Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="frodwith" data-source="post: 2850795" data-attributes="member: 40725">Alright, relevant quotes first."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, such as teleport and water walk, 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." (PHB, 176)"Touch: You must touch a creature or object to affect it.  A touch spell that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can.  A touch spell threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.  Some tuch spells, such as teleport and water walk, allow you to touch multiple targets.  You can touch as many willing targets as you can reach as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell." (PHB, 175)From these passages, it is clear that casters of spells (such as water walk) with a target of more than one touched creature/object must touch their targets as part of the casting, in the same round they cast the spell - actually, as part of the casting.  Cast chill touch, for example, and you must touch the number of creatures allowed as part of the casting action, after which the spell is gone.  As per the above quotes, you cannot hold the charge of such a spell.  This is important."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." (PHB, 141)Herein lies my quandry.  The only type of touch spells that you can hold the spell on are those which affect only a single target (see above).  Thus, it would seem that this touching six friends as a full round action refers to single target touch spells.  However, it also says that the first thing you touch causes the spell to discharge.  So, do you touch one fellow, who then gets the benefit, and then spend the rest of the round feeling up your friends for no reason?  Or do they all receive the benefit of the spell?  If so, do they receive the full benefit, or is the spell somehow split up amongst the recipients (reduced duration or healing)?By the way, whoever made the comment about a player trying to get more bang for the buck for his spells, and that the player should be "smacked down" - that's really uncalled for.  This is a legitimate question about game mechanics, and as the player who raised the question, I can assure you it's not because I'm trying to bend the rules to my advantage.  This could apply to anyone who can cast a touch spell, not just me or even just my party.  BBEGs would get this as well, and it could really affect tactics and strategy.Anyways, awaiting your replies.</blockquote>

Verification