Vampiric Touch

[Quez The Lame]

I recently made up a character myself, using ray and touch spells frequently.

Sneak attacks and crits always deal the same type of damage as the original spell does. So a crit/sneak attack with a Ray Of Frost would always end up in additional cold damage.

When coming to ability or level damage its getting more complicated.
First for crits: Crits double the spells damage, which also counts for abilitty or level damage. A spell that causes 1D4 negative levels deals 2D4 levels on a crit.
Sneak attacks are kinda different. They also deal damage of the same type as the original spell, but only hp-damage. So a sneak with the 1D4 levels-spell would deal the basic 1D4 levels + XD6 damage of negative energy in hit points.

Please add a big fat IMHO to all these theories, but thats how i understood it reading the t&b

Greets, Quez

 

[AGGEMAM]

Are you trying to say that if someone sneak attacks with energy drain, they take 2d4 +sneak attack negative levels?

No, crits do that, however:

From the T&B, page 79.

Spells that inflict energy drain or ability damage deal additional negative energy damage on a sneak attack, not extra negative levels or ability damage.

 

[Nvvyn]

Vampiric Touch is such an awesome spell. Does anyone know of any spells with the same effect as vampiric touch, but at a higher level or longer range? (range touch attack) Or perhaps like a level 7 vampiric touch that does more dmg or something.

(btw, with my Arcane Trickster character, i casted a maximized vampiric touch on a dragon (42 maximize dmg), which I rolled a 20 on with the hit roll, so it was doubled(84), and I also got a sneak attack (7d6 total) for a total of 111 damage, with no chance to save. I also gained 111 hp, ehehe it was awesome.
The warriors in the group were amazed needless to say.

 

[Darklone]

Yeah, I do like the spell.

It's one of the few spells where sneak attack damage from rogue levels are worth it. Usually you lose more damage in spellcaster levels than you gain with sneak attack.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Vampiric Touch is such an awesome spell. Does anyone know of any spells with the same effect as vampiric touch, but at a higher level or longer range? (range touch attack) Or perhaps like a level 7 vampiric touch that does more dmg or something.

I have a necromancer that plans to use this spell in conjunction with the Spectral Hand spell, so it effectively is Vampiric Touch at range. You could also take the Reach Spell feat, too, I think. AFAIK, there is no Greater Vampiric Touch. Write it up and post it to house rules.

 

[Piratecat]

Quez is correct. And Quez, welcome to the boards!

 

[Darklone]

Weeeow, Pcat greets new posters

Pcat, like that sig. Reminds me when our newest group here met... We simply said where to meet (in a pub), recognizing gamers is simple if there are only a few hundred guys around...

 

[AGGEMAM]

Reminds me when our newest group here met... We simply said where to meet (in a pub), recognizing gamers is simple if there are only a few hundred guys around...

Isn't that a wornout clinché .. no wait .. you mean your gaming group met that way .. hmm, ok ..

Btw, what if it had happened to be a pub full of gamers?