Please tell me if I did my Spellstrike correctly?

[gamerdork]

Had some not-so-positive feedback the other night in an online game, and would like to ask the community to make sure I used my Spellstrike ability correctly.

Before you reply, please do not assume that I did not try to look through these forums for appropriate answers - I did so, and have read and reread until my eyes hurt; but could not quite find what I am looking for.

And so here are the steps I took on the turn in which my use of Spellstrike was questioned. Please presume that all situational modifiers for spells and such listed below we're taken onto consideration:

1. I was enlarged, and threatening three enemy combatants
2. I declared that I would use Spellstrike, with 'shocking grasp' as the spell
3. I took my normal, single attack against target A (It so happens that I confirmed a critical hit and eliminated the target)
4. I then declared my free additional attack against target B, hitting and delivering the 'shocking grasp' spell (It so happens that the weapon damage plus spell damage eliminated that target as well

And so, after the combat ends there was some... 'discussion'... as to whether I did the process correctly. I posted the Spellstrike description from prd.com, but there were still some unbelievers, in particular about the fact that I (in a way) took three standard standard actions.

I do recall reading in at least one other thread about the process, and am nearly certain I did this correctly. And in fact, I believe the GM agreed with my process (cannot recall for certain). But here, I am just hoping to get either confirmation or correction from the community here. I guess I just want to make sure I was not cheating!

Thanks in advance for your kind support of a somewhat-newb PFS-er!

Game on!
- Corey

[Starglim]

The round that you described used both spellstrike and spell combat. Did you take the spell combat penalty to your attacks? It's also not clear when you cast the spell, whether an opponent threatened you at that time, whether you made a Concentration check or what weapon you used. Let's say you did all of that correctly:
1. You were enlarged and threatening three enemy combatants. Let's say they also threatened you.
2. You declared spell combat.
3. You took a normal attack with a one-handed or light weapon with a -2 penalty, dropping A.
4. You made a successful Concentration check to cast defensively.
5. You cast shocking grasp.
6. You delivered shocking grasp with spellstrike, making an attack at -2 penalty as a free action, dropping B.

This is a legal full-round action.

[Xaratherus]

Spellstrike allows you to deliver a touch spell via a weapon; Spell Combat allows you to actually cast a spell.

Used in conjunction, you can cast a spell, take any iterative attacks granted by your BAB, and then make one additional attack (in place of the free touch attack the casting of the touch spell grants); all attacks are made at a -2 penalty.

Assuming you took the appropriate penalty for having used Spell Combat, what you did was legal, but you may have stated them out of order; Starglim has the correct order.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

You can cast the spell, and thereby make an attack if appropriate, before or after the normal melee attacks allowed by your BAB when using Spell Combat.

[gamerdork]

This is great, thanks so much!

Sorry, I should have been more clear in what I did and not left out: my arcane failure and defensive casting checks were both successful. Then I made the attacks as I listed.

However, I did NOT use the spell combat rules. Still, even with a -2 penalty I would have produced the same results. Thankfully, else I would feel terrible for having unwittingly cheated.

So, it sounds like the only way to use Spellstrike WITHOUT spell combat, is to cast a touch range spell (with concentration, if appropriate), and then only get the one free attack - but none of my iterative attacks. To gain the iterative attacks requires the addition of spell combat. Do I state this correctly?

And in starglim's example, one could also put step 3 at the end of the process, correct?

Again thanks to all for the help!
- Corey

[Xaratherus]

gamerdork wrote:

So, it sounds like the only way to use Spellstrike WITHOUT spell combat, is to cast a touch range spell (with concentration, if appropriate), and then only get the one free attack - but none of my iterative attacks. To gain the iterative attacks requires the addition of spell combat. Do I state this correctly?

Correct. If you do not use Spell Combat, then you would use a standard action to cast a spell, and then could use Spellstrike to deliver that spell via your weapon. If you want to cast a spell, get the 'free' attack from the touch spell, and take all your iteratives, you have to use Spell Combat.

And yes, you can put step 3 from starglim's post at the end of the process.

Another thing to keep in mind (and this is helpful at early levels) is that you can take a five-foot step while taking a full-round action. That means if you're five feet from a foe, you can cast your spell (without provoking), step in, and then start your attacks.