Can you trigger a touch spell by slapping a guy (or poking him?)

[TheCrazyMuffinMan]

Also, can you trigger a quivering palm that way? Or does it count as an attack action, and therefore require some kind of spell-imbuing ability?

I say it'd be a rather humiliating way of sorting out a baddie. Totally unexpected, and it'd make the foe look like a total pushover. However, I wonder if I can do this without some kind of specialized class goodie. I REALLY want to do this in a campaign. ESPECIALLY with the Q-Palm or a fatal spell. It'd be the most hilarious thing ever.

Jane Doe: You are the worst thing ever to happen to Greyhawk! Leave now, or face the consequences.

Opposing faction member: I don't believe this (dejected, he leaves)

Jane Doe: *angrily* BELIEVE IT! *slay living* *POW!*

Opposing faction member's ally: Damn. That was cold. ...(He doesn't get up) ...Oh dear Hextor how hard did she hit him? (dread fills him to the brim at this point)

Jane Doe: (insert extremely disparaging remark about the toughness/luck/karma of the first guy, and perhaps the opposing faction in question. Possibly a few others I missed in this description.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

AFAIK, yes.

 

[TheCrazyMuffinMan]

AFAIK, yes.

On an unrelated (not really) note, I really look forward to advancing a cleric to 9th, or a monk to 15th.

 

[SteelDraco]

Yeah, that's how the mechanics for a touch attack work.

However, generally it's going to be visible that you didn't just slap him, you spellcast at him. A touch spell creates a visible effect, and it's distinct enough that a spellcaster in the know can probably identify a spell by just that. This is the case even if you had already cast the spell, and are holding the charge.

I always pictured it as a glow around the hand, with the color determined by the kind of spell and the size determined by the power of the spell. IMC, a Slay Living spell would be a fairly sizable black glow around your hand.

 

[frankthedm]

You are ONLY entitled to a touch attack as part of casting the spell.

Sage advice right as 3e came out said it was cool to deliver a touch attack with an unarmed strike, provided you were already 'holding the charge'. You HAD to hit the victim's full AC. If you critted, your unarmed strike damage was doubled, not the spell's.

 

[TheCrazyMuffinMan]

Perhaps a Stealth Spell metamagic feat is in order?

Also, it still holds all of its strength as a demoralization tactic, if not a 100% combat-practical one.

Also, style points.

 

[Imp]

I dunno, Quivering Palm delivered via slap or noogie kind of goes against the flavor of that kind of (dim-mak death touch/ Vulcan nerve pinch/ five point palm exploding heart) secret spooky touch of death kind of power. A touch spell, I don't see why you couldn't deliver the touch with some degree of force, just not enough to cause damage.

(I don't like glowy hands, but I do have touch spells do freaky things to the hand that's doing the touching.)

 

[Sound of Azure]

Perhaps a Stealth Spell metamagic feat is in order?

Also, it still holds all of its strength as a demoralization tactic, if not a 100% combat-practical one.

Also, style points.

Well, there is Disguise Spell (in Complete Adventurer), which requires bardic music and perform ranks. Folk have to beat your Perform check with a spot check to determine that you're casting. Even people who notice that you're casting, cannot ID the spell you're casting with this feat (and therefore cannot counterspell it, which is nice).

There's also Nonverbal spell (Planar Handbook) that allows you to substitute any kind of vocalisation for the verbal components of a spell. It doesn't help you out with somatic components, of course.

 

[Darklone]

Complete Scoundrel has a skill trick for this thing.

 

[cheshire_grin]

Even people who notice that you're casting, cannot ID the spell you're casting with this feat (and therefore cannot counterspell it, which is nice).

Sure they can. They just have to do so with a Dispel Magic.