Unarmed attack + touch spell

[Nellisir]

Can you combine an unarmed attack and a touch spell (to inflict normal damage & the spell effects)? I assume this is ruled somewhere, but I haven't found it yet.

Thanks
Nell.

 

[Pinotage]

You can, but not in the same round that you cast the spell, and hence only while you're 'holding the charge'. Check the section on holding the charge in the SRD, under combat and casting, I believe.

Pinotage

 

[pvandyck]

I think you can. However, since the casting of the spell (and touching in the same round) is a standard action, while an unarmed attack/strike is a standard action as well, you can't do them in the same round. If you "held the charge" of the spell until the next round, then hauled off and hit a guy, the spell and the unarmed attack/strike would happen at once. This would be my interpretation.

Hmm, however, then there'd be questions as the AC that you'd have to hit. A spell touch is a touch attack, wereas an unarmed strike is not a touch attack, generally. I'd probably allow that you may achieve the touch AC, discharging the spell, but you might fail the AC required for the unarmed strike, meaning no damage from that.

pvandyck

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Yes, you can. It's under the Holding the Charge rules in the Combat section.

Note that, if you do so, you are considered unarmed (and therefore provoke AoOs if you don't have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat). If you score a critical hit, only the unarmed strike is considered a critical - the spell does not crit as well.

Here's the full rules from the SRD:

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.

 

[Infiniti2000]

If you use an unarmed strike, you'd have to hit the full AC. There's no partial AC rule for touch AC and the spell discharging. Also, you could do it in the same round if the spell were quickened.

 

[Nellisir]

Excellent, thank you everyone!

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Welcome! Glad to help!

 

[Nellisir]

Anyways, yes, thanks. My players will hate you as my NPC (using extensive house rules the PCs have access to) sorcerer gets up close and personal with her slam attacks and eschewed, stilled, & silenced touch spells....


Nell.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Anyways, yes, thanks. My players will hate you as my NPC (using extensive house rules the PCs have access to) sorcerer gets up close and personal with her slam attacks and eschewed, stilled, & silenced touch spells....

Well, she'll still want to cast them on the defensive (to avoid the AoO), but other than that ...

 

[Nellisir]

Well, she'll still want to cast them on the defensive (to avoid the AoO), but other than that ...

Oh, good point! More Concentration for Ota Thorasdottur!!