[PF] Magus Spellstrike & Spell Combat

[haplessvictim]

The magus' "Spellstrike" ability allows him or her to cast a touch spell via their weilded weapon; effectively hitting for damage and casting the spell. All well and good.

However, according to the standard rules for touch attack spells, a move can be made before the touch, after the touch and spell, or between the touch and spell.

Does this mean a magus could do the following:

1. Using Spell Combat, Attack with his sword (standard action) and..
2. ..using Spellstrike, cast a touch attack spell, which would involve:
2a. Melee attack with the sword again
2b. 5' step away from the target
2c. Casting the spell

This seems like I could get in two attacks, plus a spell, with no provoked AoOs (against medium creatures only, of course). Is this correct? (If so: woo hoo!)

[Ryulin18]

Complete edit: Re read the post.

The spell has to be delivered through the weapon, being a full round action you are allowed to 5 foot before or after.

So you can attack, cast the spell and then attack with a *touch attack only* spell through the same weapon.

You can't attack, cast any spell as part of the action and get another attack, take a step back and then release it.

[haplessvictim]

Complete edit: Re read the post.
So you can attack, cast the spell and then attack with a *touch attack only* spell through the same weapon.

Yes, I understand this part. My question was whether, doing a Spell Combat/Spellstrike full-attack, could I "touch" the enemy (hit 'em with my sword), take a 5' step and thus be out of reach, and THEN cast the touch-attack spell (for example, "corrosive touch").

If I were a wizard casting corrosive touch with my hand, I could do this. But I'm not clear if a Magus, using Spell Combat and Spellstrike and his sword, can.

[Ryulin18]

Yes, I understand this part. My question was whether, doing a Spell Combat/Spellstrike full-attack, could I "touch" the enemy (hit 'em with my sword), take a 5' step and thus be out of reach, and THEN cast the touch-attack spell (for example, "corrosive touch").

If I were a wizard casting corrosive touch with my hand, I could do this. But I'm not clear if a Magus, using Spell Combat and Spellstrike and his sword, can.

No. The "touch" is the releasing of the spell. You have to have the spell cast to qualify for the attack.

So it's like this:

First attack
casting of the spell
second attack + releasing of spell


Throwing a 5' shift in before, between or after. Even a wizard can't poke someone and then cast a spell once they've wandered off. Where did you get that idea from?

[Bovine Colonel]

Yes, I understand this part. My question was whether, doing a Spell Combat/Spellstrike full-attack, could I "touch" the enemy (hit 'em with my sword), take a 5' step and thus be out of reach, and THEN cast the touch-attack spell (for example, "corrosive touch").

If I were a wizard casting corrosive touch with my hand, I could do this. But I'm not clear if a Magus, using Spell Combat and Spellstrike and his sword, can.

No, and I'm pretty sure a wizard can't do it either. The spell affects a target when the caster touches the target, which happens after the spell is cast.

[haplessvictim]

Hmm, I took some notes while reading the rulebooks this weekend, and this was one of my questions. So I don't have a precise RAW quotation for my question. Maybe I misinterpreted the "Holding a charge" rules to mean that spell casting, touch and movement could be done in any order? I dunno; I'll look at my books this evening.

[MrLemon]

However, according to the standard rules for touch attack spells, a move can be made before the touch, after the touch and spell, or between the touch and spell.

That part is wrong.
You got spellcasting and touching reversed here. You can cast the spell, then you touch, not the other way round.
The time between casting the spell and discharging (the touch attack) can be as long as you want to (though casting another spell discharges the first spell). This is known as holding the charge.
Casting the spell usually is a standard action, discharging a held touch spell (i.e. the touch attack) is a free action


So, you could
1. cast the spell
2. move 5 ft. to be adjacent to an enemy creature
3. strike with all iteratives + 1 spellstrike

Or, you could
1. strike with all iteratives
2. move 5 ft. to safety
3. use spell combat to cast a spell (and in case of a touch spell hold it)


You can not attack with spellstrike if you don't actually hold a touch spell.

The FAQ-Box (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) at Spell Combat clarifies this.

[haplessvictim]

Leave it to a flumph to give me the grade-A answer. Thanks!