Touch Attack Question

[Under A Bleeding Sun]

So I am planning on using the new early entry rules to make a Monk (Sohei) 1/Sorcerer (Empyreal) 1/ Eldritch Knight 5/Mystery Cultist X for PFS. My main schtick is going to be using some of the cool touch spells (that casters dread using) through my fists. I have a few questions though.

First, I'm pretty sure if you cast a touch spell while you are holding a charge you loose the spell that your currently holding. I'm nearly positive I've read that before, but of course now that the ruling is relevant to me I can't find it;)

My main question is related but may have a different answer. I was planning on my main schtick being Elemental Touch found here. Now, according to how I'm interpreting it it seems that it is a personal spell where you aren't holding a charge, so I would be able to combine Elemental Touch with other touch attacks, and hold the charge with it. Does that seem right?

Any other suggestions on the character build would be appreciated too. Regards!

[Kazaan]

Correct on both counts. If you cast a spell with a range of touch (ie. Shocking Grasp) and held the charge for whatever reason, then cast, say, Light, that charge of Shocking Grasp would be gone.

Elemental Touch, mechanically speaking, isn't a touch spell. It has a range of personal and a duration meaning it's better classified as a self-buff. You cast it on yourself and, for the duration, you are able to make touch attacks. By contrast, an actual touch spell isn't cast on yourself nor does it have duration; it's just "cast" and delivered to the target by separate action and, unless otherwise noted, it's a single charge that persists ad infinitum if not delivered.

So, you can cast Elemental Touch first, then an actual Touch spell and you'll have both the Elemental Touch buff as well as the Touch spell charge and can deliver both via Unarmed Strike. This works best with multi-touch spells like Chill Touch or Frostbite. For added insult to injury, use Frostbite with Rime metamatic and take Magical Lineage(Frostbite) to keep it as a lvl 1 spell. Even at lvl 2, with Monk unarmed damage, you'll deal 1d6(Unarmed) + 1d6+1(non-lethal cold) + fatigue(no save) + entangled(no save). Then Elemental Touch comes at lvl 3 and if you use Acid or Electric damage from Elemental Touch, they get Sickened/Staggered respectively with a fort save.

[Bigdaddyjug]

You are correct about losing the charge if you cast another spell while holding the charge, although I don't know where the rule is stated.

Elemental Touch does give you an initial charge, but then has a lingering effect. I would say the lingering effect does not go away if you cast another spell.

And omg seeing that elemental touch spell is really making me want to do this same build and use my Ifrit boon with the Fire Starter alternate racial trait.

Edit: Kazaan, I don't think Elemental Touch lets you add 1d6 damage to all attacks for the duration, I ink it acts like a touch range spell with a lingering effect.

[Xaratherus]

1. If you cast any other spell while holding a charge - whether it's a touch spell or not - any held charges dissipate.

Combat - Touch Spells - Holding the Charge wrote:

Holding the Charge: If you don't discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the charge indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren't considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack normally doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.

2. Elemental Touch is an oddball effect in that you deliver it via touch, but it's not a touch spell - it's a [Personal] effect that grants you multiple touch attacks. So yes - you could cast it on yourself and continue to deliver its charges for the duration while also casting something like Frostbite.

As for suggestions, using Elemental Touch with Cold damage grants it the Cold descriptor, which thus makes it a valid target for Rime metamagic - so not only do they get fatigued if they fail their save, they get entangled with no save chance.

[Under A Bleeding Sun]

DANG!! Thats awesome! I didn't even think of Rime Spell! Good catch guys!

Unfortunately Wizard/Sorcerers don't get frostbite, so I was planning on using Chill touch to double up effects.

Thanks!