Holding the Charge

[Vorput]

Ok, quite an argument came up in our group last night.

Someone is claiming that the following SRD/PHB quote:

Holding the Charge
If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the discharge of the spell (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.

Allows a character to cast a touch spell, like say invisibility, hold it for a round- then touch 6 friends with it, allowing everyone to become invisible. Displacement, cure light wounds, and bull's strength were all discussed spells too.

His point is why have the "can touch 6 friends as a full round action" if the spell discharges immediatly after touching something- he believe it implies that any touch spell not cast immediatly can be cast on multiple allies.

I know this can't be what's intended, as this changes magic completely- but for the life of me, I can't find a relevant PHB quote and/or errata and/or a FAQ on this issue.

Any help, and reference to the rules, would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks all!

Vorp

 

[the Jester]

If he wants to cast cure light wounds on six people, he needs to cast mass cure light wounds. He's trying to get more bang from his spells than he should. Smack that player down.

 

[Thanee]

That's only for touch spells, which allow to affect multiple targets.

For an example of a touch spell, which allows multiple targets (tho, it's an attack and not really applicable, but I don't really know of any example, which would fit perfectly here), see Chill Touch.

Normally, after the first target has been touched, the held charge is gone, so you cannot touch multiple targets and have the same spell affect them all. If the spell allows multiple recipients, then the charge is obviously not gone yet, only once you have used up all the charges.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Vorput]

That's only for touch spells, which allow to affect multiple targets.

Normally, after the first target has been touched, the held charge is gone, so you cannot touch multiple targets and have the same spell affect them all.

Bye
Thanee

Thanee, could you, or someone else- give an example or two of touch spells which affect multiple targets (preferably allies)?

 

[Thanee]

I actually just edited one in (unfortunately it's not really one used with allies).

I was thinking Dimension Door, but it has its own mechanics concerning the touch delivery.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Infiniti2000]

Thanee, could you, or someone else- give an example or two of touch spells which affect multiple targets (preferably allies)?

Water breathing, water walk, and wind walk are three good examples.

The key in the argument, however, is to understand the Target line. You cannot violate that rule.

 

[Vorput]

Cool, thanks everyone- I'll send this thread to the person who had the question, I'm sure if he has any further questions/clarifications he'll post em.

Vorp

 

[Thanee]

Water breathing, water walk, and wind walk are three good examples.

Yeah, those are better examples.

Bye
Thanee

 

[werk]

"Touch Spells and Holding the Charge: In most cases, if you don’t discharge a touch spell on the round you cast it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the spell) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates.

Some touch spells allow you to touch multiple targets as part of the spell. You can’t hold the charge of such a spell; you must touch all targets of the spell in the same round that you finish casting the spell.

Discharge: Occasionally a spells lasts for a set duration or until triggered or discharged."

Unless it says otherwise in the spell's description, a successful touch discharges the spell.

 

[Prophet2b]

I think these would also be examples...

Shadow Walk
Teleport
Hide from Undead
Pass without Trace

Except maybe not teleport...it has kind of a funny reading...