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There is a thread for this in the Rules forum and it didn't shed much light, seemed pretty 50/50 on how the rule worked, I'll link it here.
As such, to reiterate, my question is can I use arcane strike as a swift action to enhance a ray spell such as scorching rays?
Edit for clarity: The contention seems to come from the wording of arcane strike, "imbue your weapons. . ." and since my ray is materialized only for a second before being fired, it'd be hard to imbue it.
I don't see it as particularly game breaking but that's not necessarily means for it to be approved. I am wanting to take this on my Necromancer wizard who uses a lot of rays, I figured if I can take Weapon Focus (ray), it has to count as weapon for some purposes so arcane strike should also work because it affects weapons.
Yes, but the damage bonus only applies to one ray per spell.
Rays are considered weapon attacks, as per the magic rules. However, a spell cannot benefit from an on-hit effect more than once. One of the devs or FAQs mentioned this when clarifying the interaction between a spell and sneak attack damage. Thus, you can add the damage from Arcane Strike to a single ray when casting a spell.
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Yes, but the damage bonus only applies to one ray per spell.
Rays are considered weapon attacks, as per the magic rules. However, a spell cannot benefit from an on-hit effect more than once. One of the devs or FAQs mentioned this when clarifying the interaction between a spell and sneak attack damage. Thus, you can add the damage from Arcane Strike to a single ray when casting a spell.
Ah okay, so that really ins't even that powerful. As I said, I am just looking for a way to boost my attack a little bit, at most at 10th level it'd be +3 to att for all rays that turn and then +3 damage to one ray. If I fire scorching rays, do I need to declare which Ray gets the +3 to damage or can it just be applied to the first Ray to hit?
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So, if the arcane strike bonus is applied to a Ray of Enfeeblement or to an Enervation, what actually happens? Is Arcane Strike damage modifier added to the Strength or Negative Level effect of the spell or added as a rider, i.e. you lose 5 Strength/take 3 Negative levels and take 3 damage or you lose 5+3 Strength/take 3+3 Negative levels?
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So, if the arcane strike bonus is applied to a Ray of Enfeeblement or to an Enervation, what actually happens? Is Arcane Strike damage modifier added to the Strength or Negative Level effect of the spell or added as a rider, i.e. you lose 5 Strength/take 3 Negative levels and take 3 damage or you lose 5+3 Strength/take 3+3 Negative levels?
Oddly enough I imagine that because its damage, and if you do Ray of Enfeeblement and have Point-Blank Shot, because PBS adds +1 damage which carries over to Ray of Enfeeblement that Arcane strike would as well.
So Ray of Enfeeblement at caster level 10 with Arcane strike would look like 1d6+1/2 level(5)+3 AS + 1 PBS for a range of 10-16 Strength damage, however I don't think it'd work with Enervation because enervation doesn't do negative level damage. However it might do 1d4 negative levels + 3 negative energy damage, maybe +3 untyped damage but I'd rather be on the safe side and say it does no damage because there is no damage to enhance.
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Arcane Strike adds to weapon damage. For it to apply to any other sort of damage or effect, it would have to call it out specifically.
Ability damage is not damage. Its ability damage. Negative levels are not damage. Ray of enfeeblement doesn't even do ability damage, IIRC, it imposes a penalty to Strength.
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Maybe I'm misremembering but I was under the impression that stuff that adds damage like PBS and AS would just add untyped damage to a ray spell that gives an ability penalty or negative level drain. But I'm not entirely clear on this so I could definitely be wrong.
I was under the understanding that the only thing that damage adding feats added to, was damage. Both feats reference weapon damage.
Rays (and other spells that require an attack roll) are considered weapons for the purposes of those feats.
But if the spell in question doesn't deal damage, I'm not sure how you add a damage bonus to nothing.
I was under the understanding that the only thing that damage adding feats added to, was damage. Both feats reference weapon damage.
Rays (and other spells that require an attack roll) are considered weapons for the purposes of those feats.
But if the spell in question doesn't deal damage, I'm not sure how you add a damage bonus to nothing.
Your understanding is correct, as far as I know. Those feats, that increase a weapon's damage, only affect a ray if it deals hit point damage.
You could still use Point Blank Shot on other rays, though, but you would only get the bonus to the attack roll (because those rays don't deal hit point damage).It makes about as much sense as arguing that arcane strike could be applied to magic missile. In order for arcane strike to work you have to charge up your weapons before you strike. What is there for you to charge up before you cast your spell?
The reason Arcane Strike can't be applied to Magic Missile is it doesn't use an attack roll, and therefore isn't considered a weapon in the same way rays are.
And for logic purposes, the spellcaster collects the arcane energy in his hand by casting the spell, arming himself with the ray, then he releases this energy in the form of a ray attack. There's enough time between creating the magical energy and releasing it to imbue the ray with extra damage potential.oh, and btw, you could also use Arcane Strike while wielding a sword, drop that sword as a free action, draw an axe as a move action, and attack with that axe. The axe would be affected by Arcane Strike although you wielded a sword while "imbuing".
I suppose it's better to think of this feat as imbuing oneself with the ability to channel arcane power through weapons (and thereby dealing more damage).
Raise Thread!
So I wanted to ask can you affect acid splash with arcane strike? The effect is a "one missle of acid" instead of a ray, but I think the weaponlike spells ruling should still apply. Am I wrong?
this was specifically ruled out in this FAQ :
"...However, there is a category of abilities that deserve a special note: Abilities like Arcane Strike that specifically enhance a character’s weapon or weapons themselves never apply to special abilities (with the exception of special abilities like the warlock’s mystic bolts that specifically call out that Arcane Strike applies)."
then it goes on to talk how even ray attacks that can use weapon feats (like weapon focus) still doesn't count as a weapon for effects calling out weapons like arcane strike. (so not only acid splash even normal rays wont get arcane strike)