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Hey all, sorry for bringing this up again, I just can't get this topic out of my head.
Now we all know what the rules say, that a Magus can deliver touch spells through their weapon blah blah, but I've been thinking about it a little bit differently. The way I see it, a Magus can spell-strike ONLY if the touch spell they cast has a touch attack associated with it.
In the description for most touch spells, there will be a target listed, for example Shocking Grasp lists "Target: creature or object touched" showing what you can hit with the spell. Basically any target with that wording. Meanwhile, Light has a target of only "object touched" meaning that it does not work on living creatures, only objects.
Meanwhile, Arcane Mark lacks that descriptor, instead opting for an Effect descriptor. Arcane Mark says "Effect: one personal rune or mark, all of which must fit within 1 sq. ft.". There is no valid target listed, but rather the effect of the spell once it's cast. Yes the range is touch, but I believe it is implying that the caster bust be that close for the magic to take effect. The spell is written like Summon Monster, a spell with a range and an effect, but no target. Upon comparing the spells, they have the exact same information: Casting Time, Components, Range, Effect, Duration, Saving Throw and SR. Basically, if it wasn't Universal, it would be in the "conjuration (creation)" school.
It is my belief that Arcane Mark merely summons your mark on the targeted item or creature. It is an exception to the normal rule of touch spells having touch attacks. Without a target, it's just not an attack, and therefore shouldn't be able to be used with Spell Strike.
On the other hand, Light is a completely acceptable spell to use with Spell Strike, and it might make the target's armor glow as well, or just fizzle if the target has nothing on.
You must touch a creature or object to affect it. A touch spell that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can. A touch spell threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. Some touch spells allow you to touch multiple targets. You can touch up to 6 willing targets as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell. If the spell allows you to touch targets over multiple rounds, touching 6 creatures is a full-round action.
At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.
Range touch
ZERO the magus works.
