Critical hits with Bestow Curse?

[Tinalles]

Bestow Curse requires a melee touch attack roll, and the Combat chapter says:

Quote:

Spells and Critical Hits: A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit. If a spell causes ability damage or drain (see Special Abilities), the damage or drain is doubled on a critical hit.

So if I roll a natural 20 on the melee touch attack for Bestow Curse, and then confirm the touch attack, can I double the penalties given in the description? That is, I could apply one of the following to the unfortunate target:

1) –12 decrease to an ability score (minimum 1).
2) –8 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks.
3) a 100% chance to do nothing each turn.

I'm inclined to think that spell crits were mostly intended to work with spells that do hit point damage. But considering it's not likely to happen terribly often, I'd be comfortable with allowing it. What do you all think?

[ShoulderPatch]

Doesn't work. Crits work on damage, even ability damage and neg. levels IIRC, but Bestow Curse lands a predefined effect (of chosing).

What you're suggesting could also be game breaking/deeply game effecting, on a Hexcrafter Magus for example, so I wouldn't recommend house ruling it either.

[Majuba]

Strictly reading the rules, you can critical hit with a bestow curse, but it has no additional spell effect.

It would still be a critical hit though, so if you happened to be an Eldritch Knight with Blinding Critical, your opponent would need to make a Fort save or be permanently blinded, in addition to permanently cursed.

"Hiyah! I curse you - in the eyes!"

[ShoulderPatch]

Agreed on that, you can roll the 20, but that wasn't the question. The question was...

"So if I roll a natural 20 on the melee touch attack for Bestow Curse, and then confirm the touch attack, can I double the penalties given in the description?"

The answer to the question is no.

The critical hit has no effect on the Bestow Curse. Yes, it can be rolled, and other crit based effects would use their rules for going off.

To the question posted though; no, it has no effect on Bestow Curse, which has a static series of predefined effects to choose from (and the GM wildcard one, which should be in line with those, not double them), and that doesn't fit the definitions in the CRB or what crit modifies.

[Majuba]

We agree.

The small point I was adding is that you can only critical with spells that require an attack roll, and then it only has an increased spell effect if it deals damage.

[Aranna]

You could use the invent a curse option to apply a curse that deals ability damage/drain or regular HP damage... then it would double in effect. But the curse itself is then subject to GM approval.

[Tinalles]

Pretty much what I thought.

Might make an amusing house rule though.

[Weirdo]

Bad house rule. Especially with a permanent 100% chance to do nothing every round. A 3rd level spell shouldn't be able to turn a character permanently catatonic.