When storing a spell in a warhammer using the blessed hammer feat, can you target yourself (or the hammer) as the target of the stored spell, and if so what action is it to trigger it?
I'm wondering if the normal process of "standard action to cast + free to discharge as a touch attack" means this would be "Standard action to cast + swift to store in hammer, then free action to discharge" (given that you're already touching the hammer and it would be a free action on the melee attack) which i'm sure is wishful thinking, so I'm curious what people think: free action? swift action (like paladin lay on handsing himself)? standard action? Not possible?
"Furthermore, as a swift action when you cast a divine touch spell, you can choose to have the warhammer carry the charge of the spell instead of your hand. When you deliver a touch spell with your warhammer you can do so as part of melee attack made with the warhammer."
The target of the spell is the same as it is with or without the feat. You have simply changed the method of delivery. It is the same as the core rules option of delivering a held touch spell with an unarmed strike or natural attack, except now you can do it with your warhammer as well.
You're giving up the free action touch that comes with the standard action to cast, spending an additional swift action to store in the hammer. You end up with a touch spell charge stored in the hammer that you can expend as part of a melee attack (either a standard action, part of a full attack action, or even as a no-action AoO).
Once you've got a charge from a touch spell stored in the warhammer, as the feat states, you can deliver it as part of a melee attack. It says nothing about delivering it any other way.
"When you deliver a touch spell with your warhammer you can do so as part of melee attack made with the warhammer"
That's saying you "can do so" (presumably as a free action "as part of a melee attack"), because you could otherwise not normally deliver a touch spell with a weapon attack.
Does that prevent it from delivering the spell in a non-hostile manner?
"When you deliver a touch spell with your warhammer you can do so as part of melee attack made with the warhammer"
That's saying you "can do so" (presumably as a free action "as part of a melee attack"), because you could otherwise not normally deliver a touch spell with a weapon attack.
Does that prevent it from delivering the spell in a non-hostile manner?
No, you can still deliver it to an ally (or yourself) with a gentle touch of the warhammer. It's the same at that point as if you weren't using the feat/warhammer and just touching yourself with your hand.
No, you can still deliver it to an ally (or yourself) with a gentle touch of the warhammer. It's the same at that point as if you weren't using the feat/warhammer and just touching yourself with your hand."When you deliver a touch spell with your warhammer you can do so as part of melee attack made with the warhammer"
That's saying you "can do so" (presumably as a free action "as part of a melee attack"), because you could otherwise not normally deliver a touch spell with a weapon attack.
Does that prevent it from delivering the spell in a non-hostile manner?
And i'm assuming is a free action* to "touch" yourself with the hammer you're holding in both hands?
(Given that you're already "touching" it by holding it, or would you expect it to require an additional swift action?)
Edit: I suppose its a free action to touch the hammer, based on the rule that its a free action to go from holding in one hand to holding in two.
If, however, you try to deliver the touch to an enemy from the warhammer without trying to hit his regular AC, that's still an attack and will still require more than a free or swift action.
Having an already stored charge in the warhammer is no different than having a held charge NOT in the warhammer (from an action economy perspective). It would be the same action to discharge your held charge either way.
So... what happens if I put a charge of "Magic Weapon" into my hammer? Can it touch itself?
So... what happens if I put a charge of "Magic Weapon" into my hammer? Can it touch itself?
That would be a question for your DM, as there's no applicable RAW.
No, you can still deliver it to an ally (or yourself) with a gentle touch of the warhammer. It's the same at that point as if you weren't using the feat/warhammer and just touching yourself with your hand."When you deliver a touch spell with your warhammer you can do so as part of melee attack made with the warhammer"
That's saying you "can do so" (presumably as a free action "as part of a melee attack"), because you could otherwise not normally deliver a touch spell with a weapon attack.
Does that prevent it from delivering the spell in a non-hostile manner?
And i'm assuming is a free action* to "touch" yourself with the hammer you're holding in both hands?
(Given that you're already "touching" it by holding it, or would you expect it to require an additional swift action?)
Edit: I suppose its a free action to touch the hammer, based on the rule that its a free action to go from holding in one hand to holding in two.
Hmm, I'm having trouble finding anything addressing touching yourself in particular with a held charge, so it may still technically be an attack action (which you let automatically hit you and which you do no damage with, same as if you touch an ally). That's a bit silly but may be RAW. Ask your GM for a ruling.
"You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself, but to touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll."
Automatically seems to imply no action, so this sets the precedent for it being automatic / free action. (a free attack roll is provided if used against a hostile target)
"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."
So, if I so much as tap the thing holding the charge, the spell effect will trigger, given that touching the weapon through holding in two hands / one hand, holding it as a component and just about everything else regarding getting touchy with your own weapon is a free action, I don't imagine it'll be any longer than that given that the hammer's shaft is already in the character's hands.
"You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action."
So, this overrides the action required to use the charge on the first turn established in the touch spells action (no longer a free action, now a standard / full round) for touching friends, but does not override the established "automatic" use on yourself, and theres nothing else in this section to change that.
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Conclusions from interpretation of RAW:
1) It establishes automatic / free action on turn cast for all uses (self, hostile, friendly, inanimate = free).
After the first turn:
2) It establishes using on hostile remains automatic / free, but the attack rolls to hit them are not.
3) It establishes using on friends becomes a standard action. (Presumably because they're darting around or otherwise doing their own thing in combat, and you don't have the spell's casting time to reach out to them in subsequent rounds)
4) No modification on free usage for self or inanimate (the drawbacks being that you're unable to cast other spells AND you risk accidentally discharging the spell).
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From what I gather, blessed hammer works in exactly the same way, treating the head of the hammer as the character's hand. So in theory, and unless i've missed anything, RAW (or at least me reading to the best of my ability) establishes its free to use the charge on anything within reach, provided its not living / capable of moving. (In which case it becomes a standard action to touch them, regardless of their disposition toward you, meaning it becomes an attack roll for things that dont want to let you touch them.)
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Hopefully answering my original question, having now found the relevant rules:
When storing a spell in a warhammer using the blessed hammer feat, can you target yourself (or the hammer) as the target of the stored spell, and if so what action is it to trigger it?
You don't "target" anything, you store the spell in the hammer, and it triggers as soon as something touches it. If the something that touches it is a legal target, the spell works successfully, otherwise it is discharged and lost.
There's no action to trigger it, it happens automatically, but you can attempt to trigger it by attacking or by making a standard action to touch an ally. You can (presumably) also choose to touch your own weapon as a free action.
Sounds good to me!