Improved Critical Ray

[Thranduil]

Why does it not affect ranged spell attacks like it should? This includes the Mythic version.

[hilburnashua]

Can you be specific in what the problem is? Last time I was playing a ray caster improved critical increased the threat range from 20 to 19-20 as it should.

[Thranduil]

I am doing the Midnight Isles DLC, and currently have the tailwind that makes rays 17-20. The tailwind applies corectly to Kinetic Blasts, but the Improved Critical and Improved Critical Mythic feats are not altering them at all.

[fox5s]

That's odd. I thought Kinetic Blasts were their own category. Separate from Rays. Could that be causing you confusion?

[Thranduil]

Perhaps, though why aren't they classified as Rays? Seems like unnecessary coding to me.

[Schlumpsha]

Because kinetic blasts and rays are differentiated in tabletop as well. The blasts are also split up between ranged attacks (for physical blasts) and ranged touch attacks (for energy blasts). Whereas rays are considered purely as ranged touch attacks.

[Thranduil]

For my future reference, are ranged touch attacks even considered a viable choice for Improved Critical? I do not recall seeing them on the list, but was specifically looking for Ray because it doesn't make sense to me to split it up.

I do get using normal ranged attacks for Physical damage options though.

[Cutlass Jack]

Ranged Touch is 'Touch' on the list. The range part doesn't matter for feat selection
Kinetic Blast is 'blast' doesn't matter if you're using it as an actual blast or blade.

As for it being viable...I don't see why not. May not be the best choice depending on build.

[fox5s]

Yes, they are. There's even a trickster build that makes for an excellent Ray caster due to being able to guarantee 20s making the extra crit multiplier from the Mythic version (which needs the base improved crit as a prereq) relevant.

The only barrier is the Base Attack prereq for Improved Critical itself. You can either wait it out or take some Loremaster and ignore that as a prereq.

[hilburnashua]

Ray casters are probably the highest single target damage dealers in the game once you hit level 15 with Hellfire ray. Very useful once you start seeing very high AC opponents with low touch AC. Even scorching ray is pretty solid earlier on.

[CRAGNAR]

Ray and kinetic blasts should be different.... I believe.

My kinetiscist does casually 100HP damage per hit. With improved critis, improved improved crits, increased threat range, etc, 250+ damage is no problem and becoming more and more common.