[PF] Shocking Grasp and other touch attacks

[herrhauptmann]

Got a question about using the spell shocking grasp.

To use the spell, you have to make a melee touch attack. Does that touch attack require you to use your strength score? Or can you use your dex?
It came up in a game last night where the new guy kept arguing with everyone, but no one could find it in the CRB where it said one or the other. All I found in the SRD. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Touch-Attacks)

To me it makes sense to use dex, since you just need to make contact and get to ignore armor, shield, and natural armor bonuses.

[ThiagoMartell]

It's melee, so you use Strenght.
You can take Weapon Finesse, then you can use Dexterity.

[Novawurmson]

As an addendum, you use your Dex with ranged touch attacks, possibly adding to the confusion.

[Corlindale]

Yeah, you need weapon finesse to use dex for melee attacks, even though it makes less sense for touch attacks.

A way to get around it is to use Reach Spell metamagic, turning melee touch attack spells into ranged spells, using dex.

[Psyren]

I fluff it such that more strength allows you to move your hand faster, and/or batter aside/push through someone's attempts to not allow you to touch them. After all, in the reverse i.e. being weak, you would move your hands slowly or have hands that are easy to bat away.

Meanwhile, Weapon Finesse represents you being able to pinpoint and angle your touch to make contact with the less-defended areas on your attacker's body.

[Novawurmson]

I fluff it such that more strength allows you to move your hand faster, and/or batter aside/push through someone's attempts to not allow you to touch them. After all, in the reverse i.e. being weak, you would move your hands slowly or have hands that are easy to bat away..

I'm imagining an ogre grabbing a Wizard's frail hand and smacking him in the face with it, guffawing all the while, "Stop hittin' you'self! Stop hittin' you'self!"

[Psyren]

I'm imagining an ogre grabbing a Wizard's frail hand-

He has to be careful though, as grabbing it the wrong way lets the wizard touch him :smalltongue: This, I imagine, is why touch spells are treated as armed attacks - the defender is instinctively trying to avoid the glowy hand and thus won't get his AoO.

[herrhauptmann]

It's melee, so you use Strenght.
You can take Weapon Finesse, then you can use Dexterity.
Hmm, so he was right about the strength thing, normally. Except he was saying it to characters with weapon finesse.

I'm imagining an ogre grabbing a Wizard's frail hand and smacking him in the face with it, guffawing all the while, "Stop hittin' you'self! Stop hittin' you'self!"
Hehehe, always a classic.
In real life: It's awesome when you can teach that to a 5 year old, who then goes up to his older siblings and starts repeating it.

Thanks guys.