scorching Ray. Scorching Ray was so overpoweringly good that it was downgraded to 3d6. And he still uses it over Acid Arrow except against creatures with SR.

Comparing the total damage done (ignoring the delay of MAA), Scorching Ray comes out ahead, of course, but Melf's Acid Arrow has some advantages, mostly no spell resistance, a very high range, less common elemental damage type, extendable.

MAA 4d4 SR 4d6 - Level 3-5
MAA 6d4 SR 4d6 - Level 6
MAA 6d4 SR 8d6 - Level 7-8
MAA 8d4 SR 8d6 - Level 9-10
MAA 8d4 SR 12d6 - Level 11
MAA 10d4 SR 12d6 - Level 12-14
MAA 12d4 SR 12d6 - Level 15-17
MAA 14d4 SR 12d6 - Level 18+

Average damage dice per level (for levels 3-20): MAA 9 (d4) SR 9.33 (d6)
Average damage in hp per level (for levels 3-20): MAA 22.5 SR 32.67

The difference in dice over all levels (up to 20) isn't that high, altho MAA is better only at level 6 and 18-20, while SR is better at levels 7-8 and 11-14. And of course, MAA has a d4 instead of the d6 of SR, which turns out to be about 10 damage more for SR on average (or roughly a 50% increase in damage), but then again, MAA has a lot of other advantages as well (see above), so the two spells are probably quite fair, all things considered.

In actual play, I do agree, however, that Scorching Ray is generally better. I personally always found Melf's Acid Arrow to be a very weak spell, mostly because of the distribution of damage over a few rounds. Sure, no SR is nice, but as a primary caster you are going to pick up Spell Penetration anyways, so SR is not that much of a problem usually.

As a conclusion, Scorching Ray is simply better designed, not "wasting" anything on secondary advantages, and investing everything into raw damage dealing.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Dwarmaj]

Would an Arcane Trickster get sneak attack damage for each ray, even if they are all on the same target?

 

[Hardhead]

Would an Arcane Trickster get sneak attack damage for each ray, even if they are all on the same target?

Yes, he would.

Touch spells are better than save spells, because touch spells can deal critical damage, sneak attack damage, and of course that making a touch attack is usually a sure thing at mid to high levels, where saves aren't.

Multiple attacks in a single round is even better.

 

[Staffan]

Would an Arcane Trickster get sneak attack damage for each ray, even if they are all on the same target?

I vaguely recall seeing somewhere (probably Song & Silence or Tome & Blood) that when you use a spell or similar ability to make several attacks at once, only one of them gets a sneak attack. I could be wrong, however.

 

[Thanee]

Would an Arcane Trickster get sneak attack damage for each ray, even if they are all on the same target?

Nope, he only gets the SA damage once per attack (even if the attack can hit multiple targets, like Scorching Ray can).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Shadowdweller]

Melf's Acid Arrow is really more of a tactical spell than Scorching Ray. Consider the following, in addition to the SR thing:

- MAA is a conjuration damage-dealer rather than evocation (affects some specialists)
- MAA has a VASTLY superior range
- MAA can be used to make spellcasting more difficult (if not by much), forcing a DC:12 concentration check on average.
- Acid damage now ignores hardness, which is highly useful for destroying objects.

 

[Darklone]

Nope, he only gets the SA damage once per attack (even if the attack can hit multiple targets, like Scorching Ray can).

Bye
Thanee

Hmm, where did they write that? I see that new example about attacking while being invisible, but that other ruling sounds strange.

 

[Rashak Mani]

As a 12th lvl Sorceror the "best" use for Melf's seems to guarantee someone doesn't get away alive. Especially with empowered and extended Melf's ->

Empower makes it 3d6 per round. Lasts 4 rounds = 12d6
Extend doubles the time to 8 rounds... 24d6 damage. (Avg 84hp)

Not that great for a 5th lvl spell. Like someone said... shoot and run.