Question Regarding Dazzling Display

[Neal Litherland]

So, Dazzling Display is a favorite feat for intimidation builds. My question is do we have any official rulings saying how it interacts with magical attacks?

You can, for example, take Weapon Focus (Ray) or Weapon Focus (Touch Attack). So, based on nothing more than the requirements listed, you should be able to make a magical Dazzling Display. An action not dissimilar to the painting in which the iconic wizard and rogue are being ambushed, and the wizard's hands are surrounded with glowing energy.

As with lots of rules, we all have opinions on how we would rule it at our tables. I'm looking for official mentions, and whether there's a specific section I've missed somewhere that says you cannot do this, or which requires a spell to be cast and held in order to do it. Page numbers and/or links would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[My Self]

The feat requires you to be wielding the weapon at the time you attempt to intimidate. If you aren't wielding/holding a charge to a ray, you can't intimidate with it. If you aren't wielding/holding a charge to a touch attack, you can't intimidate with it.

[Gisher]

You can take Weapon Focus (Touch Attack)? I don't see that on the list.

[Neal Litherland]

My Self wrote:

The feat requires you to be wielding the weapon at the time you attempt to intimidate. If you aren't wielding/holding a charge to a ray, you can't intimidate with it. If you aren't wielding/holding a charge to a touch attack, you can't intimidate with it.

My question in this instance becomes what is wielded defined as? If you have a sorcerer bloodline that lets you fire a bolt of energy, do you have to spend a charge and hold it in your fist? Why? You aren't firing it as part of the attack, any more than you're firing a gun or a crossbow. Simply showing that you have the capacity.

Alternatively, if you have a bonded item, does that qualify since it is the medium through which your rays pass? Does pointing a wand at someone qualify, even though wands are rarely (though not never) treated like weapons? If you have a staff or a sword as your bonded item, are you making the intimidate check with the bonded item as a weapon, or as the medium through which your magic will pass?

Those are the sorts of questions I'm looking for specific answers for. Because "you have to be holding the weapon" is true, but what does "holding" mean when it comes to magic? Do you have to have the spell in your hand, ready to unleash, or do you only need to have the means to cast the spell pointed in a threatening manner? A sort of cocked magic gun?

Again, I'm looking to see if this has been explored at all.

[Cycada]

RAW Dazzling Display cannot be used with Rays/Touches/Spells because you do not wield these things. Wielding a weapon is a rules-important thing within Pathfinder, and is really only applicable to physical (or magically summoned) weapons.

It's something that limits Kineticists too, as it keeps them from using some pretty nifty combos (by design).