Yes.
The clarification in the SRD actually lists a crossbow as an example.
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Yes.
The clarification in the SRD actually lists a crossbow as an example.
Would you mind explaining what you mean by this?
Did you actually mean the SRD, as in the D20 SRD? If so, Vital Strike is not part of the 3.5 rule set, is it? I don't see it listed on www.d20srd.org under feats.
Do you mean the Pathfinder PRD? If so, I don't see anything about a crossbow ...
Thanks!
As he others have said, it works on ranged weapons so your long bow damage would go from say 1d8+3 to 2d8+3
It does not however work on spells or spell like abilities
Would you mind explaining what you mean by this?
Did you actually mean the SRD, as in the D20 SRD? If so, Vital Strike is not part of the 3.5 rule set, is it? I don't see it listed on www.d20srd.org under feats.
Do you mean the Pathfinder PRD? If so, I don't see anything about a crossbow ...
Thanks!
There are 2 pathfinder SRDs. The official one is a reprint of the main rule book. The open gaming content SRD is a living document, and does a really good job of keeping up with errata and clarifications.
The open gaming content SRD is
... not official. So if you say "The SRD", people will assume the real deal.
I always thought so-though after it was explained to me that the RAI of Vital Strike was to multiply NOTHING but the base damage die, I don't see the point of the feat.
Play someone with a two-handed-sword, take the three feats, then move and do a single attack of 8d6+Str modif*1.5+Enh modifier+others, laugh at wizard's spells.
The open gaming content SRD is... not official. So if you say "The SRD", people will assume the real deal.No offence, but I'm afraid that was my reaction as well ...
Hence my post.
Play someone with a two-handed-sword, take the three feats, then move and do a single attack of 8d6+Str modif*1.5+Enh modifier+others, laugh at wizard's spells.
Wizard turns you into a newt. Laughs even harder.
So Vital Strike works on ranged attacks...
Oh boy, this made technological weapons even scarier...
An X-Laser deals 5d6 points of fire damage per attack, and it can be used for iterative attacks, costing 1 battery charge per shot. However, NOW you can use Vital Strike for ONE single shot per round, costing ONE charge, that deals 10d6, 15d6 or even 20d6 points of fire damage, depending on how many Vital Strike feats you have.
Ouch...
I assume that Vital Strike CANNOT be used with slow-firing weapons, since Vital Strike requires a standard action, while shooting a slow-firing weapon, such as a railgun, requires a full-round action, but for some of heavy weapons in the booklet, that can get ugly pretty quick.
Considering even 20d6 is only 70 average damage each round it's not that big a deal.
At the same level full BAB characters have 4 attacks. 3 of which have likely have a pretty reasonable chance to hit.
You need to deal 24 damage per hit on a full attack to basically come out equal. Let's make some assumptions. Nodachi, for 5.5 of average damage. Power attack adds 15 damage at level 16 (when you get greater vital strike). That's 20.5 average damage. You probably have a strength bonus of at least +3, and probably a weapon enhancement of at least +3. That gets us up to 26.5 damage, very easily. When you start factoring critical hits which will double up that damage (which vital strike doesn't get multiplied on a crit) it still doesn't look all that great. It's not bad, it allows you some mobility and a good amount of damage.
But, lets also consider the thing you really need to compete with, bows. With the myriad of ways to get animal companions you can get the mobility you need to move and always make a full attack. With static damage modifiers, rapid shot, many shot, and iterative attacks its very easy deal substantially more damage than that. My ranger using instant enemy regularly deals over 100 damage each full attack. With a critical hit damage usually bursts up over 200.
I mean it sure looks fancy to roll 20d6, but honestly it's not that big of deal if you can only do it once per round.
The open gaming content SRD is... not official. So if you say "The SRD", people will assume the real deal.No offence, but I'm afraid that was my reaction as well ...
Only the not so official use the word SRD. And is also more extensive than the official one. So most folks around here use that.
