Do touch attack still exist in 2e?


Pathfinder Second Edition General Discussion


And do they ignore armor or no?


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

No such thing exists.

Liberty's Edge

No touch attacks in 2e. No touch AC in 2e.


Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

As I recall, whenever a PF2 ability mentions touching somebody, it either happens automatically if you are adjacent to them or requires the target to make a saving throw. If you are making an attack roll, you are doing more than merely touching them.


David knott 242 wrote:


As I recall, whenever a PF2 ability mentions touching somebody, it either happens automatically if you are adjacent to them or requires the target to make a saving throw. If you are making an attack roll, you are doing more than merely touching them.

Shocking Grasp has a range of touch and requires an attack roll.


"A spell with a range of touch requires you to physically touch the target. You use your unarmed reach to determine whether you can touch the creature. You can usually touch the target automatically, though the spell might specify that the target can attempt a saving throw or that you must attempt a spell attack roll. If an ability increases the range of a touch spell, start at 0 feet and increase from there."

Sovereign Court

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Yeah they basically took the PF1 concept of "really easy attack roll" and split it into either "and therefore you hit automatically" or "not so easy after all, but you do get to use your best stat (casting stat) to hit".

Shadow Lodge

Most significantly, none of the classes have the greatly reduced base chance to hit that wizards/sorcerers used to have, which is why Touch AC was originally added to the system (allowing 20th level wizards to reliably hit with a spell without needing to give them the BAB of a Fighter).


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Well, that, and the fact that monster AC isn't broken into components to calculate a separate AC for touch. And the part where a wildly divergent AC like touch used to be for big enemies would basically mean automatic crit instead of automatic hit in this system.


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The playtest rules had touch AC as a separate thing (though interestingly enough, armor still increased touch AC, but usually with a lesser number), but the reaction was overwhelmingly "Remove that and let casters use their casting stat to hit with spells."


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it is an unnecessary level of complexity in an already complex game.

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