Witchfire with Vital Strike?


Rules Questions


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The Witchfire is a CR 9 incorporeal undead that gets to make an 8d6 damage touch or ranged touch attack as its main attack. I assume, since the power itself is not described anywhere, that this is just a standard natural attack, and follows all the rules of them. (The "Witchflame" power specifically describes the fire effect, not the attack itself.)

So, question #1: Is this actually a natural attack? And by that, could the witchflame use it as part of an attack sequence with manufactured ghost touch weapons, with the usual -5 for it becoming a secondary natural attack?

Then, if so, that leads to question #2: Can Vital Strike improve this attack? After all, if you can give it to a monster to improve its bite attack, you should be able to do so to improve any natural attack...


no

Grand Lodge

A witchfire's melee attack is a variant of the ghost's corrupting touch. This is not a natural attack. It's a supernatural ability that the creature employs with the Use a Supernatural Ability standard action (the ghost template says explicitly that it's a standard action, not one attack). Since this is not the Attack action, it can't use Vital Strike.

edit: It follows that a ghost or witchfire can't make an extra incorporeal touch using haste or use it as part of a Full Attack action. They can nevertheless use it as an attack of opportunity, since this was clearly intended by giving the witchfire Combat Reflexes.

Why, yes, I am prepared to twist logic pretty far to prevent a creature swapping out, say, Lightning Reflexes to change its CR x d6 attack to a CR x 2d6 attack.

The Exchange Owner - D20 Hobbies

The witchfire is probably poorly written, as it is likely intended to be like the Corrupting Touch ghost ability.

As written it can be debated:
1) Is it a natural attack? (it has damage and the Su is on the Witchfire and he has a useless Combat Reflexes otherwise)

2) Is it 0 base damage with extra damage dice of 8d6 fire? (If so then Vital Strike is 2 * 0 + 8d6)

I'd run it this way:
Melee incorporeal touch +13 (0 plus 8d6 fire plus witchflame)

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