Spellthief: stealing spells from a distance?

[Wyrmcrest]

I'm in the process of rolling up a Spellthief (base class from Complete Adventurer) for a new campaign I'm playing in. According to the description of the Steal Spell and the other key spellthief abilities, you can sacrifice +1d6 of your sneak attack damage to steal a spell, a spell effect or a spell-like ability or whatever. Acording to the fluff of the class, it would seem that you would have to be within melee range to do this. However, the crunch never says (as far as I can tell) that you cannot apply a ranged sneak attack (within 30ft.) to this ability.

Anyone ever read any text that confirm or denies that you can steal a spell with a ranged sneak attack?

Thanks.

 

[shilsen]

As written, I think the ability works with a ranged weapon too.

 

[Sejs]

Works just fine at range, as long as you're able to make a sneak attack.

Nothing in the ability's entry says it has to be a melee sneak attack, just that it has to be a sneak attack of some kind.

 

[Wyrmcrest]

Thanks Shilsen and Sejs. That's what I figured, it just doesn't seem to fit the flavor of the character I guess. It's interesting that in Skip William's article, Spellthieves with Class, he says it's advantageous for a Spellthief to carry a ranged weapon because when your within 30 feet "you even retain some ability to use sneak attack." I would think that he would mention the opportunity to steal a spell here if it was something intended for the Spellthief to do.

Anyway, I better shut up now considering I'm going to be playing this class and I don't want to argue away one of its advantages.

Thanks for your help.