Magus Spell Combat

[jmclaus]

Does the Spell Combat ability of the Magus count as a full attack action? It doesn't say explicitly that it does but it says that it functions as two-weapon fighting for the most part, which is a full attack action.

For example, could I fight defensively while doing so?

[meatrace]

IIRC it's not "counting as" it just can be used when you do full-attack.
So, yes, you can fight defensively, use Combat Expertise, power attack, anything else you would do when full attacking and you just take a -2 and can cast a spell as part of that action.

[jmclaus]

What about the Flurry of Maneuvers ability of the Maneuver Master Monk archetype? It grants a bonus combat maneuver during a full attack.

[Zenogu]

That sounds like it should work also

I like where this is going

[jmclaus]

In that case, here's a bit more info. I go pure swordlord (archetype) with a single dip into Maneuver Master and Spire Defender (2 free feats, +2 to saves, and those fantastic abilities).

Then, I use spell combat to disarm and my spell as sword hand to take their weapon (or other stuff if my disarm fails). My friend who I play most society games with is a tiefling with a full prehensile tail (i.e. alternate trait and the feat) so he can also freely grab weapons.

[Starglim]

It's not a full attack, but a unique full-round action.

The GM might decide that options allowed on a full attack, such as natural attacks, fighting defensively and some or all that you cited, work as part of a spell combat action in spite of RAW, as the magus rules hadn't been written when most of those options were published.

[Mucronis]

Spell Combat (Ex): 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

Yes You can replace those melee attacks with things You could normally replace them with, but by RAW, it is NOT a full attack action, it is a full round action. The functions much like two weapon fighting is fluff, just part of the description, and can not be used as groundwork for any rules argument (You could not take the TWF feats that enhance or add functions to TWF, and have it work on Spell combat.)

[Robert Young]

Most discussion regarding spell combat vs full attack action involve how you see Haste and its extra attack coming into play. The Magus has multiple options for granting himself Haste, but does Haste grant him an extra attack using spell combat? It would seem counter-intuitive for it not to, given the prevalence of spell combat to the class, but nothing actually states that spell combat qualifies as a full attack action. Have fun sorting this one out, and storming the castle!

[Grick]

There's a FAQ Request post here, if anyone is interested.

James Jacobs says haste should work with Spell Combat. He doesn't comment on all the other (ab)use of making SC a full-attack.