Ok,
So spell combat assumes that you are casting a spell with your off hand, what if you have still spell with, lets say shocking grasp, can you then use spell strike/spell combat with a weapon in a two-handed grip?
also during spell combat... can I attack with a weapon two-handed, let go of the blade with one hand, and then cast the spell with my off hand and get my spell strike attack in... suffering -2 to both attacks of course.
I think this is where the fuzzy logic is concerning spell strike and spell combat. I interpret it as spell strike being your first (and likely only till higher levels) attack in a round. being that you're 'charging' the blade with your spell, you cannot also cast a second spell. Spellstrike= cast spell into blade --> attack. Spell Combat= Blade attack, off-hand spell attack. You are not, as I understand it, Spellstriking (as per the ability)during spell combat.
The feasibility of silent spell'ing all of your touch spells so you may wield a two hander may not be what you want, when you consider the slot you're replacing may just have better touch spells awaiting you anyway.
as I read the second question, you're asking if you can place the blade attack sequentially with a spell, and thus you're now creating two standard actions in one round.
Spell combat specifies that you need a free hand for the full round action. Doesn't matter if you could otherwise cast the spell without a free hand.
...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.
The bolded part restricts you from using still spell to get around the free hand requirement, since the effect of still spell is to remove the somatic component from a spell.
As already pointed out by Cult of Vorg, spell combat takes a full round action. The italicized part of the quite prevents you from switching grips on your weapon while in the middle of using your spell combat ability. So you cannot two-handed grip a one handed weapon, attack with it, then still use spell combat to cast a spell in the same round.
@shadowmage: Spell Combat and Spellstrike can be combined.
Paraphrasing the rules, spell combat: make all your iterative attacks and cast a spell in the same turn. If that spell requires an attack roll you also make that free attack as part of casting the spell.
Spellstrike: Anytime you cast a spell that gives a free touch attack you may instead make an attack with your weapon - if the weapon attack hits you deal damage with the weapon and deliver your spell as well.
Combined: Make all your iterative attacks with your weapon, and cast a spell. If the spell uses a touch attack you may choose to make an extra melee weapon attack in place of the touch attack. If the melee weapon hits you do weapon damage and deliver the touch spell as well.
Spellstrike: Anytime you cast a spell that gives a free touch attack you may instead make an attack with your weapon
More specifically, any time you would be able to deliver a touch spell (that you cast, from the magus spell list), you can use your weapon instead. Spellstrike works with held charges. (I think you probably know this, and were speaking in the context of spell combat, I just wanted it to be clear for the thread)
Here's A Guide to Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat.
Spellstrike: Anytime you cast a spell that gives a free touch attack you may instead make an attack with your weaponMore specifically, any time you would be able to deliver a touch spell (that you cast, from the magus spell list), you can use your weapon instead. Spellstrike works with held charges. (I think you probably know this, and were speaking in the context of spell combat, I just wanted it to be clear for the thread)
Here's A Guide to Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat.
Well with that the ONLY build is a dex build, dervish dance, and a scimitar... strength builds fall WAY behind the curve.. if i understand it correctly then.
my 4th level character is already a strength build with power attack.. so I'm SOL.
Well with that the ONLY build is a dex build, dervish dance, and a scimitar... strength builds fall WAY behind the curve.. if i understand it correctly then.
This seems out of context. Were you intending to reply to me? My post had nothing to do with dex or power levels or anything. The guide I linked isn't telling you how you should build a character, it's just explaining the basic rules that the class uses.
There is no 'curve' unless the rest of your party are fully optimized and your GM is balancing encounters for a full party of combat-optimized characters.
There is no 'curve' unless the rest of your party are fully optimized and your GM is balancing encounters for a full party of combat-optimized characters.
No I was not responding to you.. just an observation.
have you been playing PFS as of late? Heck at tier 1 they are looking for 28+ perception rolls to not be surprised...
but its ok I can play around it, power attack may even the odds, but not by much.
Besides by what I understand I can still cast a touch spell.. step 5 foot in.. and unload on a THW Strike with power attack.. makes me wonder how it might work with Vital Strike
Besides by what I understand I can still cast a touch spell.. step 5 foot in.. and unload on a THW Strike with power attack.
Not only that, you can cast a spell, take a full move, and deliver it with both hands, etc.
makes me wonder how it might work with Vital Strike
Held charge only. Delivering the free attack you get from casting a touch spell is a free action, not an attack action. If you're holding the charge of a magus touch spell that you cast, and you use the attack action, you could get the extra weapon dice from vital strike and deliver the spell.
Besides by what I understand I can still cast a touch spell.. step 5 foot in.. and unload on a THW Strike with power attack.Not only that, you can cast a spell, take a full move, and deliver it with both hands, etc.
That's good to know..
makes me wonder how it might work with Vital StrikeHeld charge only. Delivering the free attack you get from casting a touch spell is a free action, not an attack action. If you're holding the charge of a magus touch spell that you cast, and you use the attack action, you could get the extra weapon dice from vital strike and deliver the spell.
ya way too circumstantial to use a feat on it... I already stabbed my self in the foot my taking a level of Samurai (Sword Saint) as I wanted to be a Kensai which is an actual Samurai (although the PFS adventures totally gloss over the rank and respect a Samurai would gain/demand to my total chagrin)
Spellstrike: Anytime you cast a spell that gives a free touch attack you may instead make an attack with your weaponMore specifically, any time you would be able to deliver a touch spell (that you cast, from the magus spell list), you can use your weapon instead. Spellstrike works with held charges. (I think you probably know this, and were speaking in the context of spell combat, I just wanted it to be clear for the thread)
Here's A Guide to Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat.
I really ought to favorite your guide to the magus Grick. Then not only can I ninja your responses, I can make sure all the questions get answered besides just the specific one being answered in any given thread. You and I have both responded to quite a few of these threads in just the last 6 months or so that I've perused the rules forums for entertainment. I imagine you've been answering these threads for a year or more now.
I know you've quoted one of the head honcho's before on the Magus and the free hand for spell combat. Can you include a link to that quote in your guide?
I can't edit the guide because it's too old. I've got a few revisions and stuff, but don't really feel like reposting the whole thing, or bumping it and adding it to the bottom of the comments. I would host it somewhere external, so I could keep it updated/fix typos/etc but it doesn't really seem worth it.
Anyway, if this is the quote you want, you could favorite that post, or add the link to a wishlist or something. Keep in mind the thread is about Spell Combat, Jason's short reply (presumably) isn't addressing Spellstrike.
Wait, I can edit the guide? SORCERY!!
Close but not the post. One of the Designers made a post about the Magus needing to keep the off hand free for the full round action.
Hrm. Closest I can find:
James Jacobs: "Unless you have a specific archetype that allows it, a magus can't use a two handed weapon and do spell combat with it."
I can't find any other relevant posts by JB/SKR/Rad-Mac by searching for spell combat, so if that post exists, they must not have mentioned it by name or quoted whoever they were replying to. (or I just can't find it)
But anyway, I don't think a dev quote is needed, since it's in the rules for spell combat.
Wait, I can edit the guide? SORCERY!!
Gasp. I've never seen that one before, thread necromancy and cloning yes, but not reincarnation. Its for a good cause though, so will sit back and watch it happen.