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Hi all,
I’m now going through the nitty gritty of the rules, and I have a couple questions on some hints that some things are different from 3.5, but I’m not entirely sure.
First, the feat Strike Back says that you can ready an action to strike at a foe with reach who attacks you. 3.5 (clarified by the FAQ, I think) allowed you to do this without a feat. Is this an intentional change?
The Arcane Trickster’s Surprise Spells ability allows them to add sneak attack damage to any spell that deals damage vs flat-footed opponents. Does that mean a rogue/spellcaster can’t naturally sneak attack with a spell? The rules don’t seem to address this issue. Again, 3.5 (clarified by supplements) allowed this action.
Lastly, the cleric domain powers often state you can “touch a creature” to grant a benefit. Can the cleric touch themselves as a valid target?
Thanks Jason & Co!
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Hi all,
I’m now going through the nitty gritty of the rules, and I have a couple questions on some hints that some things are different from 3.5, but I’m not entirely sure.
First, the feat Strike Back says that you can ready an action to strike at a foe with reach who attacks you. 3.5 (clarified by the FAQ, I think) allowed you to do this without a feat. Is this an intentional change?
Strike Back is primarily useful in two situations. You are correct that you can take a 5 ft. step as part of your readied attack, but only if you have not otherwise moved that round. This is the first case in which Strike Back is useful, if you move and then Ready your attack against an opponent with reach (as then you could not take a 5 ft. step).
The second use would be readying an attack against an opponent with a Reach greater than 10 ft, since you could not get close enough with a 5 ft. step to attack (unless you had a reach weapon yourself).
The Arcane Trickster’s Surprise Spells ability allows them to add sneak attack damage to any spell that deals damage vs flat-footed opponents. Does that mean a rogue/spellcaster can’t naturally sneak attack with a spell? The rules don’t seem to address this issue. Again, 3.5 (clarified by supplements) allowed this action.
There is some interpretation to be had here. Surprise Spells does not mean a rogue/spellcaster could not naturally sneak attack with a spell. In Pathfinder, a rogue may sneak attack when her 'attack' catches an opponent flat-footed. You could rule that, as in 3.5, this included ranged spell attack rolls, or melee spell touch attack rolls, etc. It is not strictly spelled out, but neither does it say they can only use weapons for this.
Surprise Spells is more useful than it seems. It lets the Trickster deal sneak attack damage to *any spell that deals damage*, if the targets are flat-footed. It even mentions that spells which allow a saving throw to halve the damage work with this.
Sneak Attack Fireball anyone?
Lastly, the cleric domain powers often state you can “touch a creature” to grant a benefit. Can the cleric touch themselves as a valid target?Thanks Jason & Co!
You are yourself a creature and could use the spell on yourself if it says 'touch a living creature' or 'touch a creature', etc. If it said something like 'touch another creature' or something similar, then you would not be able to.
Your God of Knowledge,
Nethys