Touch Attacks & Str Damage

[dedicated]

Yes, it's uses your normal melee attack bonus, including strength for the attack roll

And, as for why they don't do strength damage; you basically poke them, how are you going to hurt them by poking them (especially if you poke their armor instead)

 

[frankthedm]

Alternatively, you can deliver the touch spell as part of an unarmed strike. This is a normal unarmed attack, and you must beat your target's full AC. If successful, you deal unarmed strike damage as well as deliver the spell. A critical hit, however, only applies to the unarmed strike damage.

That part is Patryn's own decision, most likely based on the rules for extra damage dice on critical hits. Since this is a spell discharging, its not the exact same thing as raw extra dice, but it is not an unreasonable interpritation of the situation.

I am leaning to say both effects can crit, but improved crit with one, won't help with the other.[imp crit unarmed on a 19 won't get you more spell damage unless you have imp crit touch attack as well.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

That part is Patryn's own decision, most likely based on the rules for extra damage dice on critical hits.

No, actually, it's not.

It's the rules that were presented / clarified in Tome and Blood and Complete Arcane.

 

[frankthedm]

Did Complete arcane note that part as actual rules updates "this takes precedence over PHB text" . Or was it the usual rules interpretation written in a splat book?

As I said, it is not an unreasonable interpritation of the situation.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Did Complete arcane note that part as actual rules updates "this takes precedence over PHB text" .

Doesn't need to. The PHB is silent on the matter, ergo there's nothing over which to take precedence.

 

[frankthedm]

The PHB's silence is precedence. the splat remains good advice.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The PHB's silence is silence.

I fixed that for you.