I know that some creature types state they are immune to precision damage(like sneak attack) and/or crits but I can't seem to locate anything to define what determines if an effect is precision damage. Even the most basic example of sneak attack doesn't actually use the term anywhere in the rogue entry.
Is there a list anywhere, or better yet a standard, for determining what qualifies?
A few examples of things that could be seen to qualify are:
Sneak Attack: This obviously is. It is the example given in the creature type entries that are the only place I can find the term actually used in a rulebook.
Point Blank Shot: Like SA this is limited in range and seems to imply an ability to target more damaging areas.
Duelist Precise Strike: Technically more limited that SA it says it doesn't work against anything immune to crits. Since as far as I know there are a few creatures that are immune to crits but not precision and none that are immune to precision but not crits it doesn't seem to be precision damage.
Deadly Aim: The description says it works by "pinpointing a foe's weak spot". This seems to imply that it is but, like sneak attack itself, there is nothing in its rules entry to indicate this.
Vital Strike: The name seems to imply a strike at a foes vital areas but nothing else seems to imply precision damage. It deals extra damage dice like SA but so does flaming and this damage is weapon dependent so I think no.
Favored Enemy: Could be interpreted as knowing where to target a foe to do the most damage. There is nothing in the entry that states as much though. I tend to think not but worth mentioning just for clarity's sake.
Sneak attack, duelist precise strike, Swashbuckler precise strike, and anything else that specifically calls itself precision damage in its rules text (not its flavor text). All the examples you bring up besides the three above have flavor text that vaguely suggests precision, but do not have any rules text that call it out as precision damage.
Where in the "rules text" of sneak attack in the rogue entry does it use the words precision damage? Duelist as I said is actually more limiting as worded in my book. I don't know swashbuckler off the top of my head but I assume as duelist.
More importantly where do you get the answer your giving? I'm looking for a rule for determining this more than the straight list. If the list is all I can get then I'd like an official rules supported one like a faq.
Generally speaking if a creature says it is immune to precision damage it will also call out sneak attack damage. However precision damage has never been codified as an official game term, and I don't really know why.
I was afraid that was the answer. It would certainly help to solve some of the rules issues I see repeating on the board if they did define this as a category of attack with its own set of clear rules. I guess I'm stuck with sneak attack all by its lonesome.
Well, I can confirm a few of these:
Sneak Attack is precision damage
Point Blank Shot is not
Duelist Precise Strike is
Deadly Aim is not
Vital Strike is not
Favored Enemy is not
Basically, unless an ability calls itself precision damage or is Sneak Attack, it's not precision damage.
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Well, I can confirm a few of these:
Sneak Attack is precision damage
Point Blank Shot is not
Duelist Precise Strike is
Deadly Aim is not
Vital Strike is not
Favored Enemy is notBasically, unless an ability calls itself precision damage or is Sneak Attack, it's not precision damage.
To my knowledge, nothing in the game calls itself precision damage, not even Sneak attack or Precise strike.
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Precise Strike the swashbuckler ability says "This additional damage is precision damage."
Precise Strike the teamwork feat says "you deal an additional 1d6 points of precision damage with each successful melee attack."
Lol Go figure, two Precise strikes that mention being precision damage and the only one I read was the Duelist Precise Strike which doesn't. Too many Precise Strikes!!
Still, there are a number things which we take to be precision damage which don't actually say they are.
To my knowledge, nothing in the game calls itself precision damage, not even Sneak attack or Precise strike.Well, I can confirm a few of these:
Sneak Attack is precision damage
Point Blank Shot is not
Duelist Precise Strike is
Deadly Aim is not
Vital Strike is not
Favored Enemy is notBasically, unless an ability calls itself precision damage or is Sneak Attack, it's not precision damage.
I thought precise strike either says it is or says it does not work on things immune to precision damage, which is effectively the same thing, but sneak attack does not mention "precision damage" at all.
Precise Strike the swashbuckler ability says "This additional damage is precision damage."
Precise Strike the teamwork feat says "you deal an additional 1d6 points of precision damage with each successful melee attack."
Lol Go figure, two Precise strikes that mention being precision damage and the only one I read was the Duelist Precise Strike which doesn't. Too many Precise Strikes!!
Still, there are a number things which we take to be precision damage which don't actually say they are.
I think there is another precise strike also. So now we may have 3.
The sneak attack ability itself does not, but the core rulebook says so many times, as indicated by the quotes I put in when I edited my earlier post.
One of those quotes also states that a duelist's precise strike is precision damage.
** spoiler omitted **
I did not even see your post. I thought I had read it somewhere. They should have put it in the sneak attack section. <thumbs up>