Sensei Monk: Insightful strike and melee touch attacks hit modifier

[Visandrix]

Making a Wildblooded Sorcerer (Empyreal) multiclassed with a Sensei Monk, i was wondering if the 2nd level Sensei class feature

Quote:

Insightful Strike (Ex)

At 2nd level, a sensei may use his Wisdom bonus in lieu of his Strength or Dexterity on attack rolls and combat maneuver checks with unarmed strikes or monk weapons. This ability replaces evasion and the bonus feat gained at 2nd level.

From Aonprd.

also applies to melee touch attacks used to deliver spells (as part of the casting itself), are these considered (or rather, can these be considered in some circumstances) as "attack rolls with unarmed strikes"?

[Phoebus Alexandros]

Given that melee touch attacks and unarmed strikes are distinct things, I would think the rules also distinguish between the melee touch attacks afforded by spells like Frigid Touch (where they're qualified as melee touch attacks) and the actual unarmed strikes that come with spells like Blood Crow Strike (where they're qualified as unarmed strikes).

[Visandrix]

Indeed, the thing that made me doubt about that distinction is the rule found in the "attack" section from Aonprd in the "“Armed” Unarmed Attacks" paragraph, where it seems like the "touch attack" (in this case) is indeed a type of unarmed attack.

Unless "unarmed attack" is different from "unarmed strike" by the rules... not sure about that (maybe the "strike" parts takes into account the fact that the attack itself might deal damage?)

Edit: re-reading the section, understood that "u.strike" and "melee touch attacks" are indeed distinct types of "unarmed attacks".
Thanks for the example, Phoebus.

[Derklord]

Yeah, the whole stuff on unarmed strikes is badly written (one of the countless cases that makes me believe that 3.x was written on drugs).

In short, the "“Armed” Unarmed Attacks" section is not ruletext, it has literally no effect on the game. It exists only to prevent people from wrongly believing "unarmed strikes provoke, and touch spells don't use a weapon just like unarmed strikes, so the attack must provoke, too!".

The touch attack to deliver a touch spell is completely seperate from unarmed strikes. There is no rule overlap.

[Belafon]

The free touch attack that comes with casting the spell is not an unarmed strike, so you would not get the wisdom bonus. However if you miss with the attack (or just decide to wait to discharge the spell) you would be “holding the spell” and could use an unarmed attack to deliver it in a later round. But that wouldn’t target touch.

CRB page 186 wrote:

Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack normally doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.