Highlady Athroxis

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Dark Archive

Quick question on the Alchemist Discovery, Phantom Limb, from the Undead Slayer's Handbook. I was wondering if it would be mechanically considered an incorporeal touch attack.

Phantom Limb wrote:
The alchemist can manifest a ghostly, incorporeal arm that juts out from his torso. This phantom limb does not grant the alchemist any extra attacks or actions per round, and it cannot hold or grab anything (including incorporeal objects). The alchemist may use his phantom limb to make a touch attack against a foe as a standard action, scraping away at the very fibers of the victim’s soul. This attack deals 1d4 points of damage per alchemist level (Fortitude half ). Creatures that are immune to incorporeal attacks are immune to this damage, but otherwise the damage bypasses all forms of damage reduction except DR/ epic. The alchemist may suppress or activate this ability as a free action, and can use his phantom limb for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier (these rounds need not be consecutive). An alchemist must be at least 8th level to select this discovery.

Emphasis mine. The opening "flavor text" describes it as a ghostly, incorporeal arm, while the "flavor text" that follows its declaration as a touch attack describes it as scraping away something that is not physical, a soul. In addition, immunity to incorporeal attacks counters this ability.

I have not found any ruling that explicitly states only incorporeal creatures can make incorporeal touch attacks, only that some creatures are capable of making them (see blow).

Touch Attacks wrote:
Some attacks completely disregard armor, including shields and natural armor—the aggressor need only touch a foe for such an attack to take full effect. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll (either ranged or melee). When you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn't include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. All other modifiers, such as your size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally. Some creatures have the ability to make incorporeal touch attacks. These attacks bypass solid objects, such as armor and shields, by passing through them. Incorporeal touch attacks work similarly to normal touch attacks except that they also ignore cover bonuses. Incorporeal touch attacks do not ignore armor bonuses granted by force effects, such as mage armor and bracers of armor.

It seems to me like there are three options:

1.) The arm is incorporeal, and can pass through objects to ignore cover bonuses, just like an incorporeal touch attack.
2.) This is only a touch attack, the arm is not incorporeal mechanically, and it is not an incorporeal touch attack.
3.) This is only a touch attack. The arm is incorporeal mechanically, but it is not an incorporeal touch attack.

For context: My GM says the descriptive text means nothing mechanically. Personally, incorporeal, descriptive or not, means it has no physical substance, and the description and counter to the ability heavily imply this is an incorporeal arm. So my heart says #1.

What do you guys think? Which of the three is the right one for you?