Touch of Idiocy + sneak attack

[darthkilmor]

Touch of Idiocy says "Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1."

If a rogue with sneak attack hits with this spell, what happens?

 

[Nifft]

Touch of Idiocy says "Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1."

If a rogue with sneak attack hits with this spell, what happens?

A hit is a successful melee attack, so he applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Darkwolf71]

If you are asking 'Can I apply sneak attack damage to stat scores via spells?', the answer is No.

I could see an argument being made to allow you to do physical sneak attack damage, in addition to the stat damage. Since you did have to make a melee touch attack. But, even that would be strecthing things.

 

[Vurt]

Since touch of idiocy applies a penalty instead of doing some form of damage (i.e. physical, ability, etc.), then no, you can't crit with it or apply sneak attack dice.

For reference, see Complete Arcane p. 85-86. The example on p. 86 specifically mentions you can't crit with a ray of enfeeblement, and I would imagine the same principle applies to touch of idiocy.

 

[UltimaGabe]

The posts thus far have been correct. There is no damage being dealt, and therefore Sneak Attack does nothing. If the spell dealt damage (such as 1d6 ability damage to the target's Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores), the spell would be able to Sneak Attack, dealing Negative Energy damage equal to the Rogue's sneak attack dice. (In no case, whatsoever, would you be able to deal xd6 sneak attack directly to an ability score. That would completely incapacitate or kill anybody that a rogue of higher than 5th level attacks.)