Whirlwind Attack with touch spells?

[RangerWickett]

Three cases. I'm a high-level spellcaster with Whirlwind Attack. What happens when I use the following spells?

1. Shocking Grasp.

2. Chill Touch.

3. Storm Touch (Magic of Eberron, does 9d6 electricity damage, and can be used up to 1 time per caster level; creatures struck must make a Fort save or be stunned).

I'm guessing Shocking Grasp would only deal damage to the first person I hit, since it's the sort of touch spell that goes off once and then is discharged. Chill Touch, I would think, would affect each creature I hit, as would Storm Touch.

If, however, you can find a way for me to rules lawyer Shocking Grasp so that it affects every opponent around me, I'm going to have to make a Cleric with Slay Living and Whirlwind Attack. Ooh, Whirlwind Cure spells.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

1. Hits once, then discharges.
2. Hits as many times as you have charges and / or targets.
3. Same.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Whirlwind Attack does not increase the number of creatures that can be targeted or touched by a spell. Additionally, keep in mind that you have to use a full attack action, so you need to quicken that spell or cast it in the prior round, and even then you would have to make an unarmed strike--provoking attacks of opportunity from everyone.

Good Luck!

 

[Infiniti2000]

2. Hits as many times as you have charges and / or targets.

Isn't each touch a standard action unless you combine it with an unarmed strike?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

even then you would have to make an unarmed strike--provoking attacks of opportunity from everyone.

Why?

WHIRLWIND ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Int 13, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: When you use the full attack action, you can give up your regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at your full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach.
When you use the Whirlwind Attack feat, you also forfeit any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats, spells, or abilities.
Special: A fighter may select Whirlwind Attack as one of his fighter bonus feats.

Unless you are arguing that a melee touch with a touch spell is not a melee attack?

 

[Infiniti2000]

Unless you are arguing that a melee touch with a touch spell is not a melee attack?

Correct.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Isn't each touch a standard action unless you combine it with an unarmed strike?

Nope. The only kind that is explicitly a standard action is "You can touch one friend as a standard action..." Note that here you don't have to make an attack roll.

The rest are just normal attacks, useable once in an Attack action or multiple times in a Full Attack action.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Correct.

Ah. Never thought you'd be the one to take that position. You're usually so much more ... reasonable.

So, you can't CDG with a Shocking Grasp?

 

[Infiniti2000]

Ah. Never thought you'd be the one to take that position. You're usually so much more ... reasonable.

You'll note I put a question mark on it. I'm not absolutely sure on this issue. So, I'll willingly concede.

My first response was started probably before yours, so our initial posts overlapped in time.

The key, I think, to stopping the perceived 'abuse' is the inability of whirlwind attack to increase the number of potential targets of, say, slay living. Agreed?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The key, I think, to stopping the perceived 'abuse' is the inability of whirlwind attack to increase the number of potential targets of, say, slay living. Agreed?

Oh, absolutely. Anything that discharges on the first target touched discharges on the first target touched, no matter how you managed to touch them - free shot when you cast the spell, first touch on your full attack next round, last touch on your full attack three rounds from now, whatever.

I was surprised by your earlier comment, is all. Attacks with touch spells are defined as the same action that unarmed strikes and attacks with natural weapons are: Attack (unarmed). Presumably, you let people perform a CDG with a claw, right?