We've been fighting our way through the Dungeon of Never-Ending Incorporeal Undead Hell, and we're rather underequipped and undertacticked. In particular, we just found our first ghost touch weapon, which means we will finally be able to attack effectively. (No, our sorcerer doesn't know any force spells, but thanks for asking.)
I'm wondering how ghost touch interacts with spellstrike. In particular:
Incorporeal (Ex) An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it takes only half damage from a corporeal source (except for channel energy). Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature. Force spells and effects, such as from a magic missile, affect an incorporeal creature normally.
Ghost Touch: A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures, regardless of its bonus. An incorporeal creature's 50% reduction in damage from corporeal sources does not apply to attacks made against it with ghost touch weapons.
So what happens when our magus decides to use spellstrike to deliver his empowered maximized 36d6 middle-finger-of-overkill through a ghost strike sword? Does the spell damage get halved or not? Similarly, if he used a non-damaging touch spell, would it still have the 50% fizzle chance?
Looks to me like the second sentence under the ghost touch property spells it out clearly enough. The weapon, and any effects attached to it, will do full damage against incorporeal creatures.
Ghost touch makes the weapon be considered an incorporeal source for the spell. So the spell does full damage I believe.
This is an interesting question.
Reading the abilities, the ghost touch ability states that the weapon deals its damage normally against incorporeal creatures. It goes on to state that the incorporeal creature's 50% reduce from corporeal sources does not apply to attacks made with a ghost touch weapon.
Nowhere does it imply that you (or your weapon) stop being a corporeal source, however.
I would have to rule that the weapon deals its full damage, but the spell is still reduced. Ghost touch does not change the fact that you are a corporeal source of damage, it only negates the defense for the weapon.
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This is an interesting question.
Reading the abilities, the ghost touch ability states that the weapon deals its damage normally against incorporeal creatures. It goes on to state that the incorporeal creature's 50% reduce from corporeal sources does not apply to attacks made with a ghost touch weapon.
Nowhere does it imply that you (or your weapon) stop being a corporeal source, however.
I would have to rule that the weapon deals its full damage, but the spell is still reduced. Ghost touch does not change the fact that you are a corporeal source of damage, it only negates the defense for the weapon.
So, since the person wielding the weapon is technically a corporeal source, would you cut the strength damage in half? If the weapon had other enchantments would you cut those in half as well?
Using a ghost touch longsword would you make the damage = 1d8 + (STR/2)?
If sword had holy enchant would you make the damage = 1d8 + (2d6)/2 + (STR/2)?
If enchants (like holy) do full damage, then spell storing does full damage. If spell storing does full damage, there is no reason for spell strike to not do full damage.
So, since the person wielding the weapon is technically a corporeal source, would you cut the strength damage in half? If the weapon had other enchantments would you cut those in half as well?
Strength — No, it would not be reduced because they are added to the weapon's damage. (Note how the weapon multiplies them on a critical hit.)
Additional Damage from Other Sources — Yes, because that's not part of the weapon damage. Examples: flaming, sneak attack, etc.
If enchants (like holy) do full damage, then spell storing does full damage. If spell storing does full damage, there is no reason for spell strike to not do full damage.
Yes, I would reduce Holy's damage. Even against ghosts. Because it's still additional damage from a non-weapon source that isn't channel energy. The incorporeal trait is pretty clear about what it reduces and what it doesn't reduce.
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So, since the person wielding the weapon is technically a corporeal source, would you cut the strength damage in half? If the weapon had other enchantments would you cut those in half as well?Strength — No, it would not be reduced because they are added to the weapon's damage. (Note how the weapon multiplies them on a critical hit.)
Additional Damage from Other Sources — Yes, because that's not part of the weapon damage. Examples: flaming, sneak attack, etc.
If enchants (like holy) do full damage, then spell storing does full damage. If spell storing does full damage, there is no reason for spell strike to not do full damage.Yes, I would reduce Holy's damage. Even against ghosts. Because it's still additional damage from a non-weapon source that isn't channel energy. The incorporeal trait is pretty clear about what it reduces and what it doesn't reduce.
Sneak, specifically, is definitely from the weapon, as it does the exact same damage type as the weapon used.
Holy is part of the weapon, so it should do full attack.
The main thing to remember, from the ghost touch enhancment, is that the weapon is now considered both corporeal and incorporeal in every aspect. If that incorporeal creature disarms that ghost touch weapon, it could pick that weapon up and wield it itself, unlike a normal weapon.
So, IMO, since the spellstrike uses the weapon as its delivery system, it would be subject to being delivered by the weapon. If you were trying to use spellstrike with a brilliant energy weapon against a construct, nothing would happen, since it specifically says that a brilliant energy weapon does not affect non-living opponents...
Which is also why I get headaches trying to decide how to handle Magus's spellstrike as delivered by a normal whip without the Whip Mastery feat. Would the shocking grasp affect the target, or would it, like the regular whip damage, be unable to penetrate armor?
Think of it like sewing. You can't push a thread through a piece of fabric. So you take that thread and attach it to a needle. Now, with the needle leading the way, the thread can easily pierce the fabric.
Like kinevon says, a ghost touch weapon is entirely in phase with incorporeal beings. If a ghost magus was using a ghost touch weapon would you have its spell strike only do half damage to a corporeal target?