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View Full Version : Best ways to deliver touch spells? (3.5)



Hirax
2010-08-20, 04:21 PM
The party wizard is thinking of taking a couple levels in archmage to be able to make touch spells out to 60 feet. It isn't that bad since at least he'd get full caster progression, but surely there's a better way than devoting levels to it? Spectral hand is limited to 4th level spells.

Person_Man
2010-08-20, 04:23 PM
Your Familiar can deliver Touch spells. In fact, you can cast the spell before combat, and the Familiar can hold the charge until it is released. As long as you don't cast another spell, he can do so for any length of time. Thus on the first round of combat your Familiar can move, make a touch attack to release your spell, and then you can take your full turn (presumably casting another spell).

tyckspoon
2010-08-20, 04:24 PM
Reach Spell metamagic, if you have spell levels to spare. You can send your familiar out to deliver them, if you're willing to take the risk and/or have a buff enough familiar/have invested protective spells in it to make it safe. Acquire a free/swift/move action method of movement or teleporting, put defensive spells on yourself, and go deliver the touch personally.

IdleMuse
2010-08-20, 04:27 PM
The Chameleon template from Underdark grants you a 10ft tongue to deliver touch spells with?

Keld Denar
2010-08-20, 04:30 PM
The BEST way is vicariously. Have your party Fighter* invest in a +1 Spellstoring weapon, and prior to every combat, cast a spell into it.

Now, as part of HIS action, he'll release the spell you've cast, and it doesn't impact you in any measily way. Only works for 3rd level or lower spells though.

* May or may not include actual levels in the Fighter class.

Andion Isurand
2010-08-20, 04:31 PM
Glorytongue
Psychometabolism (Str)
Level: Psion 1
Display: Ma
Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Power Points: 1

You gain the ability to stretch your tongue great distances and manipulate it as if it were a true limb.

The tongue is treated as a Diminutive construct with 1/2 HD, hit points equal to half your maximum hit points, AC 13 (+4 size, -1 Dex), Strength 1, Dexterity 8, Con --, Int --, Wis 1, Cha 1. It uses your base attack bonus to touch, grab, or attack, but it does not threaten an area and deals no damage with its attacks. It is fully under your control and can manipulate objects like a tentacle. You can use the glorytongue to deliver touch spells. You can cause it grow (up to 100 feet long) or shrink (to its normal size) as a free action. It does not interfere with spellcasting or speaking. It can be used to make grapple checks, although its weak Strength makes it difficult to actually grapple a creature. It can wind its way up ropes, walls, and other vertical surfaces, and it is strong enough to suspend up to 10 feet of itself free of any supporting surface (to cross a pit, for example).

The end of the tongue is a primitive sensory organ and can see up to 5 feet away with normal vision. (It does not have blindsight, darkvision, or low-light vision). You perceive everything the tongue perceives. Because it is an extension of your tongue, you can use it to taste things, although poisons and harmful effects do not transmit to you through the glorytongue.

If destroyed, all but the original length of tongue that existed before the glorytongue power was used collapses into dust.

http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20020925a

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The Smiting Spell feat (PH2) is good for placing touch spells on ammunition or melee weapons.

Vizzerdrix
2010-08-20, 04:55 PM
Your Familiar can deliver Touch spells. In fact, you can cast the spell before combat, and the Familiar can hold the charge until it is released. As long as you don't cast another spell, he can do so for any length of time. Thus on the first round of combat your Familiar can move, make a touch attack to release your spell, and then you can take your full turn (presumably casting another spell).

I remember seeing some kind of beholder kin that could deliver it as a ranged touch as well. Fareun, I think.

Ashram
2010-08-20, 05:02 PM
Spectral Hand is usually the best way, but it costs a spell.

SwordChucks
2010-08-20, 10:59 PM
I remember seeing some kind of beholder kin that could deliver it as a ranged touch as well. Fareun, I think.

Monsters of Faerun pg. 23 - Eyeball Beholderkin
Requires Improved Familiar and an evil alignment.

I like the idea of a familiar holding the charge until combat. You let it deliver the spell then you use Benign Transposition on the familiar and your tank.

Tyndmyr
2010-08-20, 11:06 PM
Your Familiar can deliver Touch spells. In fact, you can cast the spell before combat, and the Familiar can hold the charge until it is released. As long as you don't cast another spell, he can do so for any length of time. Thus on the first round of combat your Familiar can move, make a touch attack to release your spell, and then you can take your full turn (presumably casting another spell).

There is also the familiar softball method. Mage hand + familiar under 5 lbs. Maintain concentration on mage hand via the SpC 2nd level spell for that(sonorous hum or some such). Cast touch spell on familiar.

Note: I do not reccomend this if you actually like your familiar, and want him to remain alive. Actively using your familiar as a projectile is a great way to end up without one.

dspeyer
2010-08-20, 11:25 PM
If you're using a familiar, consider improved or draconic familiar, for greater speed and survivability.

Escheton
2010-08-21, 02:07 AM
That glory tongue is the sickest sextoy/enhancement I have seen so far.

On the subject at hand though: Archmages also have the ability to cast fireballs with holes in the middle and lines of elektricity that bend around them.
It's a rather nifty prestige to have either way.

Andion Isurand
2010-08-21, 02:26 AM
There is a spell called Familiar's Touch from Dragon 280 that lest you charge your familiar with touch spells from a distance.

WinWin
2010-08-21, 05:53 AM
Archmage has an ability that allows them to deliver touch spells as ranged touch attacks

edit: Literacy fail.

BobVosh
2010-08-21, 06:28 AM
Reach metamagic is mentioned, and I feel like mentioning the rods for it as well. Besides, who needs more than 3 reached spells anyway?