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Sadly it does apply. This is why getting Point Blank Shot and Precise shot as a ray caster is a very very good idea. Not only does it slightly increase damage, but in increases your change to hit at lower levels significantly, and isn't too bad at higher levels.
I'm not sure if this works RAW, but as a DM we've always let ranged attacks on large+ creatures have lower or negated cover when a medium creature is in between.
One thing we have having an issue with is Cover AC and Firing into Melee. As it stands, this gives +4 AC to the monster because my friendly steps directly into my path. The monster moves up to my friendly and now I have -4 to hit.
For a Spellcaster, this is very...annoying. With a +3 DEX and no bonuses, a normal monster for a Level 2 is sitting about a 12-14 Touch. This gives me 40-60% chance to hit. However, as soon as they step up to one of my friendlies, it jumps up another 8, making it about 5-10% chance to hit with spells. Although I use Force Missile as much as possible in this situation, I'm wondering if Magic Ranged Touch applies to the +4 AC Cover and -4 to Hit in Melee rule.
At low levels you may want to focus on other spells. Enlarging the fighter is a great idea. Typically he's going to kill anything in one hit if he's decently built at all at that level especially if you enlarge him. focusing on no attack roll spells can really boost you. Consider sleep, color spray, & grease. You can help your party out much more without doing any actual damage if you completely take away your enemy's offense. Then the others mop up and you can read a book or start looting corpses :)
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I'm not sure if this works RAW, but as a DM we've always let ranged attacks on large+ creatures have lower or negated cover when a medium creature is in between.
i'd agree with this too as long as their increased size actually puts them in more squares. a horse, for instance, while large size is long, and should *really* take up a 5'x10' space as opposed to a 10'x10'. a troll (5x5x10h) would have a clear half of him thats not blocked by 'soft cover', and an ogre would have 3/4 of him not blocked. i would still apply the 'into melee' penalty, however, but the soft cover should be pretty straight-forward.
One thing we have having an issue with is Cover AC and Firing into Melee. As it stands, this gives +4 AC to the monster because my friendly steps directly into my path. The monster moves up to my friendly and now I have -4 to hit.
For a Spellcaster, this is very...annoying. With a +3 DEX and no bonuses, a normal monster for a Level 2 is sitting about a 12-14 Touch. This gives me 40-60% chance to hit. However, as soon as they step up to one of my friendlies, it jumps up another 8, making it about 5-10% chance to hit with spells. Although I use Force Missile as much as possible in this situation, I'm wondering if Magic Ranged Touch applies to the +4 AC Cover and -4 to Hit in Melee rule.
Yep, its a b!tch. Especially when you're using that ray in melee. Not only do they get +4 to AC from soft cover but you are also -4 to hit when firing into melee.
Best thing to do is grab Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot and have a high(ish) DEX then grab Weapon Focus (Ranged Spell).|
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At low levels you may want to focus on other spells. Enlarging the fighter is a great idea. Typically he's going to kill anything in one hit if he's decently built at all at that level especially if you enlarge him. focusing on no attack roll spells can really boost you. Consider sleep, color spray, & grease. You can help your party out much more without doing any actual damage if you completely take away your enemy's offense. Then the others mop up and you can read a book or start looting corpses :)
While I do agree that there are great spells at low level, better than rays, the OP specifically was playing an Evoker, as there are only a few low level rays (Level 0-1 spell) that I can think of... Ray of Enfeeblement and Ray of Frost (And Acid Splash technically), these are all either very good spells or usable infinitely. Once you're cast your two spells in a day you do need to toss those rays of frost!
At low levels you may want to focus on other spells. Enlarging the fighter is a great idea. Typically he's going to kill anything in one hit if he's decently built at all at that level especially if you enlarge him. focusing on no attack roll spells can really boost you. Consider sleep, color spray, & grease. You can help your party out much more without doing any actual damage if you completely take away your enemy's offense. Then the others mop up and you can read a book or start looting corpses :)While I do agree that there are great spells at low level, better than rays, the OP specifically was playing an Evoker, as there are only a few low level rays (Level 0-1 spell) that I can think of... Ray of Enfeeblement and Ray of Frost (And Acid Splash technically), these are all either very good spells or usable infinitely. Once you're cast your two spells in a day you do need to toss those rays of frost!
