A thought just came to mind after reading a different thread ... I've always assumed like any other weapon attack, you get your STR bonus to touch attacks but is this right? After all, you are generally not doing damage from a physical strike and you don't add STR to damage rolls from touch attacks.
A thought just came to mind after reading a different thread ... I've always assumed like any other weapon attack, you get your STR bonus to touch attacks but is this right? After all, you are generally not doing damage from a physical strike and you don't add STR to damage rolls from touch attacks.
My understanding is that, yes, you get Str bonus to touch attacks as well. First, I don't know of any rules to the contrary -- a touch attack is simply an attack made against a different armor class. Second, bonus to hit and bonus to damage are two separate things (which is why Weapon Finesse gives you Dex to hit but not to damage).
Adding your strength bonus to hit represents being strong enough not to be blocked, stiff-armed, or whatever by your opponent. If you reach out to touch the BBEG and he simply shoves your arm aside (without touching your hand) then the spell doesn't connect. If you've got an arm like a piece of spaghetti, that's more likely to happen than if you've got an arm like a tree trunk.
str bonus to hit the target (or dex with finesse): yes
str bonus to damage the target: no
In that case a monk would only flurry touch attacks... that's not how it works.
You don't get you str bonus as damage to touch attacks, only to hit. You only need to get a finger on your adversary, not an entire fist that's punching.
Punching a guy in fullplate or touching that guy in fullplate with a shocking grasp is not the same.
If you want the str bonus to apply to damage you need to target the full AC, not touch AC.
Strength bonuses apply on all normal melee attack to hit rolls versus AC or Touch AC, just as dexterity bonuses apply to all normal ranged attack to hit rolls versus AC or Touch AC. Of course feats, spells, and abilities could alter this.
Do not worry too much about rationales or justification as to why this is the case. It is a simple game mechanic and it seems to work, so that is that.
Of course any DM could alter that as a house rule, but as it stands in the current rules strength would apply to melee touch attacks.
Whatever justification is used to make high strength more likely to hit a melee target (and I can't imagine what that rationale might be) ...
Check out a video of how an "X Block" works in karate. Basically, if I'm strong enough, I can keep you from being able to touch me by stopping your attack before it connects. Conversely, if you're strong enough, I can't. For a more sophisticated version, check out the 'stop hits" from jeet kune do (which in turn derive from similar techniques in wing chun).
Check out a video of how an "X Block" works in karate. Basically, if I'm strong enough, I can keep you from being able to touch me by stopping your attack before it connects. Conversely, if you're strong enough, I can't. For a more sophisticated version, check out the 'stop hits" from jeet kune do (which in turn derive from similar techniques in wing chun).Whatever justification is used to make high strength more likely to hit a melee target (and I can't imagine what that rationale might be) ...
This just makes me want to add STR bonus to my AC. Hmmm. Might be an interesting feat...