Bladecaster questions

[j_spencer93]

Ok, improved battlecasting seems to imply you can do touch spells at a distance or am i reading this wrong??

As for the capstone ability, does that mean i could do a ranged spell that required an attack roll, and somehow use a strike with it (the fluff would be horribly hard to describe).

[upho]

Ok, improved battlecasting seems to imply you can do touch spells at a distance or am i reading this wrong??It's not very clearly written, but yes, you're sort of reading it wrong, because you could already use touch spells with ranged strikes using battlecaster's strike (my emphasis):
..allow him to unleash his offensive magic through the medium of his weapon, delivering magic at melee or range with equal potency. When the bladecaster initiates a martial strike, as a swift action he may cast an arcane spell (with a range of touch and a level equal to or less than the level of the strike initiated) against the same target as the strike.So if you were to, say, use a longbow and initiate a ranged strike such as Focused Solar Lance, you could deliver the effects of a 1st to 5th level spell which says "range: touch", such as frostbite or vampiric touch, with the strike. In short, the spell's melee touch attack is replaced by the attack described in Focused Solar Lance (and your arm/hand, which would normally deliver the spell, is effectively replaced by your arrow). Note that you may not, on the other hand, use spells which has any other range than touch, so a spell like ray of enfeeblement, which say "range: close" and includes "a ranged touch attack" cannot be used with battlecaster's strike.

The relevant part of improved battlecasting is (my emphasis):
...he may now utilize ranged touch spells against foes with as if they were melee touch spells when utilizing his battlecaster's strike.This means the the number of spells you can use with battlecaster's strike increases - it used to be limited to spells which say "range: touch", but now it also includes spells which are normally delivered through a ranged touch attack, such as the aforementioned ray of enfeeblement. And since a ranged touch spell is used with battlecaster's strike as if it was a melee touch spell, you could deliver ray of enfeeblement using a longsword and a melee strike, just as well as a longbow and a ranged strike.


As for the capstone ability, does that mean i could do a ranged spell that required an attack roll, and somehow use a strike with it (the fluff would be horribly hard to describe).Yes. This is basically the other way around from battlecaster's strike - you replace the weapon attack you normally use with the strike with the attack of the spell you cast. The major advantage of this, besides being able to both cast a spell and use a strike in one turn, is of course that most spells are resolved vs. the target's touch AC, whereas most weapon attacks are resolved against the target's typically much higher AC.

EDIT: Note that you'd have to use a ranged strike with a ranged attack spell, and a melee strike with a melee (touch) attack spell, just as you normally would have to use a ranged or melee strike depending on which type of weapon you're wielding. /EDIT

I actually see no problem with the fluff. I mean, is for example firing an arrow that much different than firing a magic ray? I can see that in the case of some melee strikes, you'd have to be a bit more creative, but it's still perfectly doable without much thought IMO. If you find it hard to imagine, I recommend checking out abilities/spells which create weapons of magic energy for inspiration (such as the soulknife's (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/soulknife) Form Mind Blade feature).

I hope this answers your questions.

[j_spencer93]

oh it does lol but not i am curious how zweilander archetype, the ability to throw your shield and this interacts.

[upho]

Please be more specific - what exactly is it you're curious about?

(Throwing a shield is a ranged attack, just as throwing a dagger, a spear or firing an arrow, the difference between the three thrown weapon attacks and the arrow being that projectile weapons don't receive any bonuses to damage by default (which thrown weapons do).)

[j_spencer93]

Ok well for one can you apply shield feats with Zweilander?
Can you throw your "shield" with a maneuver that allows throwing shields?

You shield would be the weapon you wield, actually it says you are treated as carrying you not that it counts as it so what, you throw nothing and still get the benefits?

[Doomeye56]

No you can not, because it is not an actual shield. It just acts as a shield for the purpose of shield bash and giving a shield bonus.

[j_spencer93]

Ok that is kind of what i was getting out of it too.