Sneak attack on an Eldritch Blast?

[kigmatzomat]

Getting back to Eldritch Blast, I believe that Sneak Attack would only apply to the first "link" of an Eldritch Chain.

I disagree. IIRC, Eldritch Chain requires an attack for each target, failing one ends the chain. Now, every target may not be eligible for sneak attack (>30' away, target not flatfooted or a higher level rogue, etc) but eldritch chain should be no different than firing multiple arrows in a round.

 

[boolean]

I disagree. IIRC, Eldritch Chain requires an attack for each target, failing one ends the chain. Now, every target may not be eligible for sneak attack (>30' away, target not flatfooted or a higher level rogue, etc) but eldritch chain should be no different than firing multiple arrows in a round.

I disagree. Eldritch Chain is more like casting Scorching Ray, which only gets SA once.

Multiple Hits Some weaponlike spells can strike multiple times in the same round. When the caster gets a bonus on damage with such spells (including sneak attack damage), the extra damage applies only to the first attack, whether the attack hits or not.

 

[Kurotowa]

I disagree. Eldritch Chain is more like casting Scorching Ray, which only gets SA once.

Scorching Ray is a volley attack, like Manyshot. It damages the same target multiple times from a single attack roll. Eldritch Chain isn't like that. It damages multiple targets and only once per attack roll. It's far more like Rapid Shot than Manyshot. As long as all the targets are valid Sneak Attack targets, I don't see why it wouldn't apply to all of them. Although techinically you'd have to roll the SA damage seperately for each attack.

There might be an arguement that if you're attacked from Invisibility only the first target in the chain would be denied their Dex bonus, just like normal iterative attacks. But that's an entirely sepereate issue.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Scorching Ray is a volley attack, like Manyshot. It damages the same target multiple times from a single attack roll.

Er, no, it doesn't.

Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of fire damage.

The rays may be fired at the same or different targets, but all bolts must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously.

Let's say you use Scorching Ray to fire three rays. You can shoot all three at Andy, or two of them at Andy and one at Bob, or one each at Andy, Bob, and Carl.

In all three cases, you make three attack rolls. You might shoot all three at Andy, and only hit with one, because you rolled two bad attack rolls out of three rays.

In all three cases, sneak attack damage applies to only one ray. Andy, Bob, and Carl are all flat-footed, all within 30 feet, and you hit all three of them with one ray; only Andy incurs the sneak attack damage.

Using Scorching Ray to attack multiple opponents is very, very similar to using Eldritch Chain, and the quoted rule applies to both: "Some weaponlike spells can strike multiple times in the same round. When the caster gets a bonus on damage with such spells (including sneak attack damage), the extra damage applies only to the first attack, whether the attack hits or not." Scorching Ray and Eldritch Chain can strike multiple times in the same round. It's not limited to 'striking the same target multiple times in one round'.

-Hyp.

 

[Particle_Man]

If they ever do 4th ed., I vote Hypersmurf to be the rules-editor, maybe even the rules-writer.

 

[Kurotowa]

Er, no, it doesn't.

Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of fire damage.

The rays may be fired at the same or different targets, but all bolts must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously.

Feh. I got my wires crossed with Searing Light. I always have trouble with those two.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Ahhh, they've added a rule in the book that I don't have.

For my own edification is there a rule in any OTHER book that would prevent EC from getting sneak attack on each hit? No one IMC has purchased CA or has any plans to AFAIK and I refuse to use rules in books we don't own.

Remember that EC is neither a volley nor like Scorching ray, since EC is sequential (miss one and the chain ends) unlike the simultaneous attacks of volleys and SR (all the rays go off at the same time, many arrows are shot from the same string, etc).

 

[Hypersmurf]

Remember that EC is neither a volley nor like Scorching ray, since EC is sequential (miss one and the chain ends) unlike the simultaneous attacks of volleys and SR (all the rays go off at the same time, many arrows are shot from the same string, etc).

Well, if you're not using the rules in Complete Arcane, you really have to allow sneak attack on Magic Missile and Ray of Enfeeblement too, right? They're ranged attacks... and the rules that an attack roll is required and that the attack must be one which can deal damage only appear in Complete Arcane...

-Hyp.

 

[IcyCool]

Ahhh, they've added a rule in the book that I don't have.

Well, the Warlock class is in Complete Arcane, if you don't have that book, why is a warlock being used? Did they reprint the Warlock class in PHB2?

 

[kigmatzomat]

? I was thinking Warlock was from Complete Mage. Maybe I've got them reversed.

And I'm pretty sure the "sneak attack only on things with attack rolls"was already in the system. Though I suppose I could be projecting the 3.0 splatbooks onto 3.5.

I hate half-editions. Hate them so very much.