Why I Think Spellstrike Doesn't Hold Charges

[Merck]

Sir Morgan of Devil's Perch wrote:

Number of posters that wish they never looked at this thread: At least 1

Lets make it two shall we.

[Asteldian Caliskan]

If the Magus cannot hold a charge in his sword hand then that makes it pretty sucky.

The choice between being able to make a touch attack (low AC target) or using your weapon (more damage, possible crit but much less chance of success) is what the Magus must consider when using Touch attacks. By not allowing the charge to be held you are now also making the Magus decide between the above AND the fact that he loses his spell if he misses - which he has a higher chance of doing due to non touch AC.

So, the Magus has less spells than a real caster, harder to hit AC when using his class ability and now also the loss of being able to reuse the spell if he misses. Why would you ever use your spellstrike ability?

What about one of the Magus Archetypes where the sword is one of force? He creates it himself, its essentially part of him, are you saying that he cannot hold a charge in a sword that exists only becuase he wills it to?

[Grick]

Asteldian Caliskan wrote:

If the Magus cannot hold a charge in his sword hand then that makes it pretty sucky.

There's two things there:

1) The proposal that a magus cannot hold a charge, at all, if he attempts to use Spellstrike to deliver the free attack granted as part of casting. (Top Post)

2) The idea that a touch spell must be held in specific place, like a hand, claw, teeth, (or sword) chosen at either the time of casting, or the time the charge becomes held. (This came up about halfway through the thread, and is not directly magus related, it would apply to any spellcaster using touch spells.)

[concerro]

Bascaria wrote:

concerro wrote:

I would change "anything" to "any creature or non attended object not held by the caster."

The end of that sentence is unnecessary. A non-attended object is by definition not held by anyone. Anything held by the caster is by definition attended.

Just "any creature or unattended object" will do.

True. I got a bit too wordy with that one.

[Asuna]

Grick wrote:

Asteldian Caliskan wrote:

If the Magus cannot hold a charge in his sword hand then that makes it pretty sucky.

There's two things there:

1) The proposal that a magus cannot hold a charge, at all, if he attempts to use Spellstrike to deliver the free attack granted as part of casting. (Top Post)

2) The idea that a touch spell must be held in specific place, like a hand, claw, teeth, (or sword) chosen at either the time of casting, or the time the charge becomes held. (This came up about halfway through the thread, and is not directly magus related, it would apply to any spellcaster using touch spells.)

That idea being annoying is why I was likening it to a body that is charged in reality. The charge is evenly spread across the entire body, and discharges from any encounter point between the charged body and the uncharged body. Trying to determine any kind of specific body part for the charge to be held in is needlessly complex.

That said, this interpretation would mean that if a Wizard was holding a Shocking Grasp charge at the end of battle, and he forgot to dismiss or discharge it before his buddy came up and slapped him on the back, then that spell would discharge into his buddy. I don't think that's a ridiculous thing to expect to happen, though. It even feels like RAI, and it is RAW as far as I know.

[Soldier Number1]

Well,

Frankly suprised there no official word on this, so rather then creating a new thread, figure I'll bump this and maybe we can get a FAQ ruling to settle the matter.

Personally I think it simply means one can deliver a touch spell through a weapon strike. That includes spells that provide a touch attack to the caster that have a range of touch (Chill Touch/Frostbite) for example, both which allow multiple touch attacks while the spell is in effect and later on potential to get the Dreaded Calcific Touch.

I do however agree with it being considered holding a charge to avoid players from stocking up effects, given by the reason one cannot have both Frostbite and Chill Touch affecting them at the same time (resulting in a nasty touch attack, unless you again choose to adjudicate that they must fire off seperate)

SO PLEASE press the FAQ button, or else god kills a kitten.

[wraithstrike]

Hit the FAQ button if you have not already. Maybe this bump will get others to FAQ it though.

[Cheapy]

I find it strange that you'll listen to the devs on this issue, but not on Crane Style.

FAQ'd.

[Soldier Number1]

Oh its not me, I tend to take what the devs say as "irrefutable" (sp) thus why such a big thing with the Magus class to me is exactly what is going on with Spellstrike, particularly HOW one goes about delivering said touch attacks as in my own interest its stuff like chill touch and what have you...I like the whole magic sword concept.

[Ashenfall]

We apologize for the fault in this thread. Those responsible have been sacked.

[Soldier Number1]

And maybe we can get a Chill touch answer while were at it..