Sneak attack and scorching ray?

[comrade raoul]

Scorching ray allows multiple attack rolls. If a character has a sneak attack ability and casts the spell on a character denied her Dexterity bonus, does a character get to apply her sneak attack damage to every ray?

Is this a subject of controversy?

 

[Ilium]

As far as I know, yes the Sneak Attack applies to every ray.

 

[MarkB]

Complete Arcane defines this pretty thoroughly, and I believe Scorching Ray is even the example spell used. The general rule for any multi-targeting spell that is eligible for Sneak Attack is that the Sneak Attack damage applies only to the first attack. So if you fire three rays at separate targets, you would nominate one target as the one you're sneak attacking (before rolling your attacks), and the sneak attack damage would apply only to that target.

 

[XCorvis]

Complete Arcane defines this pretty thoroughly, and I believe Scorching Ray is even the example spell used. The general rule for any multi-targeting spell that is eligible for Sneak Attack is that the Sneak Attack damage applies only to the first attack. So if you fire three rays at separate targets, you would nominate one target as the one you're sneak attacking (before rolling your attacks), and the sneak attack damage would apply only to that target.

I believe this is an extrapolation of the "precision-based damage" clause in the feat Manyshot. So yeah, first attack only.

 

[mvincent]

Yup, the Complete Arcane covers this. It can also be found in the Rules of the Game if desired:
"Volley Type Attacks
Sometimes, you make multiple attacks with the same attack roll, such as when you use the Manyshot feat, or you make multiple attack rolls as part of the same attack, such as with the scorching ray spell. When you do so, only the first attack in the volley can be a sneak attack."

 

[Hypersmurf]

Note that - as MarkB alluded - it's the first ray, not the first hit, that carries the precision damage. If you have three rays, and the first one misses, no precision damage at all. If you have three rays, then even if they all hit, you only get precision damage on the first one.

-Hyp.

 

[s-dub]

Although if you allow improved manyshot in your campaign, you can get precision damage to each arrow.

I don't suppose it's too OP to allow a caster select a feat that allows them to get SA to each ray in scorching ray.

 

[Ilium]

I believe this is an extrapolation of the "precision-based damage" clause in the feat Manyshot. So yeah, first attack only.

Really? The difference I see is that Manyshot calls for only one attack roll. With Scorching Ray you have to roll to hit with each one.

But if that's the example they used in Complete Arcane, I guess that answers it. I'll have to look at that when I get home.

 

[comrade raoul]

Thanks, that's helpful (though it's sad news to relay to a friend putting together an arcane trickster build).

 

[Mistwell]

Yeah this is an issue covered in the Rules Compendium