Point Blank shot on Sorcerer?

[Greywolf]

Keep seeing this recommended for building a sorcerer but not sure why? +1 to attack and damage rolls for ranged weapons within 30ft? How does the game define a ranged weapon? Is it just crossbows and bows ect or do spell attacks count as ranged weapons as well?

[SmallGespenst]

Point Blank applies to basically any ranged attack, so it'll effect spells that have accuracy checks, and it's a prerequisite for Precise Aim (at least I think that's the name) the feat that disables the "shooting into combat" penalty

[steventirey]

If the spell requires a ranged attack roll, it counts as well. This is also true for the -4 penalty on ranged attacks for firing into a melee, which the Precise Shot feat (which requires Point Blank Shot) removes. You also get the +1 damage on the damage roll for cantrips as well. (Likely for other spells as well, just haven't bothered to test that yet.)

[NightWatch]

Some feats do work for both ranged and spells. It really depends on the spell though. Like precise shot for ranged touched spells. Don't listen to the recommendations it's probably cause you have high dex and they get goofy. I tend to look up the feats to see if it would work with what I'm trying to build.

[Super Cosmic Space Magnet]

That one kinda bewildered me too when I was starting out in this game. Ranged Touch Spells require you to hit the target - they behave exactly like a fired projectile from a bow or whatever, except they target the enemy's Touch AC rather than regular AC. All the traits that apply to ranged attacks apply to ranged touch attacks too. This means Precise Shot and Point Blank Shot are extremely useful!

It also means you can get Weapon Specialisation into Ray spells.


What's more complicated is why I'm getting Point Blank Shot recommended to my Mad Dog Barbarian's boar.

[Soul]

you pretty much want point blank shot AND precise shot.... otherwise you suffer a -4 penalty to hitting a target that is in melee with one of your party members....

[gmwaddington]

I ended up taking Point Blank Shot on my sylvan sorcerer mercenary because it's a bloodline feat (along with Precise Shot).

[SmallGespenst]

it's worth noting that while point-blank and Precise Shot are extremely important for most spellcasters, it's entirely possible to run an effective spellcaster without either if you specialise in template and save based spells like Boneshaker and Burning hands, as there are a decent number of spells that skip hitting and just damage the target.

[NightWatch]

I didn't get them on my MC, and I'm running with a Eldritch Scion strength build. I'm also using pretty much all melee touch spells and wands though.

[Steffan]

Originally posted by NightWatch:

I didn't get them on my MC, and I'm running with a Eldritch Scion strength build. I'm also using pretty much all melee touch spells and wands though.

I run melee-ish sorcerer who went legend, got 13 levels of a magus, shapeshifts as a dragon and now it does a lot of damage. Strength is way easier to buff than dex. ES greatest asset is his magus arcana, though.

But yes, for a ranged sorcerer point blank shot is very useful.

[NightWatch]

Originally posted by steffan8:

I run melee-ish sorcerer who went legend, got 13 levels of a magus, shapeshifts as a dragon and now it does a lot of damage. Strength is way easier to buff than dex. ES greatest asset is his magus arcana, though.

But yes, for a ranged sorcerer point blank shot is very useful.

Yah it is. Almost level 11 but i did the 1 level dip as scaled fist and oracle. Then I did ES (Trickster} and will ride it out from there.

[ayrtep]

For strong magic users you should specialise.

For ray attacks you need to pass a 'to hit attack roll', however opponents do not get a reflex save.

For AOE attacks you do not need a to hit roll, however opponents do get a reflex save.

For sorcerers that specialise in ray attacks you need point blank, weapon focus ray, precision, improved critical ray, maybe critical focus and similar. However you don't need to bother much with spell focus feats.

If you don't want to specialise in ray attacks your don't need the ray feats and point blank etc. However you need all the spell focus feats.

[mudakonn]

Ray attacks without sneak dice are kind of half baked - ray attacker needs to be specialized to the hilt. Not a beginner friendly class and you end up being a one tail pony if this is your MC - spam ray attacks all game long. I am not sure i would want my MC to be that narrow.

I think most fun is to have versatile MC who can do many things otherwise You get bored of clicking the same routine 100+ times

[hilburnashua]

Originally posted by mudakonn:

Ray attacks without sneak dice are kind of half baked - ray attacker needs to be specialized to the hilt. Not a beginner friendly class and you end up being a one tail pony if this is your MC - spam ray attacks all game long. I am not sure i would want my MC to be that narrow.

I think most fun is to have versatile MC who can do many things otherwise You get bored of clicking the same routine 100+ times

Sir, you are being brought up on charges of heresy by the Temple of Hellfire and Scorching Ray Evangelical Society.