Point-Blank shot and splash damage

[rknop]

Does the +1 for point-blank shot add to splash damage with an alchemist's bombs? I never thought it did, that it only added to direct-hit damage. Somebody was telling me otherwise the other day, however.

Which is right? The feat description just says "ranged weapons", and doesn't address splash directly. "Throw Splash Weapon" in the combat chapter doesn't say anything about the PBS feat. The Alchemist Bomb class feature just says that PBS does apply to it, but does not separate out splash from direct-hit damage.

Putting these together, I suspect that I was wrong, and that additional damage from Point-Blank Shot should apply to splash damage. Is there an FAQ somewhere that says otherwise, or that clarifies this?

[claudekennilol]

I suggest repeating your question HERE and also hitting the FAQ button while you're in the neighborhood.

[Claxon]

He doesn't need to Claude

http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qnt

Quote:

Point Blank Shot: Do I add the feat's extra damage to the splash damage from a splash weapon?

No, the extra damage from Point Blank Shot only applies to the target of a direct hit with a splash weapon (including direct hits from an alchemist's bomb).

[claudekennilol]

Ah, right, there is that. Still, another FAQ hit won't hurt.

[rknop]

Excellent, thank you Claxon, that's what I was looking for. I probably found that years ago, which is probably why I thought that PBS didn't add to splash damage.

[Irwin, the Gnome]

Point Blank Shot doesn't apply to splash damage in general, as per the FAQ, but it does increase the base damage of a Bomb, and so it effectively increases Bomb splash damage, specifically.

Say a 1st level Alchemist with an Int of 12 tosses a Bomb. The Bomb's damage is 1d6+1. Its minimum damage is 2, so its splash damage is 2.

But say that same Alchemist had Point Blank Shot. Those Bombs now deal 1d6+2 within 30ft. Minimum damage is 3, so splash damage is 3.

But you wouldn't apply Point Blank Shot to that splash damage. The FAQ prevents "double dipping".

Same thing applies to any other damage increases, such as Inspire Courage, a Ranger's Favored Enemy, and so on.

[_Ozy_]

Exactly, here's the relevant text:

Quote:

Splash damage from an alchemist bomb is always equal to the bomb's minimum damage (so if the bomb would deal 2d6+4 points of fire damage on a direct hit, its splash damage would be 6 points of fire damage).