At low level ray of enfeeblement is almost worthless. The duration has been made 1 round/level I was suggesting that instead of taking 3 feats that won't matter past level 6 PBS, Precise shot, and weapon focus (ranged) unless you're planning on doing nothing but range, that the OP may want to consider using spells that completely sidestep the problem. 3 slept enemies are 3 dead enemies, no attack roll, no chance for that 1 automiss. Enlarging the fighter lasts 10 rounds at level 1 and he's way better than killing(hopefully) than any level 1 wizard unless said wizard took arcane bond (falchion) and is himself an enlarged half-orc with 18 str and power attack
At low level ray of enfeeblement is almost worthless. The duration has been made 1 round/level I was suggesting that instead of taking 3 feats that won't matter past level 6 PBS, Precise shot, and weapon focus (ranged) unless you're planning on doing nothing but range, that the OP may want to consider using spells that completely sidestep the problem. 3 slept enemies are 3 dead enemies, no attack roll, no chance for that 1 automiss. Enlarging the fighter lasts 10 rounds at level 1 and he's way better than killing(hopefully) than any level 1 wizard unless said wizard took arcane bond (falchion) and is himself an enlarged half-orc with 18 str and power attackAt low levels you may want to focus on other spells. Enlarging the fighter is a great idea. Typically he's going to kill anything in one hit if he's decently built at all at that level especially if you enlarge him. focusing on no attack roll spells can really boost you. Consider sleep, color spray, & grease. You can help your party out much more without doing any actual damage if you completely take away your enemy's offense. Then the others mop up and you can read a book or start looting corpses :)While I do agree that there are great spells at low level, better than rays, the OP specifically was playing an Evoker, as there are only a few low level rays (Level 0-1 spell) that I can think of... Ray of Enfeeblement and Ray of Frost (And Acid Splash technically), these are all either very good spells or usable infinitely. Once you're cast your two spells in a day you do need to toss those rays of frost!
There are plenty of high level ranged touch attacks Acid Arrow, Disintegrate, Enveneration, Scorching Ray and plinking away with Acid Splash is fine especially against critters with SR.
In the end it depends on the character concept.
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I'm not sure if this works RAW, but as a DM we've always let ranged attacks on large+ creatures have lower or negated cover when a medium creature is in between.i'd agree with this too as long as their increased size actually puts them in more squares. a horse, for instance, while large size is long, and should *really* take up a 5'x10' space as opposed to a 10'x10'. a troll (5x5x10h) would have a clear half of him thats not blocked by 'soft cover', and an ogre would have 3/4 of him not blocked. i would still apply the 'into melee' penalty, however, but the soft cover should be pretty straight-forward.
The PFRPG core book covers this already, Quote:
If your target (or the part of your target you're aiming at, if it's a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the –4 penalty, even if the creature you're aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character.
If your target is two size categories larger than the friendly characters it is engaged with, this penalty is reduced to –2. There is no penalty for firing at a creature that is three size categories larger than the friendly characters it is engaged with
and although this only seems to apply to melee since its not listed for range I would apply this as well:
Big Creatures and Cover: Any creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has cover against you.
At low level ray of enfeeblement is almost worthless. The duration has been made 1 round/level I was suggesting that instead of taking 3 feats that won't matter past level 6 PBS, Precise shot, and weapon focus (ranged) unless you're planning on doing nothing but range, that the OP may want to consider using spells that completely sidestep the problem. 3 slept enemies are 3 dead enemies, no attack roll, no chance for that 1 automiss. Enlarging the fighter lasts 10 rounds at level 1 and he's way better than killing(hopefully) than any level 1 wizard unless said wizard took arcane bond (falchion) and is himself an enlarged half-orc with 18 str and power attackAt low levels you may want to focus on other spells. Enlarging the fighter is a great idea. Typically he's going to kill anything in one hit if he's decently built at all at that level especially if you enlarge him. focusing on no attack roll spells can really boost you. Consider sleep, color spray, & grease. You can help your party out much more without doing any actual damage if you completely take away your enemy's offense. Then the others mop up and you can read a book or start looting corpses :)While I do agree that there are great spells at low level, better than rays, the OP specifically was playing an Evoker, as there are only a few low level rays (Level 0-1 spell) that I can think of... Ray of Enfeeblement and Ray of Frost (And Acid Splash technically), these are all either very good spells or usable infinitely. Once you're cast your two spells in a day you do need to toss those rays of frost!There are plenty of high level ranged touch attacks Acid Arrow, Disintegrate, Enveneration, Scorching Ray and plinking away with Acid Splash is fine especially against critters with SR.
In the end it depends on the character concept.
With the exception of enervation in certain situations I can think of something better to do at every level. Now note I didn't say the feats are worthless, I said unless you're playing a sniper you probably don't want to drop your first 3 feats in sniping. Add to that if you were going to do that you would be better off playing a fighter or ranger with a composite longbow because you'll do a lot more damage and the feat investment won't hurt so bad.