Scorching Ray and Combat Magic


Round 3: Revised Magus Discussion


Alright, how does Scorching Ray (and other spells that produce multiple attacks) work with Combat Magic? Should you split the 3 rays it can produce into 3 attacks? Do you just assume it is all cast at once, adding the damage together and lose the ability to hit multiple targets? Can you make some attack at range and some go onto your weapon?


I assuming you meant Spell Strike from the magus? If so then here you go;

Spellstrike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts
a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell
list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is
wielding as part of a melee attack. If successful, this
melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the
effects of the spell. Instead of the free melee touch attack
normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make
one free melee attack with his weapon as part of casting
this spell. If used with spell combat, this does not grant
an additional attack.

Scorching Ray is not a Touch range spell so it is not used for this ability. A better spell for this is Shocking Grasp for example.

But as for your primary question Scorching Ray would stay all together regardless of the number of rays. For example; Player A has a +1 Spell Storing Dagger and casts Scorching Ray into it. Player A hits an Orc, he would then roll damage for his dagger as normal and then as a free action cast scorching ray with the orc as the target. So all the rays would target the orc and be rolled to see if they hit as normal.

Liberty's Edge

Due to the Close Range arcana, it CAN be used with Spellstrike. I would probably say each attack can hold no more than one ray, but a magus can hold onto rays for future attacks.


Lyrax wrote:
Due to the Close Range arcana, it CAN be used with Spellstrike. I would probably say each attack can hold no more than one ray, but a magus can hold onto rays for future attacks.

I don't agree with this. It makes sense for a touch spell to be held in a weapon only because they can be held in hand under normal rules. The ray is instantaneous. I would rule that since it is being cast as part of a strike it should be all against 1 target. It would need seem unreasonable for it to be ruled that the spell is cast as normal and can hit multiple targets.

1 question I have is whether the touch attack of the rays must still be made in either case.

Liberty's Edge

If you're putting your rays into a sword, and then hitting the bad guy with the sword, then no you don't need to roll any additional touch attack. Just the sword attack.

Your interpretation is probably better, and more consistent with the behavior of rays.


Lyrax wrote:
Due to the Close Range arcana, it CAN be used with Spellstrike. I would probably say each attack can hold no more than one ray, but a magus can hold onto rays for future attacks.

Sorry, but the may I read it you get all rays at once - but you can keep it and deliver it with another attacker of the first one misses.


Since you're only making a single melee attack to discharge the spell through the weapon, I would rule the rays would only hit the target of your attack (with no extra attack rolls needed for he rays), kind of like spellstoring.

Liberty's Edge

Actually, Close Range specifically states that it only works with single-target spells. You can't use Scorching Ray with it at all.


Lyrax wrote:

Due to the Close Range arcana, it CAN be used with Spellstrike. I would probably say each attack can hold no more than one ray, but a magus can hold onto rays for future attacks.

I didn't see that arcana the first time i read it through. So Scorching Ray is a valid spell for it. With all rays hitting the one target.

Soullos wrote:

Since you're only making a single melee attack to discharge the spell through the weapon, I would rule the rays would only hit the target of your attack (with no extra attack rolls needed for he rays), kind of like spellstoring.

Correct on the first part, only thing wrong is that the spell from Spell Storing is cast as a free action, meaning you still have to make the attack rolls to hit.

Spell Storing

A spell storing weapon allows a spellcaster to store a single targeted spell of up to 3rd level in the weapon. (The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action.) Anytime the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires. (This special ability is an exception to the general rule that casting a spell from an item takes at least as long as casting that spell normally.) Once the spell has been cast from the weapon, a spellcaster can cast any other targeted spell of up to 3rd level into it. The weapon magically imparts to the wielder the name of the spell currently stored within it. A randomly rolled spell storing weapon has a 50% chance to have a spell stored in it already.


JRutterbush wrote:
Actually, Close Range specifically states that it only works with single-target spells. You can't use Scorching Ray with it at all.

What it actually says is "These spells must have only one target." which could mean what you said or it could mean that all the rays have to hit one target. The only person who can clarify this is Jason who would know what the design intent was.


Seeker of skybreak wrote:
JRutterbush wrote:
Actually, Close Range specifically states that it only works with single-target spells. You can't use Scorching Ray with it at all.
What it actually says is "These spells must have only one target." which could mean what you said or it could mean that all the rays have to hit one target. The only person who can clarify this is Jason who would know what the design intent was.

(bump)

The Spellstrike+Close Range Arcana+Scorching Ray combo is puzzling me too

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