So as I'm thinking, normally, no, you can't crit 'normally'. When you apply the Virulent Venom feat though
You're still making an attack roll, which allows for a natural 20 roll. Does this allow me to double the acid damage gained from the Virulent Venom feat?
This seems like it should really only apply to this feat in this chain particularly, as I don't know if bleed effects (i.e. Hemorrhaging Venom) can 'crit' and I would safely assume no.
Not every attack roll can be a critical. Only Ray spells can be critical hits.
Not every attack roll can be a critical. Only Ray spells can be critical hits.
This is incorrect. Any spell that requires an attack roll can critical hit, from acid splash to slay living.
Edit: Citation from the Combat chapter:
A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit. If a spell causes ability damage or drain (see Special Abilities), the damage or drain is doubled on a critical hit.
This has been largely extended to any ability requiring an attack roll, though I don't know if there's a specific rule stating so. Note that a critical hit doesn't actually do anything special unless the ability inflicts some sort of damage, including hit point damage, ability damage, or ability drain. A critical hit with spit venom alone wouldn't do anything special---the target wouldn't be "extra blind" or anything.
A critical hit with spit venom alone wouldn't do anything special---the target wouldn't be "extra blind" or anything.
But would it deal the extra acid damage from Virulent Venom; yes/no?
Also from what I can gather through other posts on the matter, I will make the decision for myself that, no, the bleed from Hemorrhaging Venom does not increase on the crit.
Rays are the ones who qualify as "weapons". But all attack rolls can crit, weapin or not. Whether there's any effect to it depends on the attack.
Here, Spit Venom can crit - uselessly, for no effect - but Virulent Venom should indeed do double damage, at least for the acid part.
A critical hit with spit venom alone wouldn't do anything special---the target wouldn't be "extra blind" or anything.But would it deal the extra acid damage from Virulent Venom; yes/no?
Also from what I can gather through other posts on the matter, I will make the decision for myself that, no, the bleed from Hemorrhaging Venom does not increase on the crit.
Technically, Spit Venom by itself can crit because it has an attack roll. But, Spit Venom doesn't cause any actual damage, so even on a crit, nothing would be doubled.
Once you have Virulent Venom, if you crit with a Spit Venom, the damage would be doubled as per any critical attack.
The bleed damage from Hemorrhaging Venom does not double on a critical attack.
Wouldn't the duration be doubled on a crit? No the actual duration, but 2d6 of duration instead of 1d6? Usually, a crit deals "double damage", and although this is no hitpoint damage, it does cause eyesight damage (blinded).
For the Virulent venom damage, yes, double the dice.
I actually wonder if the damage would double. If we were talking about a sword with the corrosive enhancement, the acid damage wouldn't double. That is because precision damage and extra damage from weapon enhancements are not doubled.
Obviously, this isn't 'extra damage from weapon enhancements' but I think it is 'extra damage' and the core rule book can sometimes be imprecise in it's language.
I don't know if this has been clarified more anywhere else.
(I would probably allow it in my games)
Wouldn't the duration be doubled on a crit?
No, because crits double damage, not durations. Damage as a game term is a specific thing, it isn't anything that hinders or negatively effects your character.
I actually wonder if the damage would double. If we were talking about a sword with the corrosive enhancement, the acid damage wouldn't double. That is because precision damage and extra damage from weapon enhancements are not doubled.
Obviously, this isn't 'extra damage from weapon enhancements' but I think it is 'extra damage' and the core rule book can sometimes be imprecise in it's language.
I don't know if this has been clarified more anywhere else.
(I would probably allow it in my games)
Since it's both (a) direct and (b) the only damage being dealt by the spit, I'd consider it a primary effect and thus double it. Agreed that it's not exactly cut and dry, but that's how I'd roll. If the base ability spit a thorn for 1d2 piercing damage or something and the second ability added acid damage on top of that, I'd only double the piercing and not the acid.
Duration doesn't double, as duration isn't damage. The only things I can think of besides hit points, ability damage, and ability drain that typically double on a critical hit are negative levels when the attack comes from a creature with the energy drain universal monster ability, and that only because the ability specifically says so. There may be some other abilities with specific language extending that list.