Just wanted to confirm that Scorching Ray only affects 1 target per ray? One of my players believes it can affect multiple targets per ray if you can line them up in a row. Based on my reading of the spell, that's not the case:
"You blast your enemies with a searing beam of fire. You may fire one ray, plus one additional ray for every four levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of three rays at 11th level). Each ray requires a ranged touch attack to hit and deals 4d6 points of fire damage. The rays may be fired at the same or different targets, but all rays must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously."
Am I missing anything here? Thanks!!
there are spells that behave as your player describes, but rays aren't them.
You are not missing anything. A ray doesn't go through its target and onward; it hits it and hurts it and stops, like an arrow.
Your player is probably thinking of spells like lightning bolt whose area of effect is "line."
A line-shaped spell shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect. A line-shaped spell affects all creatures in squares through which the line passes.
Rays function much like a ranged weapon attack, they either hit their intended target only or miss.
"Area of Effect" spells target multiple squares, have predefined areas that they cover (they are shown in the CRB) and can hit multiple targets.
Rays don't do that. They're basically an arrow, made from magic.
Rays hit one target. A Line effect affects multiple targets.
Your player is probably thinking of Line effects.
Thanks all for clarifying - that's what I thought, but I wasn't explaining it well to them!