Got a Cleric touch attack power I'd love to use at range - and options out there for me?
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One quick option: Use Magic Device and a wand of Spectral Hand.
Level sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
1 min/level
A ghostly hand shaped from your life force materializes and moves as you desire, allowing you to deliver low-level, touch range spells at a distance.
Spiritualist Rings are a very expensive way to get Spectral Hand 3 times a day.
If it is a helpful power, the Varisian Pilgrim archetype from Inner Sea Magic can use it at 30'.
Benefit: You can alter a spell with a range of touch, close, or medium to increase its range to a higher range category, using the following order: touch, close, medium, and long.
Level Increase: Special. A reach spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level for each increase in range category. For example, a spell with a range of touch increased to long range uses up a spell slot three levels higher.
Spells modified by this feat that require melee touch attacks instead require ranged touch attacks.
Spells that do not have a range of touch, close, or medium do not benefit from this feat.
Another option, although not a great one unless you like what you get from the Feat investment to meet the prereqs, is taking the The Improved Eldritch Heritage Feat to get Long Limbs special ability from the Aberrant Bloodline.
Domain powers are not spells, so Spectral Hand and Reach Spell don't help.
Long Limbs just increases reach, it doesn't change it into a ranged touch attack. (Same with Lunge)
Caravan Bond (mentioned by Majuba) is great if you want to use the power on allies.
Its for the Visions of Madness ability, so neither reach spell nor caravan bond is going to help unfortunately.
The character is a dwarf with limited movement in combat - is UMD/Wand of Spectral Hand my only option here?
Also, while I've got an audience, Touch attacks resolve using your Strength bonus, correct? What kind of sense does that make?
Sorry, didn't know you were referring to a domain power.
Are we talking about a first-level character? If so, I'm drawing a blank on any way to really extend the range on that. At first, was going to suggest that if 3rd-party supplements were allowed, Frog God Games includes a set of meta feats that apply to spell-like abilities - but Reach isn't in there.
As a suggestion, for dwarven clerics I almost always take Travel as one of my domains, since it ups my base speed to equivalent to a medium-sized creature - and with the dwarf armor benefit you don't get slowed past that.
And yes, touch uses STR to hit; it's a melee 'attack' so to speak.
Domain powers are not spells, so Spectral Hand and Reach Spell don't help.
Domain powers *are* very frequently spell-like abilities, and the 1st-level abilities should be considered 1st-level spells for the level limit of Spectral Hand.
A ghostly hand shaped from your life force materializes and moves as you desire, allowing you to deliver low-level, touch range spells at a distance. On casting the spell, you lose 1d4 hit points that return when the spell ends (even if it is dispelled), but not if the hand is destroyed. (The hit points can be healed as normal.) For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of 4th level or lower that you cast can be delivered by the spectral hand.
Hrm, there is some precedent of allowing spectral hand to deliver spell-like abilities. See the devourer as an example; it has no spells at all, but has Spectral Hand as a spell-like ability, so I have to think they intend it to use SH to deliver its other touch spell-likes.
Domain powers are not spells, so Spectral Hand and Reach Spell don't help.Domain powers *are* very frequently spell-like abilities, and the 1st-level abilities should be considered 1st-level spells for the level limit of Spectral Hand.
A ghostly hand shaped from your life force materializes and moves as you desire, allowing you to deliver low-level, touch range spells at a distance. On casting the spell, you lose 1d4 hit points that return when the spell ends (even if it is dispelled), but not if the hand is destroyed. (The hit points can be healed as normal.) For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of 4th level or lower that you cast can be delivered by the spectral hand.
It was actually this line in the spell description that made it seem like a viable option:
The spell gives you a +2 bonus on your melee touch attack roll, and attacking with the hand counts normally as an attack.
To be honest, while I was hoping for a feat or some sort of permanent option, the Spiritualist Rings would fit the character concept very well...
The only thing I've found is a conductive crossbow and brilliant energy bolts, but will be following this thread and hoping for more.
-TimD
Domain powers *are* very frequently spell-like abilities, and the 1st-level abilities should be considered 1st-level spells for the level limit of Spectral Hand.
The problem isn't the level, the problem is that they're not spells.
"For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of 4th level or lower that you cast can be delivered by the spectral hand."
It doesn't work with wands, Sp, Su, or anything other than a spell you cast with a range of touch.
Hrm, there is some precedent of allowing spectral hand to deliver spell-like abilities. See the devourer as an example; it has no spells at all, but has Spectral Hand as a spell-like ability, so I have to think they intend it to use SH to deliver its other touch spell-likes.
"In addition to their soul-devouring touch, however, they also feature a wide range of lesser level- and energy-draining attacks that can be utilized at a distance via spectral hand, as well as abilities such as bestow curse and suggestion."
I take this to mean that the monster is special in that it can use spectral hand to deliver it's attacks.
It was actually this line in the spell description that made it seem like a viable option:
The spell gives you a +2 bonus on your melee touch attack roll, and attacking with the hand counts normally as an attack.
Attacking with it does count as an attack. You're attacking. Making an attack roll. That doesn't mean you can use the hand to perform any kind of attack you could normally.
Domain powers *are* very frequently spell-like abilities, and the 1st-level abilities should be considered 1st-level spells for the level limit of Spectral Hand.The problem isn't the level, the problem is that they're not spells.
"For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of 4th level or lower that you cast can be delivered by the spectral hand."
It doesn't work with wands, Sp, Su, or anything other than a spell you cast with a range of touch.
I completely agree with wands and Supernatural abilities (Su). However, I've struggled for a while with when do spell-like abilities count as spells, and when do they not, due to this line:
A spell-like ability has a casting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description. In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell. LINK, Univ. Monster Rules LINK
I *highly* believe that that quote can be taken out of context and extended too far. For instance, in no way, shape, or form do I believe that a spell-like ability qualifies you for prestige classes that require spell-casting (e.g. Arcane Trickster). However I do think they can operate as spells for some purposes.
The Universal Monster Rules do not use the language "cast", while the Core Rulebook does reference "casting time" (above). Needs clarification.
Needs clarification.
I agree completely.
The only thing I've found is a conductive crossbow and brilliant energy bolts, but will be following this thread and hoping for more.
-TimD
I believe a conductive ranged weapon can only be used with abilities that are already ranged, so it wouldn't help to make a melee touch ability a ranged touch.
Well you could throw your familiar at them. Via deliver touch spell through them thinger.
Well you could throw your familiar at them. Via deliver touch spell through them thinger.
Most clerics don't have a familiar. Also, even if they do, you have the same problem as spectral hand - the domain power isn't a spell.