Chill Touch Duration [Archive] - Wizards Community

Chill Touch Duration [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Matthew77
10-14-06, 01:21 PM I have a sorcerer in my campaign who is choosing some spells that I've never seen anyone use before, so some questions are coming up while trying to adjudicate them.

Chill Touch: The PHB seems to say that this spells lasts until the caster makes 1 melee touch attack per level. So, is there any limit on the duration of how long the caster can walk around between casting the spell and making the attacks?

Specifically, can someone cast the spell several hours ahead of time, just wandering around with a glowing blue hand until he finds something he needs to attack?

I'm leaning towards yes, just because the spell is so sub-optimal in many other respects.

Thanks for any opinions,
-Matthew
Thiez
10-14-06, 01:50 PM Yes. You can hold a touch attack for as long as you want to. There is a catch: if someone touches you, the spell automatically discharges, in this case: damaging the toucher. If you cast another spell while holding a charge, you lose the charge.

If you want to discharge the spell without harming someone, just grab a rock. Rocks don't take damage from negative energy, don't take strenght damage, and are not a valid target for the spell. (Yet according to RAW they should discharge the spell, because they count as 'anything'.)

If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the discharge of the spell (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.
dabrowns
10-14-06, 07:36 PM You can do this, but remember that it also discharges if you cast another spell.
Dheran
10-15-06, 04:34 AM You can do this, but remember that it also discharges if you cast another spell. I'm sure you meant to say dissipates harmlessly, instead of discharges. Right?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Matthew77 10-14-06, 01:21 PM	I have a sorcerer in my campaign who is choosing some spells that I've never seen anyone use before, so some questions are coming up while trying to adjudicate them. Chill Touch: The PHB seems to say that this spells lasts until the caster makes 1 melee touch attack per level. So, is there any limit on the duration of how long the caster can walk around between casting the spell and making the attacks? Specifically, can someone cast the spell several hours ahead of time, just wandering around with a glowing blue hand until he finds something he needs to attack? I'm leaning towards yes, just because the spell is so sub-optimal in many other respects. Thanks for any opinions, -Matthew
Thiez 10-14-06, 01:50 PM	Yes. You can hold a touch attack for as long as you want to. There is a catch: if someone touches you, the spell automatically discharges, in this case: damaging the toucher. If you cast another spell while holding a charge, you lose the charge. If you want to discharge the spell without harming someone, just grab a rock. Rocks don't take damage from negative energy, don't take strenght damage, and are not a valid target for the spell. (Yet according to RAW they should discharge the spell, because they count as 'anything'.) If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the discharge of the spell (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.
dabrowns 10-14-06, 07:36 PM	You can do this, but remember that it also discharges if you cast another spell.
Dheran 10-15-06, 04:34 AM	You can do this, but remember that it also discharges if you cast another spell. I'm sure you meant to say dissipates harmlessly, instead of discharges. Right?