Duskblade, arcane channelling

[RigaMortus2]

Edit: I don't know if the touch attack used in a trip could also be the attack that channels a spell, but I don't see why not. After all, if it were a spell being simply cast, it would be a touch spell.

Can the touch attack used in a trip be used to apply damage from Power Attack?

Can you Power Attack with Shocking Grasp, and gain the damage bonus from Power Attack?

 

[Caliban]

Edit: I don't know if the touch attack used in a trip could also be the attack that channels a spell, but I don't see why not. After all, if it were a spell being simply cast, it would be a touch spell.

I wouldn't allow it. You are tripping them, not attacking for damage.

 

[Caliban]

...

 

[MarkB]

Can the touch attack used in a trip be used to apply damage from Power Attack?

No, a Trip attack does not deal damage. If you have the Improved Trip feat, you could use Power Attack and apply the extra damage to the free attack gained on a successful Trip. In that case, the Power Attack penalty to attack would also apply to the touch attacks made to initiate the trip.

Can you Power Attack with Shocking Grasp, and gain the damage bonus from Power Attack?

Normally, no. Aside from the fact that you're not striking to do damage, you use a hand to make the touch attack, and hands are considered light weapons, thus not eligible for Power Attack damage.

With the Duskblade's arcane channeling, you could deliver a Shocking Grasp as part of a normal melee attack, to which Power Attack could be applied. However, the extra damage would apply only to the normal weapon damage, not to the spell's effect.

I wouldn't allow it. You are tripping them, not attacking for damage.

Arcane Channeling doesn't require you to deal damage - it affects each target you hit in melee on your turn. Since you have to hit a target to trip them, there's no reason a Trip attack shouldn't work for this purpose.