(PF) Odd wording in the spell Frostbite

[Talya]

Frostbite
School transmutation [cold]; Level druid 1, magus 1, witch 1

CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S

EFFECT
Range touch
Targets creature touched
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
Your melee touch attack deals 1d6 points of nonlethal cold damage + 1 point per level, and the target is fatigued. The fatigued condition ends when the target recovers from the nonlethal damage. This spell cannot make a creature exhausted even if it is already fatigued. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level.

"You may use this [instantaneous] melee touch attack up to one time per level."

What the hell does this mean in this context? It sounds like they meant it to work something like the druid's "Produce Flame," but it has no duration, and the target is creature touched, so this makes no sense.

[Cog]

I suspect that wording is a carryover from Chill Touch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/chillTouch.htm), which has been phrased just as awkwardly all along. Presumably the Instantaneous is there to mean that the damage resulting from the attack is instantaneous, while the multiple uses would likely follow the rules for holding the charge on a touch spell. You'd get one attack the first round, as standard for a touch spell, and could use iteratives in the following rounds until you either use up the spell or discharge it by other means.

[The Trickster]

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n11z?Frostbite

There is a URL to a discussion where they explain it. I am still trying to figure it out myself. It seems like when you cast a touch spell, it does not get discharged until you use it.


From the link;

It depends on how many eligible attacks you can make.

When you cast the spell, it grants you the ability to make a touch attack as a free action for that turn. After that turn is over, and you hold the charge, you're limited to whatever attacks you could normally make. Generally, that's one touch attack made as a standard action. If you had two claw attacks, you could full attack and each claw that hit would also deliver the spell (vs normal AC, not touch).

You could think of it as granting CL number of 'charges' and the spell lasts until they are all used (or until you cast another spell).

However, recently James Jacobs said that you only hold the charge of chill touch (and similar spells) until it's been discharged once, after that it no longer functions as a touch spell, but works more like an innate special attack that triggers on touch. If this is the case, then you are restricted to attempting one touch attack as a standard action each round.

I think it means that you can cast the spell, hold the charge, and can use the spell next turn, making as many touch attack as you can.

I think.

Maybe.

It does sound dumb though.

[grarrrg]

I'd say it works about as well as Blood Crow Strike (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/blood-crow-strike) does...

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