D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Dusklade using arcane channeling ==> spell failure?

[Sektat]

I am not sure on this one: If a duskblade who wears heavy armor uses arcane channeling, would arcane spell failure apply?

My reasoning why not:
What is "arcane channeling"? ==> It's a spell and a melee attack. Since you only have "one action" in a standard action one of those two must be a free action. Since the melee attack obviously is not a free action (it costs time to attack with a sword), the spell must be. And spells which are cast as swift/free/immediate actions do not have an arcane spell failure.

What do you think?

The same reasoning would apply to a multiclass wizard/duskblade who uses his wizard spells for channeling.

 

[frankthedm]

Yes spell failure applies. The spell and attack are not a separate actions, they are fused into the same action.

 

[irdeggman]

They are not 2 separate actions they are a single standard action (which the Supernatural class ability defines as casting a spell and then delivering it with a weapon attack).

Similar to how a touch spell is cast and then delivered with a touch attack as part of the same action.

So, yes ASF applies since the character is casting a spell and then delivering it via weapon attack.

 

[Sekhmet]

Unless there is some way of augmenting their Armored Spellcaster to include heavy armor, the answer is simply "no".

 

[Sektat]

> Similar to how a touch spell is cast and then delivered
> with a touch attack as part of the same action.

you are 100% right. Thats a very good point, this convinces me. Thx a lot!