It says you can use this touch attack up to 1/level...does that mean you can touch the same creature, 20 times, at level 20, to do 20d6 damage in one round?
No. You can only touch them a limited number of times per round.
As part of casting the spell, you get one opportunity to touch your opponent on the same round. After that, nothing specifies what sort of action it is to touch someone with an already "Armed" spell. The rules say that you can touch with a spell as an attack of opportunity, indicating that it is an attack action. This would limit your 20th level caster to 2 attacks per round with chill touch, at most. (and still only 1 on the round it was cast)
One of the developers wrote a post a while back hinting that you could only make 1 touch attack per round, but it was a little fuzzy on the matter of touch attacks that were already active.
When you cast the spell (a standard action) you get a free touch attack as part of the casting.
If you are still holding the charge in following rounds, you can make additional touch attacks, limited only by your base attack bonus. In later rounds, a single attack will be a standard action (or an attack action). Multiple attacks in later round will be a full round action (or a full attack action).
Keep in mind that as a touch attack your target's touch AC is liable to be much lower than his physical AC. If the difference between the 2 numbers is large enough the chill touch can actually produce a higher DPR than a melee attack because the hit percentage with a melee attack would be so low.
The best use for chill touch ive found is on a spell storing weapon. The way we have been playing it , and the way I usnderstood it , is when you hit with the chill touch club the spell discharges and then remains on the club for a number of extra attacks equal to the level of the person that stored it for you. So like a level 6 casting chill touch on my spell storing great sword would give me 6 chill touch attacks with it.
The first few times we used this spell we got the wording wrong , like most people do, and let our level 14 wiz do 14 chill touches to the target a round. In fact he made a character based around it with quicken rods and maximized. Base the concept around neji from naruto.
Chill Touch
School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Targets creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial or Will negates; see text; Spell Resistance yes
A touch from your hand, which glows with blue energy, disrupts the life force of living creatures. Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage. The touched creature also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level.
An undead creature you touch takes no damage of either sort, but it must make a successful Will saving throw or flee as if panicked for 1d4 rounds + 1 round per caster level.
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And you need to cast the spectral hand first or you'll lose the chill touch spell.
I've had a lot of luck with getting undead to flee with chill touch in CoT.
I usually take Chill Touch for a low level repeating strength damage spell to give me something to do from round to round against groups or low priority threats. The fact that it doubles as "undead be gone" is rather nice.
But spectral hand is still limited to 1 attack per round right?It makes it more worthwhile for sure since you aren't standing next to whoever slugging it out. I myself have a monk sorcerer build with all of the touch spells and the aberrant bloodline (10' reach for touch attacks). Dude can get his AC in the high 30's and still has a +7 to hit on touch attacks at 8th level. Never over look something that hits touch AC. Hell touch of fatigue is even very good if used in the right way and thats 0 level.Keep in mind that as a touch attack your target's touch AC is liable to be much lower than his physical AC. If the difference between the 2 numbers is large enough the chill touch can actually produce a higher DPR than a melee attack because the hit percentage with a melee attack would be so low.Well, yes, but if i wanted to make a character that does nothing but stand at close range and attack once or twice a round, i would roll a fighter.
I dont suppose spectral hand makes this spell more worthwhile?
Actually, it might be one of the few spells that allow you to full attack with touch attacks (with each touch counting against your limit per casting). Furthermore, note that since you are holding the charge on the spell, you lose all remaining charges if you cast any other spell.
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Chill touch is also fun for a rogue with the Major Magic talent. sure you will only cast it twice a day, but you will get your level in touches from each casting, can sneak attack with it (since it requires a to-hit role), and can be used as a second weapon for TWF :-D. Can shorten fights quite a bit.
Combine with the "Crippling Strike" talent for a possible -3 str per hit. By the time you get that, you can touch someone 2 times a round, hit them 2 more times with your main hand, have the possibility to do 10 points of str damage per round. Great fun.
Unless a 20th level wizard, makes a magic item, with caster level 20. Stick this on a Potion.
Then watch that monk using flurry of blows, hitting for 5 attack per round, spend 4 rounds using up the 20 attacks.
Potion of Chill Touch
Caster Level: 20
Cost: 500 gold
Creation cost: 250 gold
Ya my mistake, was looking at page 551, were it listed Base cost.
So need to look at page 478 retail cost
Price: 1000
Base cost: 500
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Unless a 20th level wizard, makes a magic item, with caster level 20. Stick this on a Potion.
Then watch that monk using flurry of blows, hitting for 5 attack per round, spend 4 rounds using up the 20 attacks.
Potion of Chill Touch
Caster Level: 20
Cost: 500 gold
Creation cost: 250 gold
Problem with this as a potion. Or at least a potential one, is this line in the PRD:
Potions are like spells cast upon the imbiber. The character taking the potion doesn't get to make any decisions about the effect—the caster who brewed the potion has already done so. The drinker of a potion is both the effective target and the caster of the effect (though the potion indicates the caster level, the drinker still controls the effect).
So, the second sentence could be read that the drinker does not get to choose targets for the spell (since the target was already chosen), and the third sentence states that the drinker of the potion is the target. So, at least by my understanding, drinking a Chill touch potion made by a lvl 20 caster would be the effect of being hit with 20 rays of chill touch. (ouch!)
It would be better to create a magic item that allows the monk to cast the spell himself (or at least activate the item and have it cast the spell for him, like a flame tongue sword).
Oh well, will look at other magic items latter, bed time, and do not feel like spending 4 hours working it up and then double checking it against rules in 3-5 different locations just to make sure everything fits tonight.
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Oh well, will look at other magic items latter, bed time, and do not feel like spending 4 hours working it up and then double checking it against rules in 3-5 different locations just to make sure everything fits tonight.
I have had nights like that.
But that above ruling has made for a fun time with a potion of vampiric touch. it is like Montezuma's revenge in a bottle. Made by a 10th level caster, the drinker takes 5d6 damage, and immediately gains the same amount in temp hit points, which then go away 1 hour later. Can be a shocker for the party if they fail to check that the potion is what it is labeled as.
Oh well, will look at other magic items latter, bed time, and do not feel like spending 4 hours working it up and then double checking it against rules in 3-5 different locations just to make sure everything fits tonight.
I have had nights like that.
But that above ruling has made for a fun time with a potion of vampiric touch. it is like Montezuma's revenge in a bottle. Made by a 10th level caster, the drinker takes 5d6 damage, and immediately gains the same amount in temp hit points, which then go away 1 hour later. Can be a shocker for the party if they fail to check that the potion is what it is labeled as.
LOL it could be a way to stock up on temp hp before a fight if you have a healer on hand, but absolutely hilarious otherwise. XD So throwing one into the next campaign I run.