Probably been answered elsewhere,but my Perception is low.
I'm DMing a game with a bit of a newer player who is running a Magus. A few issues have arisen regarding Concentration Checks, Spell Combat, and Spellstrike.
I will lay out my scenarios below, and if someone could confirm or correct me, I'd much appreciate it:
A. Magus attacks with a +6 on a single normal attack with his sword.
B. If Magus uses Spell Combat, his sword attack now becomes a +4, and he may cast a spell. However, he needs to make a Concentration Check to cast defensively or else he takes an AoO. He can subtract from his attack bonus to further bolster his Concentration check (up to Int bonus).
C. Magus wants to use Spell Combat & Spellstrike. He makes a normal attack at +4. Makes a concentration check to cast shocking grasp, and then delivers the attack with his sword, again at a +4. If he hits, he deals the spell damage in addition to his sword damage.
D. Magus wants to make a single Spellstrike attack. After making a Concentration Check, he makes a single attack at his full attack bonus.
Sound about right? Am I mussing something up?
Thanks in advance.
C. You could also:
1. From five foot away cast the spell, five foot step forward and take both attacks.
2. Concentrate, cast spell, take both attacks.
D. Doesn't require a concentration check. He could cast the spell the round before and then hold the charge. On the following round he takes his attack and delivers the spell with the attack. Or he could cast the spell (with a concentration check) and then attack with the sword to deliver the attack.
C. You could also:
1. From five foot away cast the spell, five foot step forward and take both attacks.
I am new so perhaps I don't understand however, I am under the impression that casting a spell is, most likely tho not always, a standard action. Attacking is a standard action. One can't perform two standard actions in the same round.
Not trying to get off topic, just trying to understand.
Thanks,
+J
C. You could also:
1. From five foot away cast the spell, five foot step forward and take both attacks.I am new so perhaps I don't understand however, I am under the impression that casting a spell is, most likely tho not always, a standard action. Attacking is a standard action. One can't perform two standard actions in the same round.
Not trying to get off topic, just trying to understand.
Thanks,
+J
Perfectly cromulent question:
The ability that is being discussed is from the Magus class in the book "ultimate magic" called Spell combat.
At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.p
As you can see this ability will allow one to both attack and cast a spell in the same full action. Combined with its other major ability, Spell strike:
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. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.
The magus can cast a spell and get two attacks out in the same round provided they use a touch attack spell.