Melee Wands?

[GMForrester]

Scarily long time reader, recent lurker, new member.

I've recently started GMing a RollD20 campaign, and barring the general cat-herding that seems to be required to get everyone around the digital tabletop, everything is going pretty well. However, due to my general inexperience, there are a few niggling questions I have that aren't answered by any rules I've so far managed to find.

The most problematic one, right this second? Do wands containing melee touch attack spells (e.g. Ghoul touch, in this case) require you to walk up to the target, and poke them with it? Or does the spell receive a special range increment of some kind?

Apologies if this has already been trawled over a thousand times. Any help - or links - you could give me would be much appreciated :smallwink:.

[GutterFace]

Wands with Melee spells, when activated, cast the spell on you, which then you would make to initiate a touch attack to use the spell.

the only thing you can try is: use the Feat Wandstrike with an attack spell like *any ray spell* (etc)

[GMForrester]

Ah, I see.

Thanks for the quick response.

[Psyren]

Actually, I'm going to disagree - I think you poke them with the wand, rather than pointing it at yourself and then touching them.

This can matter if, for instance, your free hand is occupied with something.

[theIrkin]

It's definitely based on the spell too. You can make the argument for a lot of touch spells either way, but some spells/item abilities build up a charge in the body (or am I thinking of psionics?) that are only discharged when you physically attempt the touch attack.

[Menzath]

Because of how holding charges for touch spells works I have always read it as the caster(after using the spell) gains the charge of said spell in a hand(note the hand can hold an item and not immediately effect it thanks to it being "on your person" ruling) and also as part of the spell you may make an immediate touch attack(Most spells say this, if not then you have to wait a turn to make the attack).

[GutterFace]

Actually, I'm going to disagree - I think you poke them with the wand, rather than pointing it at yourself and then touching them.

This can matter if, for instance, your free hand is occupied with something.

i thought a wand could never count as a weapon. even wand strike says its a standard action to touch them with the wand for damage and have it activate

but then again i could be wrong.