# Critical Hit Eldritch Blast



## atomn (Jul 10, 2006)

Can the Warlock's Eldritch Blast make a Critical Hit?  What about other spells or spell-like abilities that require a roll to hit?  Thanks!!


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## IcyCool (Jul 10, 2006)

atomn said:
			
		

> Can the Warlock's Eldritch Blast make a Critical Hit?  What about other spells or spell-like abilities that require a roll to hit?  Thanks!!




Yes.


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## atomn (Jul 10, 2006)

Slick, thanks!


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## shilsen (Jul 10, 2006)

The rule of thumb is that any effect that requires an attack roll and does damage can critical.


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## Infiniti2000 (Jul 10, 2006)

The rules are:


			
				SRD said:
			
		

> *Spells and Critical Hits*
> A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit.




and ...



			
				SRD said:
			
		

> Using a spell-like ability works like casting a spell in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity.
> 
> ...
> 
> Usually, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of that name.



 Now, if you had a Su ability similar to eldritch blast, there's nothing I know of to say you can crit with it.  Chances are, however, that most people would allow it.  Some Su abilities do mention critting explicitly (re: energy drain), but aside from that, I don't think there's a general rule on it.


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## Particle_Man (Jul 10, 2006)

What if you Eldritch Chain, critical hit Target #1 and do 40 damage, and then critically hit Target #2?  40 damage again (half damage x2 for crit)?  20?  What if you critically hit Target #3?


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## Goldmoon (Jul 10, 2006)

Can you take Improved Critical: Eldritch Blast? How about Weapon Focus: Eldritch Blast?


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## Kunimatyu (Jul 10, 2006)

Goldmoon said:
			
		

> Can you take Improved Critical: Eldritch Blast? How about Weapon Focus: Eldritch Blast?




Yes and yes, though it's going to take you awhile to qualify for ImpCrit with Warlock BAB.


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## Drowbane (Jul 10, 2006)

Particle_Man said:
			
		

> What if you Eldritch Chain, critical hit Target #1 and do 40 damage, and then critically hit Target #2?  40 damage again (half damage x2 for crit)?  20?  What if you critically hit Target #3?




You can't crit with Eldritch Chain Cone, it calls for Reflex Saves.


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## Thanee (Jul 10, 2006)

Reflex Saves!? 

Bye
Thanee


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## Particle_Man (Jul 11, 2006)

Drowbane said:
			
		

> You can't crit with Eldritch Chain, it calls for Reflex Saves.




Assuming for the sake of argument that you are wrong (because you are) would the second target's and third target's critical hits simply double the halved damage?


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## PallidPatience (Jul 11, 2006)

Actually, I think that the relevant feat for improving this situation would be Weapon Focus (Rays) and Imp. Crit. (Rays). Requiring the feat to be taken for each specific spell would make it nearly worthless...

But yes. You could do that. And Weapon Spec. (Rays), if you had the fighter levels.


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## RigaMortus2 (Jul 11, 2006)

PallidPatience said:
			
		

> Actually, I think that the relevant feat for improving this situation would be Weapon Focus (Rays) and Imp. Crit. (Rays). Requiring the feat to be taken for each specific spell would make it nearly worthless...
> 
> But yes. You could do that. And Weapon Spec. (Rays), if you had the fighter levels.




Yeah, it does say EB is a ray...


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## RigaMortus2 (Jul 11, 2006)

Particle_Man said:
			
		

> Assuming for the sake of argument that you are wrong (because you are) would the second target's and third target's critical hits simply double the halved damage?




Well, it doesn't double the damage.  You roll the damage dice twice.  You would double any bonus damage however (like from point blank shot for instance).  So let's say you have a 6d6 eldritch blast, and you make a critical hit on the 2nd guy in the eldritch chain.  You would roll 12d6 (6d6 base +6d6 from crit), and then half that result.


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## Drowbane (Jul 11, 2006)

RigaMortus2 said:
			
		

> Well, it doesn't double the damage.  You roll the damage dice twice.  You would double any bonus damage however (like from point blank shot for instance).  So let's say you have a 6d6 eldritch blast, and you make a critical hit on the 2nd guy in the eldritch chain.  You would roll 12d6 (6d6 base +6d6 from crit), and then half that result.




Well, you don't roll damage at all for the secondary attacks (that is, everything after the first).  So if you initially hit for 20 and it chained 4 times with the last strike being a crit... would the damage be 20, 10, 10, 20?



			
				Thanee said:
			
		

> Reflex Saves!?




easy there, you're likely to hurt yourself.



			
				Particle_Man said:
			
		

> Assuming for the sake of argument that you are wrong (because you are) would the second target's and third target's critical hits simply double the halved damage?




Eh, oops? 

That'll teach me to reply to posts without being sure... (what was I thinking? lol)


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## MarkB (Jul 11, 2006)

RigaMortus2 said:
			
		

> Well, it doesn't double the damage.  You roll the damage dice twice.  You would double any bonus damage however (like from point blank shot for instance).  So let's say you have a 6d6 eldritch blast, and you make a critical hit on the 2nd guy in the eldritch chain.  You would roll 12d6 (6d6 base +6d6 from crit), and then half that result.



You don't roll damage for the secondary targets of an Eldritch Chain - they simply take half the damage you rolled for the initial target.

In a case where you critical hit the first target in an eldritch chain, I would rule that you roll the base damage first and use this figure as the amount you halve to apply to the secondary targets, then roll the critical damage and apply it to the initial target only.

In a case where you critical hit a secondary target, I would rule that they take full damage rather than half damage.


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## Bagpuss (Jul 11, 2006)

Particle_Man said:
			
		

> What if you Eldritch Chain, critical hit Target #1 and do 40 damage, and then critically hit Target #2?  40 damage again (half damage x2 for crit)?  20?  What if you critically hit Target #3?




Then you are very lucky on your dice rolls since it only gets a threat on a 20.


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## Particle_Man (Jul 11, 2006)

Actually, it depends on the DM.  With one DM I have the worst luck in the world, and due to fumble house-rules accidentally killed a fellow PC with my blast (I will save my rant against fumble rules for other threads).  But with the other DM (the guest-DM) the dice gods favour me and I really did roll a Crit on the first guy, followed by a Crit on the second.  The carnage was awesome!


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## frankthedm (Jul 11, 2006)

Particle_Man said:
			
		

> Actually, it depends on the DM.  With one DM I have the worst luck in the world, and due to fumble house-rules accidentally killed a fellow PC with my blast (I will save my rant against fumble rules for other threads).



Anything that reinforces shooting in a friend's direction is a Bad Ideatm is A-O.K. in my book.


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## Particle_Man (Jul 12, 2006)

How about if the fumble rule has you shoot off in a random direction, like at the friend who is standing "safely" behind you, not between you and the BBEG?  Because that is the kind of fumble table I have to deal with.


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