Spellstrike clarification


Rules Questions


Hi guys! I have a friend who doesnt use the boards here, and wants a 100% ruling on a idea he has for a character.

The idea is, from Anime's seen, a swordman who "fires/slashes" beams of energy from his sword. I suggested magus, and picked up Shocking Grasp, and reach spell. hes completely happy with this, however, hes unsure of something.

Assuming your opponent is at range, and you use reach spell, you swing your sword the blast of lightning arcs off and strikes your opponent. Whats the crit range assuming a longsword?

I want to say Im positive its 20 x2, but the spell is originating from the sword.

To hit would just be BAB +Dex +3(if wearing lots of metal)+any other range mods he may have like point blank, etc

Scarab Sages

Your numbers look right, but Spellstrike doesn't technically work at range. He's not attacking with the sword. He's just delivering the touch attack at range. There's nothing wrong with describing it as you have, so long as you aren't adding any enhancement bonuses from the weapon or the weapon's damage. Also, the ranged attack would be against Touch AC.

There is Ranged Spellstrike, but that's used with a ranged weapon, not a sword.

To put it another way, Spellstrike has nothing to do with casting the spell. It only allows you to deliver melee touch attack spells through your weapon.

So delivering a shocking grasp in melee through Spellstrike with a longsword would be:

BAB+STR+3(if wearing metal armor)+any bonuses he has with longsword (enhancement, weapon focus, etc.) vs normal AC

Crit Range would be 19-20/x2

Delivering a shocking grasp with reach spell at close range would be:

BAB+DEX+3(if wearing metal armor) vs Touch AC

Crit Range would be 20 x2.


There's the Sword Binder wizard,

At 5th level, whenever the sword binder casts a spell with a range of touch from the wizard spell list, he can use his bonded sword to deliver the touch attack, including expending a daily use of hand of the apprentice to make the touch attack at range. This occurs as part of the same action as casting the spell. He gains all the attack bonuses that apply to his sword (including enhancement bonuses and relevant feats), but does not add his sword’s damage or effects to the touch spell.

now you don't need the reach metamagic feat.


If you want to ranged spellstrike with a sword take the Myrmidarch archetype and add the Sharding property to your sword when funds become available.

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