- Yes, just like casting any other spell.
- Yes, when the spell indeed has a casting time of "1 standard action". You don't have to "hold the charge".
- No, unless you touch another eligible target instead.
Touch Spells and Holding the Charge: In most cases, if you don't discharge a touch spell on the round you cast it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the spell) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round until the spell is discharged. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates.
- Touching an eligible target discharges the spell. Whether, say, casting with your left hand and then using your right hand for mundane functions will prevent this, is up to your GM.
VRMH is correct.
1. Do spells with the range of touch provoke attacks of opportunity?
Yes, but only once. Firing a ray will provoke twice, (or once, if cast defensively) but a touch spell only provokes for casting, not for touching. If you cast defensively, you don't provoke, and you're now 'armed' so the touches themselves don't provoke.
Once held, however, if you use an unarmed strike or natural weapon to deliver the spell (hitting normal AC, not touch AC) then it will provoke if the attack would normally provoke.
2. Can the spell be cast, and used as part of a touch attack within the same standard action?
Technically it's a free action. This means you get one free attack as part of casting the spell, within the same round you cast it. So you can cast (Standard), move up to your speed (Move), then touch something (Free). After that round, it's either discharged, or held. If you hold it, you no longer get a free touch, you must use an action.
3. Should I miss my touch attack, is the spell used up?
Nope! Though if you cast any other spell, your touch spell dissipates.
4. Should I decide to store the spell, will touching anyone trigger the spell? Or do I have the option of using it only when I decide to release the power? For example, could I shake hands with a local merchant with a stored spell, only to use it right after to blindside a thief?
There's a big level of DM influence on this.
Touch spells in combat: "If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges."
Some folks say that "anything" includes a weapon you're holding, or gloves, or magic rings, or raindrops, etc. Basically walking around with a live wire in your hands.
Other, more reasonable folks say that it's deciding to actually touch something. Either with an attack, or petting a dog, etc.
Some folks go so far as to say if you don't make a touch attack (or unarmed/natural attack) then it doesn't count, so you can pretty much hold a charge as long as you want without worry. (This one seems to go a bit too far, IMO)
I loved it when a character in my group missed with his chill touch spell, but specifically held the charge. The character did not hit anyone in that combat after this, but maintained concentration for the charge.
His familiar was less than amused, in fact the chill touch made it unconscious, when he petted it to comfort it.
The character did not hit anyone in that combat after this, but maintained concentration for the charge.
Holding the Charge does not require concentration.
But yeah, poor bird.
And if he's over level 1, he would keep doing it. Zap! Picks up unconscious bird. Zap!
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So, if a touch attack is a free action, would the following scenario work.
Say I am playing a magus. I have prepared Shocking grasp twice in a day. My group is walking into an ambush, and I make the perception check to perform an action during the surprise round.
Could I cast Shocking Grasp during the surprise round, hold the charge, make a touch attack on the first round AND recast and use Shocking grasp on the same target twice. The way I see it, if a touch attack is a free action, this should work.
No. A Touch Attack is a free action ONLY DURING THE ROUND IT WAS CAST. If you hold the action, you must use an attack action to make your Touch Attack on ensuing rounds.
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So, if a touch attack is a free action, would the following scenario work.
Say I am playing a magus. I have prepared Shocking grasp twice in a day. My group is walking into an ambush, and I make the perception check to perform an action during the surprise round.
Could I cast Shocking Grasp during the surprise round, hold the charge, make a touch attack on the first round AND recast and use Shocking grasp on the same target twice. The way I see it, if a touch attack is a free action, this should work.
Spell combat would enable you to make the first attack with an already cast (and held) shocking grasp, then follow up with a second casting of shocking grasp in the same round, at a -2 penalty to each attack, as a full-round action. This would be assuming you are delivering the first attack with a melee weapon via spellstrike, leaving your off-hand free to cast spells and thus meeting the requirements for spell combat.