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The open gaming content SRD is... not official. So if you say "The SRD", people will assume the real deal.No offence, but I'm afraid that was my reaction as well ...
Only the not so official use the word SRD. And is also more extensive than the official one. So most folks around here use that.
Not sure you can say with any authority that "most folks around here use" the unofficial SRD. In fact, most people I know only use the official PRD. In my experience, the SRD also tends to post a lot of questionable things, such as fan content, suggested rulings, etc without making it very clear that it is such.
I'd actually be curious to see what the break down is of people who use the PRD, people who use the SRD, and then, for people who use both, what the percentages are.
I for example, use the PRD probably 99% time and only check the SRD once in an extreme while if at all ...
The open gaming content SRD is... not official. So if you say "The SRD", people will assume the real deal.No offence, but I'm afraid that was my reaction as well ...
Only the not so official use the word SRD. And is also more extensive than the official one. So most folks around here use that.
Not sure you can say with any authority that "most folks around here use" the unofficial SRD. In fact, most people I know only use the official PRD. In my experience, the SRD also tends to post a lot of questionable things, such as fan content, suggested rulings, etc without making it very clear that it is such.
I'd actually be curious to see what the break down is of people who use the PRD, people who use the SRD, and then, for people who use both, what the percentages are.
The one main advantage that d20PFSRD has is a nice search function. However, since the copyright issue with Paizo, d20PFSRD has had to edit a lot of content to remove Paizo trademarks, so it is now more confusing than helpful in many cases. When I do use d20PFSRD, I use the search feature to find something when I have only a vague idea of what I'm looking for. Then I take the specifics and try to find the actual text on Archives of Nethys or the PRD.
Archives of Nethys has a beta search feature that is close to the same functionality as d20PFSRD, but it's a little harder to use. AoN does have a very reliable "approved for PFS" flag, which makes it my go-to site and top recommendation for PFS players.
The search feature on the PRD needs a lot of work to make it useful. It uses too many "general web site search" defaults that are not anti-helpful for a gaming rules site. For example, if I'm looking for the feat called "Disruptive", I do not want every variation on the verb "to disrupt". And the "exact string search" does not work at all.
My group now relies on HeroLab for most rules look-ups. And if you only enable Paizo sources, you don't have to worry about contamination. However, we have used d20pfsrd for years, and we've never had an issue figuring out what was official Paizo or 3rd party. In fact, most of the main categories on the contents webpage, and the lists on the categories' individual pages, segregated into official Paizo and 3rd party.
As far as the OP, I completely missed the ranged use of Vital Strike. I've never had a PC who had the feat, because I never have enough feat slots and it's never been good enough compared to others. Cool.
Considering even 20d6 is only 70 average damage each round it's not that big a deal.
At the same level full BAB characters have 4 attacks. 3 of which have likely have a pretty reasonable chance to hit.
You need to deal 24 damage per hit on a full attack to basically come out equal. Let's make some assumptions. Nodachi, for 5.5 of average damage. Power attack adds 15 damage at level 16 (when you get greater vital strike). That's 20.5 average damage. You probably have a strength bonus of at least +3, and probably a weapon enhancement of at least +3. That gets us up to 26.5 damage, very easily. When you start factoring critical hits which will double up that damage (which vital strike doesn't get multiplied on a crit) it still doesn't look all that great. It's not bad, it allows you some mobility and a good amount of damage.
But, lets also consider the thing you really need to compete with, bows. With the myriad of ways to get animal companions you can get the mobility you need to move and always make a full attack. With static damage modifiers, rapid shot, many shot, and iterative attacks its very easy deal substantially more damage than that. My ranger using instant enemy regularly deals over 100 damage each full attack. With a critical hit damage usually bursts up over 200.
I mean it sure looks fancy to roll 20d6, but honestly it's not that big of deal if you can only do it once per round.
Compared to spending only one charge instead of one per attack and being able to target all thinsg in a 200-foot-long line with no save?