Hi All,
I had a disagreement with another player at my game about how the spellstrike ability works in regards to critical hits. I spent a little time searching but couldn't find anything that definitively came down on one side or the other.
So, the question: When using spellstrike with a basic, unmodified, scimitar at level 2, does the critical threat range for the strike get automatically modified by Keen?
Spellstrike: At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.
I was reading the bolded section like an equation where the critical threat range is X*2. X being 1 (20) 2 (19-20) or 3 (18-20) * 2 (keen or similar ability).
For example: A magus is spellstriking with a basic and unmodified scimitar and casting shocking grasp with it. He rolls a 15 on the attack roll and it hits. Does this cause the hit to become a critical threat?
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It ONLY is effected by Keen or the Improved Critical feat IF the player actually has it.
If he is using a normal Scimitar, without using his Arcane Pool to give it Keen, and doesn't have the Improved Critical (Scimitar) feat, then it absolutely does not let you crit on a 15.
It ONLY is effected by Keen or the Improved Critical feat IF the player actually has it.
If he is using a normal Scimitar, without using his Arcane Pool to give it Keen, and doesn't have the Improved Critical (Scimitar) feat, then it absolutely does not let you crit on a 15.
This!