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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Artoomis" data-source="post: 3049043" data-attributes="member: 111">Actually, it makes just as much sense as being able to attack someone two different ways with a touch spell.Touch attack against touch AC or a regular attack against regular AC - and in the latter case the spell only is triggered on a hit - and not just if you beat the touch AC.That makes just as much sense, and, is pretty much my precedent for viewing things as I do.I view the energy weapon rules as being very similar, but touch attack is only allowed in one specific instance - a Trip.There is no particular reason why, from a logical standpoint, an energy weapon should need to penetrate the full AC to deliver it's energy damage.  That does not really makes sense when touch spells require beating only the touch AC.  If a Flameblade spell (or any of a number of other weapon-like spells that deal energy damage) requires only a Touch Attack, why should not the energy weapon damage of an energy weapon?Logically, energy weapon should work the same as touch spells.  The only thing really holding that back is that one does not get to choose to swing a weapon against only the Touch AC normally.  Trip gives you just that opportunity.Yes, it's a bit of a loophole.  It really ought to be one of two ways, if the rules were written better:1.  Energy weapon should be allowed to damage on a touch attack, if desired, but then, of course, ONLY the energy damage would be done.  This language would open up this loophole and make it more logically parallel to touch spells.or2.  Energy weapons should "deal an extra 1d6 points of (energy) damage against the foe" - this language would pretty much close this loophole.The rules and logic allow energy weapon damage on a Trip's Touch Attack, but only arguably so - there is certainly a legitimate argument for the opposing view.Finally, here's a real-word example.  Let's say I electrify a sword (fully insulated for me, of course) and attack someone in armor.  Now let’s further say I hit the armor, but not hard enough to do any damage.  Will my opponent get zapped by the electricity?  I should think so!  What difference does it make if the sword does any physical damage?  This is very much like a touch spell in D&D, except that, for simplicity, you EITHER attack the Touch AC or Regular AC with a touch spell - you don't get to attack normally and then see if you only hit the Touch AC, even though that makes the most sense.</blockquote>

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