[RPG] Coup de Grace and/or make a death attack with a touch spell

combatdnd-3.5esneak-attacktouch-attacks

This question has two components: firstly, can a character with Assassin levels trigger their Death Attack (after the three rounds of study, of course) by making a Coup De Grace against the helpless opponent they studied? Secondly, can I make a coup de grace and/or death attack with a melee touch spell such as Shocking Grasp, Vampiric Touch or Poison?

Best Answer

Let's check the definitions.

Death attack (emphasis mine):

If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage.

Coup de grace:

As a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.

Therefore

  • Yes, assassin does trigger Death Attack when makes coup de grace, provided he makes it with a melee weapon.
  • RAW, no. Complete Arcane (pp 85-86) tells us nothing about weaponlike spells and death attacks/coup de graces, and it features a list of things you can do with weaponlike spell. Wouldn't hurt to houserule otherwise, since you can sneak attack or critical hit with a weaponlike spell. FAQ agrees on this matter, albeit it mentions rays only:

Can you perform a coup de grace with a ray spell?

No. The coup de grace action specifically allows you to use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target (PH 154).

That said, allowing spells with a ranged touch attack to deliver a coup de grace against an adjacent target wouldn’t be an unreasonable house rule.

Complete Mage, Spell Compendium and Rules Compendium have no additional information on the subject.

Exception:

Spellwarp Sniper 5 gains the ability to coup the grace with a ray spell that deals hit point damage.

Ray Mastery You can deliver a coup de grace with a ray spell that deals hit point damage .You must be adjacent to your target to deliver the coup de grace .

This ability still doesn't allow to trigger Death Attack.