Can a non-spell melee touch attack be delivered through a natural attack (or unarmed strike). Emphasis on non-spell.
Example: Could a cleric's Ruin Touch domain power (an SU ability if it matters) be combined with an unarmed strike? this is a sloppy example, but it gets the idea across.
I don't think the rules address this directly, but since you can do it with a spell touch attack I see no reason it wouldn't work with a non-spell touch attack. Being supernatural is generally superior to being a spell (or spell-like).
can you hold the charge of supernatural?
There's also a feat for this, domain strike
Yes, you can deliver ruin touch through a natural attack or unarmed strike. However, you can't replace the free touch attack made as part of the special ability with a free natural/unarmed attack. Doing that would require something similar to the magus spellstrike ability.
What you can do is activate ruin touch as a standard action, hold the charge, and then apply its effects on the next successful natural/unarmed attack you make against a construct or object. Not particularly great on your action economy.
If you pick up the Domain Strike feat, you could apply ruin touch on a construct or object struck by your unarmed strike as a swift action.
What you can do is activate ruin touch as a standard action, hold the charge, and then apply its effects on the next successful natural/unarmed attack you make against a construct or object. Not particularly great on your action economy.
There are no rules (that I'm aware of) for allowing holding a charge from a supernatural ability. Holding charges only applies to spells (and SLA's by extension).
There are no rules (that I'm aware of) for allowing holding a charge from a supernatural ability. Holding charges only applies to spells (and SLA's by extension).
If you want to not allow the holding of a charge for a supernatural ability because it is not explicitly spelled out again beneath the supernatural ability subsection header of the Magic section, I hope you're also prepared to not allow a free touch attack as part of a touch range supernatural ability since the verbiage for that is from the "touch spells in combat" subsection of Combat.
the domain thing was just one example. it was literally just the first one to come to mind.
If you want to not allow the holding of a charge for a supernatural ability because it is not explicitly spelled out again beneath the supernatural ability subsection header of the Magic section, I hope you're also prepared to not allow a free touch attack as part of a touch range supernatural ability since the verbiage for that is from the "touch spells in combat" subsection of Combat.
There are no rules (that I'm aware of) for allowing holding a charge from a supernatural ability. Holding charges only applies to spells (and SLA's by extension).
Sure. That's not a problem at all.
Lightning Arc (Sp): As a standard action, you can unleash an arc of electricity targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack.
So by activating with a standard action, I'm making a ranged touch attack as part of that standard action.
Touch of Chaos (Sp): You can imbue a target with chaos as a melee touch attack.
No action specified, so the default for SU is a standard action to make a melee touch attack and imbue a target with chaos.
Dazing Touch (Sp): You can cause a living creature to become dazed for 1 round as a melee touch attack.
As above. And it continues with other domain powers.
The standard action to activate the domain power doesn't grant a free touch attack. It is a built in attack that is part of activating the domain power. Note that this also means that unlike touch attack spells you cannot activate, move, then touch. But because there is no concentration roll need to activate the SU that feature also isn't needed.
Given that the rules don't tell us "Supernatural abilities work like spells with these exceptions" then I don't assume they work like spells. I assume they have their own rules that are spelled out - which they are. They are magical in nature (as seen by amf effecting them), but otherwise do not share any properties with spell casting and spells.
Contrast that with SLA's which tell us
Spell-Like Abilities: Usually, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of that name.
the domain thing was just one example. it was literally just the first one to come to mind.
I'm not aware of any other specific non-spell abilities that may or may not work like that. If you have other examples we can examine the rules around them to see if it is possible in those specific examples. But as is, domain powers cannot be used in that way. (Sorcerer bloodline powers look to work just like the cleric domains).
I can't find anywhere in the rules that say you can make an unarmed attack in place of a melee touch attack. The only exception is when you make an unarmed strike with a hand possessing the charge of a touch spell. However, even that doesn't let you (for example) swap the free action touch attack you get from casting the spell with an unarmed strike.