I can't remember if it was a feat or weapon enchantment, maybe a class ability granted by an archetype, but I could swear I seen it was possible to somehow apply Vital Strike on a Coup de Grace.
Without using Throatslicer.
This is for a 2H weapon assassin (theme, not Prestige Class) build. Monk of the Mantis, using a Seven-branched Sword and Ascetic Style/Form/Strike with a Monk Robe.
I have a way to make the target Stunned, and I have Dastardly Finish (so +5D6 sneak attack dice). Sword is doing 2D10 base damage without Impact.
Just looking for a little extra.
Coup de grace is an automatic critical hit. You'll be doing x3 damage on it. So that's 6d10 + 3 str + 3 enhancement bonus + 5d6 sneak attack.
That's 50.5 damage on average from just your weapon and the sneak attack. They have to make a DC 50 just to stay alive. Short of natural 20s on the die, they will fail the save and die. I wouldn't worry about it.
Edit: I just realized that the Monk of the Mantis doesn't generally have sneak attack. It only gets sneak attack when using FoB. Which means it wont get sneak attack on the coup de grace, as you can't flurry on a coup (both are full round actions which can't be combined).
That's why I wanted to find out if adding Vital Strike was possible, since that SA won't be added.
I could absolutely swear I have seen something that allows it.
Maybe it was a magic weapon from a deity when I was scrolling through Archives of Nethys.
Maybe I'm wrong and the ability doesn't exist.
That isn't what I was thinking about, but that is neat.
Coup de Grace is just for flavor, not the focal point of the build.
I designed this pretty much completely around the flatfooted trip attack of the Seven-Branched Sword, and using Ascetic Style/Form/Strike to use Stunning Fist/Style Strikes and unarmed damage with the sword.
Just thought the assassin theme and the Coup de Grace go really well together, and wanted to make it a little more effective.
I'm not sure about that nothing allows the templar to use Vital Strike outside of the normal attack action. He simply can CdG faster but it still isn't an attack action.
Even without sneak attack, the target is almost guaranteed to die from a coup de grace. The Fort save DC is 10 + the damage dealt by your automatic critical. Even if they do survive, it's still an automatic critical with your x3 weapon.
That's why I wanted to find out if adding Vital Strike was possible, since that SA won't be added.
Carry a x4 crit weapon for coup de grace.
Proficiency is irrelevant, the hit and critical are automatic.
I can't remember if it was a feat or weapon enchantment, maybe a class ability granted by an archetype, but I could swear I seen it was possible to somehow apply Vital Strike on a Coup de Grace.
Without using Throatslicer.
This is for a 2H weapon assassin (theme, not Prestige Class) build. Monk of the Mantis, using a Seven-branched Sword and Ascetic Style/Form/Strike with a Monk Robe.
I have a way to make the target Stunned, and I have Dastardly Finish (so +5D6 sneak attack dice). Sword is doing 2D10 base damage without Impact.
Just looking for a little extra.
Vital Strike: Can I use this with Spring Attack, or on a charge?
No. Vital Strike can only be used as part of an attack action, which is a specific kind of standard action. Spring Attack is a special kind of full-round action that includes the ability to make one melee attack, not one attack action. Charging uses similar language and can also not be used in combination with Vital Strike.
As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace (pronounced “coo day grahs”) to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.
As the CdG is a full round action like Spring Attack, it is covered by the FAQs reasoning.
/cevah