I know a lot of threads exist about Vital Strike, but they're full of scattered and sometimes contradictory answers, so I'm opening this one hopening to gather all the answers in one place. And official answers, possibly. If something like this already exists, please link it, I was unable to find.
I already know some of the answers for sure, but I'll throw the questions in anyway for anyone wondering them in the future.
So... are the following cases possible or not?
1) Vital Strike + Charge
2) Vital Strike + Spring Attack
3) Vital Strike + Sneak Attack
4) Vital Strike + Cleave/Greater Cleave
5) Vital Strike as attack of opportunity
6) Vital Strike + Deadly Stroke
7) Vital Strike + Power Attack
8) Vital Strike + anything else I can't figure out at present
The answers, as far as I know, would be:
1) No
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) No/Cosmic no
5) No
6) No
7) Yes
But, please, correct me if anything is wrong and add any cases you can figure out.
My important question: Does anybody really think that Vital Strike is good, except for enlarged Monks?
I know a lot of threads exist about Vital Strike, but they're full of scattered and sometimes contradictory answers, so I'm opening this one hopening to gather all the answers in one place. And official answers, possibly. If something like this already exists, please link it, I was unable to find.
I already know some of the answers for sure, but I'll throw the questions in anyway for anyone wondering them in the future.
So... are the following cases possible or not?
1) Vital Strike + Charge
2) Vital Strike + Spring Attack
3) Vital Strike + Sneak Attack
4) Vital Strike + Cleave/Greater Cleave
5) Vital Strike as attack of opportunity
6) Vital Strike + Deadly Stroke
7) Vital Strike + Power Attack
8) Vital Strike + anything else I can't figure out at presentThe answers, as far as I know, would be:
1) No
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) No/Cosmic no
5) No
6) No
7) YesBut, please, correct me if anything is wrong and add any cases you can figure out.
Vital Strike does not work with Spring Attack. They are both standard actions. James says the book is incorrect because it does not call them out as such. If you can't find the link let me know, and I will try to dig it up again.
Depends a lot on playstyle. If you have a lazy GM that lets your Melee PC step up to a target and then happily Full Attacking until it's dead, then Vital Strika is a waste of a feat.
If you have a GM that brings a lot of fleeting opponents that try to minimnize the damage taken by melees by moving a lot, then Vital Strike is vital indeed.
To OP: List is accurate afaik.
If you can't find the link let me know, and I will try to dig it up again.
Yes, please, I'm only finding arguments between the yes and no, but can't see the official statements.
Is there a citation for the Vital Strike + Spring Attack not working. I've seen the threads before, but its never been an issue in my game as nobody has had that combination of feats, but it appears that it may soon come up.
A link to what James said about Vital Strike + Spring Attack would be most helpful!
Edit: Ah nevermind, I found it!
Thanks.
One more issue;
Vital Strike states:
Roll the damage dice for the attack twice and add the results together, but do not multiply damage bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as flaming), or precision-based damage (such as sneak attack). This bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit (although other damage bonuses are multiplied normally).
So, what about the weapon's enhancement bonus, feats such as Weapon Specialization and other things? Are they to be multiplied?
(An official answer about this would be highly preferred.)
Depends a lot on playstyle. If you have a lazy GM that lets your Melee PC step up to a target and then happily Full Attacking until it's dead, then Vital Strika is a waste of a feat.
If you have a GM that brings a lot of fleeting opponents that try to minimnize the damage taken by melees by moving a lot, then Vital Strike is vital indeed.
To OP: List is accurate afaik.
you may want to take a look ath the d20pfsrd faq located here
They have already collected lots of official answers to questions like these there.
That solves a lot, thanks.
Is there a citation for the Vital Strike + Spring Attack not working. I've seen the threads before, but its never been an issue in my game as nobody has had that combination of feats, but it appears that it may soon come up.
A link to what James said about Vital Strike + Spring Attack would be most helpful!
Edit: Ah nevermind, I found it!
Actually, if you look a bit further on the bottom of the page, you will find these two:
Basically, James changed his mind.
Basically, James changed his mind.
But thanks to the wonderful context-removing power of forums, you can link one post assuming that no one will read down 413 posts to see the frequent correction.
I think we should just treat what James says as pure opinion and not reference him as a fact machine. . . or associate justice of the Pathfinder Supreme Court of Rules.
Well, most agree that there's no real reason that Spring Attack and Vital Strike shouldn't work together other than they don't specifically say that they do.
Other than that, VS is one of the best new feats to my thinking. It gives characters a way of actually dish out decent damage when they can't afford to full-attack for any reason.
Well, most agree that there's no real reason that Spring Attack and Vital Strike shouldn't work together other than they don't specifically say that they do.
Other than that, VS is one of the best new feats to my thinking. It gives characters a way of actually dish out decent damage when they can't afford to full-attack for any reason.
Exactly, RAW they don't work together. In my game, any time you don't get more than one attack you can use Vital Strike. This includes Spring Attack and Charge and I'm tempted to allow the bonus damage to add in the situation of damaging an opponent as part of maintaining a grapple.