Can I use arcane strike with acid splash?

[Magpied]

Rays are considered weapons, right?

[awp832]

Upon reading the FAQ, I'm inclined to say, yes you can.

[Magpied]

Which FAQ?

[awp832]

eeeeeee...... now I'm waffling. I was referring specifically to this FAQ: Rays and this one Rays Again. Upon reading Acid Splash however, Acid Splash is not technically a ray. It is an effect of one missile of acid. How that is different, I don't know, but apparently there is some distinction.

I would certainly allow it, I'd say most GMs would, but technically...... technically... acid splash isn't a ray, the FAQ wouldn't apply.

[Magpied]

But the frost cantrip should work?

[awp832]

yeah, ray of frost should work.

[Bigdaddyjug]

Ray of Frost would definitely work.

There is some debate as to whether spells like Acid Splash, Acid Arrow, and Snowball count as rays.

[Benrislove]

I really wish "ray" wasn't a thing, and the term was "weapon-like spells" IE any spell that requires an attack roll, but shrug.

Acid splash is sketchy, ray of frost works for sure.

[Kazaan]

Well, working with Acid Splash is a no-go because Acid Splash doesn't create anything that qualifies as a weapon. Rays are weapons, but Missiles of Acid aren't. But even if it were a ray, you spend a swift action to "imbue your weapons". What is there to imbue before you fire the ray? There's no weapon to effect because the weapon "spawns into existence" at the moment you fire it and is gone in an instant. So I'd argue that, even if "Rays and Ray-Like" qualified as weapons, it still wouldn't qualify under Arcane Strike because there's no practical target for the ability. But if there's precedent for Arcane Strike to affect the user directly, then it might be applicable, though for Rays only.

[Tels]

Hmm, my Admixture Wizard might need to pick up Arcane Strike. For the lulz if for nothing else. Shooting a 1d3+8 cantrip at level 10 is kind of funny.

[SlimGauge]

I agree with Kazaan

[insaneogeddon]

Good hope and bard music also add!

[FrodoOf9Fingers]

"As a swift action, you can imbue your weapons with a fraction of your power. For 1 round, your weapons deal +1 damage and are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. For every five caster levels you possess, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level."

Hmm... If a magus uses arcane strike and then picks up a weapon that doesn't belong to him, does he still get the bonus with attacks involving the weapon he just picked up?

[Paulicus]

In that case he'd be better served by simply using arcane strike after picking up the weapon.

Though I only just realized arcane strike says "weapons" and not "weapon."

[FrodoOf9Fingers]

He would be, but said game with said GM is a nazi, and the magus slipped and said he was using arcane strike, and then he said he'd pick up the weapon.

I personally interpret it as any weapons you use until the start of your next round makes it simpler. If you have catch arrows, and you caught a dagger and then threw it back immediately, would it get the arcane strike bonuses? It'd be simpler to say yes in my opinion.

[Rikkan]

It says your weapons gain the bonus, not the weapons you hold or the weapons in your possession. Thus you'd get the bonus when picking up a weapon later, or casting a weapon-like spell later.