Spell Strike and concentration

[Night_Shade]

Quick question, if I am in combat (as a Magus) and I use my spell combat ability to attack and cast a spell, using spell strike to deliver the spell, do I need to make a concentration check when I cast and deliver via spell strike ??

[Kazaan]

You only make the check when you cast. Delivery is a totally different issue to which concentration checks don't apply. If your delivery method provokes (ie. Whip w/out Whip mastery, Unarmed Strike w/out IUS, etc), then the delivery will provoke an AoO. For the spell itself, you can choose to cast normally in which case you provoke an AoO and, if it hits, it triggers a concentration check from damage. Or, you can cast it defensively where you take a likely easier concentration check by default and, if you fail, you spoil the spellcast but provoke no AoO either way.

[Nefreet]

Spell Combat/Spellstrike does not require any more concentration than casting a spell regularly.

[Cheapy]

Or any less!

[Night_Shade]

I thought that if you were in melee combat and cast a spell you had to make a concentration to avoid an AoO? My situation is I am a Magus and I was fighting a creature, I attacked and cast Shocking Grasp (via Spell Strike). In that situation I need to make a concentration to avoid an AoO?

[havoc xiii]

They thought you were asking if you had to roll a concentration check to channel the attack not cast it. I do believe.

[Night_Shade]

Yeah, I kind of asked it in an unclear manner (my bad). But that was what I was trying to figure out. I know that I can cast a spell and move up to attack (and deliver the spell) a creature, or cast and center it somewhere, or go ranged attacks... but I was just wondering about what would happen when I use spell combat and spell strike to attack and then deliver a spell with another attack.

[Starglim]

Night_Shade wrote:

I thought that if you were in melee combat and cast a spell you had to make a concentration to avoid an AoO? My situation is I am a Magus and I was fighting a creature, I attacked and cast Shocking Grasp (via Spell Strike). In that situation I need to make a concentration to avoid an AoO?

For casting the spell, yes. You can take a 5' step during spell combat if it helps.

[Night_Shade]

I can, but if I am toe to toe with a bad guy, I can't take a 5ft step back to spell combat/spell strike since I am not adjacent... guess I need to get lunge so I can do this.

Just making sure that if I am toe to toe and trying to spell strike that I have to succeed at a concentration check. BTW if I decide to only cast a spell via spell strike I still need a concentration check (right?).

[Kazaan]

Well, you could 5' step back if you make your melee attacks first, step back, and then use a ranged spell (ie. Scorching Ray) as your spell. You should always have a ranged backup ability to leverage for times like that. For gravy, if you take the Close Range arcana, you can even use those ranged spells as melee touch spells if that would serve to your advantage.

[Scavion]

Close Range would also give you something to spellstrike with cantrips. Ray of frost spellstrikes ftw.