Holding a touch spell... indefinitly.

[Amal Shukup]

No, because to swing your sword you have to touch it, discharging the spell.)

Sez Who?

Would you have the caster 'prematurely discharge' all his 'Touch Spells' because he's 'touching' the ring he's wearing - with his hand even! Sleeve of his coat? Where do you draw the line?

Silly. Besides, all this 'premature discharge' stuff is directly and explicitly contravened by the RAW:

Target or Targets: Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself.

Spell doesn't specify 'object' as a legit target, ergo no discharging when drawing or fighting with the sword.

...You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. You do not have to select your target until you finish casting the spell.

No silly premature discharges of ANY sort.

Based on this, I think our original poster can swing his Greatsword with impunity whilst holding the charge. Any time he makes a succesful Melee Touch Attack (whether it's his first, second or ninth iterative attack) to deliver the Spell, the Spell goes off.


A'Mal

 

[Diirk]

The rules for holding charges overrule the rules for general targetting of spells. Read back at the start of the thread for a specific quote.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Sez Who?

Would you have the caster 'prematurely discharge' all his 'Touch Spells' because he's 'touching' the ring he's wearing - with his hand even! Sleeve of his coat? Where do you draw the line?

He's using a two-handed sword. I'd say that's a pretty solid place to draw a line.

Spell doesn't specify 'object' as a legit target, ergo no discharging when drawing or fighting with the sword.

Incorrect.

If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges.

Note that it does not say, "If you touch anyone or anything that is a valid target for the spell while holding a charge..."

 

[moritheil]

Don't sweat it. Just keep sending up people who admire the party and want to shake hands with them.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I'm fairly certain you could attack with a (one handed) weapon, then attack with the touch in the same round utilizing two weapon fighting and the penalties associated with such.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I'm fairly certain you could attack with a (one handed) weapon, then attack with the touch in the same round utilizing two weapon fighting and the penalties associated with such.

Unless I'm DMing you, in which case you can also do the above without TWFing rules - so long as you already have two attacks per round.

After all, "when fighting this way" means "when using the TWF rules to gain extra attacks over and above those allowed by your BAB."

For the record, Hyp disagrees with that ruling due to a difference in opinion on what "when fighting this way" means. Unfortuantely, the RAW aren't crystal clear.

 

[Hypersmurf]

For the record, Hyp disagrees with that ruling...

There's always the 3E Main FAQ off-hand Defending Weapon answer...

-Hyp.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

There's always the 3E Main FAQ off-hand Defending Weapon answer...

Bah! What care I for FAQs and their ilk? I spit on them and curse their ancestors!

 

[Amal Shukup]

Incorrect.

Originally Posted by SRD
If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges.

Neither my copy of the PHB (Pg 176) OR my version of the SRD (latest Sovelier/Sage) seems to have this line in the relevant section(s). Could you direct me to where it is?

Because WITHOUT that piece of black letter, my citation stands. With it... Well, that's different. But I don't see it in here...

A'Mal

 

[Amal Shukup]

He's using a two-handed sword. I'd say that's a pretty solid place to draw a line.

How is an Object (sword hilt) touched by the caster a better place to draw the line than ANOTHER Object (a Ring, say) touched by the caster?

Arbitrary (especially if adjudicated out of thin air) does not a good ruling make.

Still waiting to confirm the existence of that SRD citation, mind you - in which case I'm going to want a definition of the word 'touch' and why it doesn't apply to rings et al. If your definition stands, then I'm going to fling handfuls of sand at casters holding charges to discharge their spells for them... Silly.

A'Mal