Ranged touch spells and holding the charge

[Harrassed DM]

Playing devils advocate here, as i don't believe this should work but one of my players needs the rule pointed out.

Touch spells in combat PHB pg 140 states that touch attacks come in two types melee toch attacks and ranged touch attacks.

Holding the charge (PHB pg 141) states that if you don't discharge the spell you can hold the charge indefinitely, attacking round after round until you hit, cast another spell, or pick something up with your hand.

My player argues that this means if he misses with a ranged touch spell attack that he can try to hit again each round till he hits.

while i argue that this is supposed to mean that only melee touch attacks can be held and that shooting a ranged touch attack discharges it where does it state this in the rules.

 

[Jhyrryl]

Page 175 under Range is the definition of a range of Touch.

You can hold the charge of a "touch spell" that has a range of Touch. Any spell that utilizes a ranged touch attack will not have a range of Touch.

 

[Selganor]

Ranged Touch Attacks are Rays... And you can only hold the Charge "in hand". Once a ray is shot it's gone.

(But I can't find the correct quotations in the 3.5 SRD )

BUT you can Hold a charge (even a ranged touch attack) for quite some time, so you don't need to fire a ray right away, you might want to wait a while...