Delivering Spells through RANGED weapon attacks

[Allstar]

Looking at the Lists of Stuff of the Duskblade, Spellsword, Ordained Champion listed there have channel spell options that specify that you must channel the spell into a melee weapon, or RAW say you can use an unarmed attack. Having played an Arcane Archer build and enjoyed the mechanic but not wanting to repeat it (completely) I'm looking to do it through thrown weapons.

So far I've found the DaggerSpell Mage to have an ability (@ ECL 13), and getting a little clever I could take the PHBII feat Smiting Spell and 3-5 levels of Havoc Mage (@ ECL 11, in case the DM doesn't think that Smiting Spell automatically includes an attack with the weapon.) Either way 2 caster levels get used in either going Rogue -> Mage -> DaggerSpell or Mage -> Havoc Mage. Throwing in a little Unseen Seer can get the first method down to just 1 lost caster level from the beginning of DSM but unfortunately pushes back the level the mechanic becomes available even further and earlier is better.

Are there any other methods with which to channel/charge a weapon with a spell and use that weapon to attack?

[BaronDoctor]

Two levels in bloodstorm blade lets you treat thrown weapon attacks as melee attacks, which would probably let you Arcane Channel through it (ask your DM). The two caster levels seems to be the price of doing business, but I'd be curious if Lightning Ricochet would let you channel to anybody your weapon bounces to.

[RaiKirah]

I'd be curious if Lightning Ricochet would let you channel to anybody your weapon bounces to.

Probably not since they're separate attacks, but War Hulk's Awesome Blow probably would.

[Darg]

A strike and touch are different things. You aren't striking when touching and vice versa. Smiting spell only works works when you strike the target. This means you don't get the benefit of the free touch attack as part of casting of the spell.

Duskblade's arcane channeling melee attacks can, as mentioned by the previous poster, be fooled by the thunderous strikes class feature of bloodstorm blade at level 2.

Spellsword's spell channel simply works and doesn't require the spell to be touch. It also ironically reduces the cast time of any spell to be only a move action which is a whole lot easier to get extras of.


Probably not since they're separate attacks, but War Hulk's Awesome Blow probably would.

Warmind's sweeping strike and soulknife's bladewind would work. Sure you lose a lot of caster levels, but a large number of targets is it's own benefit in certain ways.

[Troacctid]

Spell-storing weapons. You can get spell-storing shurikens (or skiprocks) for less than 200 gp each, and unlike most other methods of channeling spells, you can throw a bunch of them all in one full attack.