Sneak attack bonus with “Ray of Enfeeblement”?

[TabulaRasa]

Sneak attack bonus with “Ray of Enfeeblement”?

I know that a character can make a sneak attack with rays if the ray deals damage. But what about a Ray of Enfeeblement, it does not deal direct damage but ability damage.

Can you make sneak attack with a Ray of Enfeeblement?

/Tabula

 

[Pbartender]

A coruscating ray springs from the character's hand. The character must succeed at a ranged touch attack to strike a target. The subject suffers a –1d6 enhancement penalty to Strength, with an additional –1 per two caster levels (maximum additional penalty of –5). The subject’s Strength score cannot drop below 1.

Actually, a Ray of Enfeeblement does not deal ability damage, it grants an enhancement penalty fpr 1 minute/level. So... No Sneak Attack damage.

 

[Christian]

And to answer the more general question: a spell that did do ability damage on a touch attack would add sneak attack damage when applicable. The sneak attack damage would not be ability damage, but hit point damage, though. (See Tome and Blood, p. 79.)

 

[Veldrane]

Actually, a Ray of Enfeeblement does not deal ability damage, it grants an enhancement penalty fpr 1 minute/level. So... No Sneak Attack damage.

Read the Tome and Blood, please.

 

[James McMurray]

I just read "the Tome and Blood" and it seems fairly obvious from the way it is written that Ray of Enfeeblement does not allow sneak attack damage.

I assume you are refering to the items on page 79. Here is the relevant text:

Weaponlike Spells:

Any spell that requires an attack roll and deals damage functions as a weapon in certain respects.A spell's "damage" may be normal damage, subdual damage, ability damage, or energy drain.

Then later:

Sneak Attacks

Any weaponlike spell can be used to make a sneal attack.

Finally, from the SRD:

Ray of Enfeeblement

Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

A coruscating ray springs from the character's hand. The character must succeed at a ranged touch attack to strike a target. The subject suffers a –1d6 enhancement penalty to Strength, with an additional –1 per two caster levels (maximum additional penalty of –5). The subject’s Strength score cannot drop below 1.

Unless you can provide another source that says that enhncement penalties are the same as damage, I'm afraid your idea of using Ray of Enfeeblement to deal sneak attack damage is invalid.

 

[drnuncheon]

Here's an additional bit about ray of enfeeblement:

"For example, ray of enfeeblement requires a ranged touch attack roll. The spell, however, produces an enhancement penalty to Strength, not any kind of damage, so it cannot inflict a critical hit." (Tome & Blood, p79)

Since it doesn't produce damage, it shouldn't be usable for a sneak attack either.

That said, it is 'weaponlike' in other respects - Waepon Focus: Ray should still work on it, you could use it with Precise Shot, and you should get the to-hit bonus from Point-Blank Shot even though the damage bonus wouldn't occur.

J

 

[Pbartender]

Read the Tome and Blood, please.

I did. You should too.

And to answer the more general question: a spell that did do ability damage on a touch attack would add sneak attack damage when applicable. The sneak attack damage would not be ability damage, but hit point damage, though. (See Tome and Blood, p. 79.)

Additionally, the Sneak Attack damage is of the same type of energy as the spell...

From T&B, p. 79:

A successful sneak attack with a weaponlike spell deals extra damage according to your sneak attack ability, of the same type as the spell deals. For example, a 10th-level rogue who makes a successful sneak attack with a Melf's Acid Arrow spell deals 2d4 points of acid damage, plus an extra 5d6 points of acid damage (the spell continues to deal acid damage as normal on the following rounds). Spells that inflict energy drain or ability damage deal additional negative energy damage on a sneak attack, not extra negative levels or ability damage. For example, a 10th-level rogue a successful sneak attack with an enervation spell bestows 1d4 negative levels and deals 5d6 point of negative energy damage.