Cast, move, touch

[Quasqueton]

Casting a spell = standard action

Touching an enemy = standard action

Moving = move action

Touching an enemy in the process of casting a spell = standard action

Casting a spell, moving to opponent, touching target = huh?

What is the game balance reason for allowing spellcasters to cast, move, and then touch, all in the same round? Why do the rules intentionally allow this standard action, move action, standard action all in one round as the lone exception to the core rules for actions?

You can't cast magic missle, move up to get a line of effect, and then fire the missles. You can't cast color spray, move up to a group of enemies, and then loose the effect.

Quasqueton

 

[Spatula]

Because otherwise, no one would use touch spells? They're already a somewhat dicey prospect since you have to get into melee in order to use them. And if you're already in melee, you either have to soak up the AoO, cast defensively, or step back and cast in one round and attempt to deliver in the charge in future rounds.

 

[Liquidsabre]

I thought casters had to make the touch attack as part of the casting of the spell?

 

[mikebr99]

I thought casters had to make the touch attack as part of the casting of the spell?

They do... but you are able to hold the charge after you cast... while moving, before you touch someone... all in the same rnd.

Mike

 

[Henry]

I suspect it's because touching something is a VERY simple action, and probably would count as almost "free" if one were gauging it separately. You aren't vying for a solid blow, you aren't trying to break defenses - you are trying to get off the barest of touches, to transfer the spell. Unlike an unarmed attack, all you have to do is touch the hem of their clothing, their armor, their shield - just SOMETHING attached to the target.

 

[hazmat]

Where does it say that all this can be done in one round?

 

[Liquidsabre]

Where does it say that all this can be done in one round?

It's on the WotC website:

Touch Spells: The duration for a touch spell doesn't begin until the caster touches a subject and delivers the spell to a recipient. Attempting to touch a recipient requires a melee touch attack and that is part of the action used to cast the spell during the round when the spell is completed. If the recipient is willing to be touched, it's usually best to just assume the caster touches the recipient.

If the caster does not touch a recipient then (either because she doesn't try to or the melee touch attack fails), she must use an action (usually the attack or full attack action) to touch a recipient during a later round. This is called "holding the charge." A caster holding a charge is considered armed and can use an attack of opportunity to make a melee touch attack and deliver the spell.

Whenever the caster touches anything, the held charge is discharged, even if what the caster touches isn't a valid target for the spell (in that case, the spell is wasted). The charge also is lost (and wasted) if the caster casts another spell. Otherwise, a caster can hold a charge indefinitely. DMs should feel free to set some reasonable limit to how long a character can hold a charge, perhaps 1 hour or until the caster has to go to sleep (or trance in the case of elves).

A very few touch spells (water breathing, for example) can be partially discharged. If so, this will be mentioned in the spell's target entry and its descriptive text, or both.

As a full-round action you can touch up to six friends willing creatures, object that willing creatures hold, or objects just lying round by themselves), provided that all the recipients are within the caster's reach. (The caster can extend her reach a little by taking a 5-foot step during the process.) To use this option, you must first cast the spell and hold the charge. Because the recipients are willing, no melee touch attack is required. You must decide how to distribute the spell's effect before touching anything.

I figured this new way for using touch spells inevitably sprouted here, so I looked and lo and behold...

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Still not one round...

Read that again...

Either: Touch the target as part of casting the spell [SA]
or
Cast the spell [SA] and hold the charge "to touch a recipient during a later round."

The only way you can cast-move-touch in the same round is the exception rule for a full round action where you get a 5' step and your targets must be willing.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

I suspect the reason is not game balance, but simplicity of the rules. The first four rules can be framed by simply saying what *kind* of action a particular action is. The latter would require a special exception for a particular three-action combo move. Yuck.

I mean, go ahead if you want, but if I were one of the designers I wouldn't have written a newbie-frightener like that into the rules, either.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

SRD, Combat Section:

Touch Spells in Combat: Many spells have a range of touch. To use these spells, you cast the spell and then touch the subject, either in the same round or any time later. In the same round that you cast the spell, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) the target. You may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the target. You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself, but to touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll.