Post/Author/DateTime	Post
danzibr 07-12-07, 02:43 PM	So... it gives you a bludgeoning melee touch attack? Let's say you fight with two claws. How would using this power affect your attacks in a round? Also, what if you have a BAB of 6 or more? Thanks in advance! Dan
InkBlot 07-12-07, 02:57 PM	There's two important things to note about hammer. 1. The standard action manifesting time was an editing mistake. It was changed to "one swift action" in official errata. If you have two claw attacks (such as with claws of the beast) you can use each attack to deliver your hammer touch attacks. You do not deal the normal damage of your claws, and the critical range is 20 x2. If you hold the charge (p.141-142 Player's Handbook), then you can make normal melee attacks (not touch attacks) to deal claw damage plus 1d8 from hammer. If you crit you do not multiply the damage from hammer. Whether or not you hold the charge, you can also choose to make one normal claw attack and use your other attack to deliver hammer. If you have BAB of +6, you can make two touch attacks with a full attack action at +6 and +1. You can also use two weapon fighting, gaining an extra touch attack and taking a penalty to all your attack rolls. You can also use some of your attacks to deliver hammer, and some to do other things. Treat hammer as if it were a weapon. For example, let's say you have a longsword in one hand and nothing in the other, your BAB is +11, and you have the feats Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, and Greater Two Weapon Fighting. On a full attack you can make three longsword attacks at +9/+4/-1, and make three hammer touch attacks at +9/+4/-1.
Racinante 07-12-07, 03:50 PM	If you hold the charge (p.141-142 Player's Handbook), then you can make normal melee attacks (not touch attacks) to deal claw damage plus 1d8 from hammer. If you crit you do not multiply the damage from hammer. Just to pick nits, Hammer is not discharged on a successful touch (or it is poorly worded) so you cannot hold the charge. The power justs lasts for one round (or more if augmented). Everytime you touch with an unarmed strike, you deal the additional 1d8 damage. You cannot choose not to deal this damage on a touch. Technically, everytime you touch another character, whether friend, foe, or neutral, you are making a touch attack and will deal 1d8 damage. If you choose to use a weapon, then Hammer will not add to its damage.
InkBlot 07-12-07, 04:05 PM	Just to pick nits, Hammer is not discharged on a successful touch (or it is poorly worded) so you cannot hold the charge. The power justs lasts for one round (or more if augmented). I know it doesn't discharge. That doesn't mean that you can't hold the charge and deliver hammer with an unarmed strike or natural weapon. In fact, the wording of hammer strongly implies that you can't not deal the extra damage if you punch somebody. If you make a normal attack roll to make a normal unarmed strike, you fist is definitely touching the person you punch.
Racinante 07-12-07, 04:38 PM	I know it doesn't discharge. That doesn't mean that you can't hold the charge and deliver hammer with an unarmed strike or natural weapon. In fact, the wording of hammer strongly implies that you can't not deal the extra damage if you punch somebody. If you make a normal attack roll to make a normal unarmed strike, you fist is definitely touching the person you punch. I agree with everything you say about the effect of the power. As I said, I was merely nitpicking as hold the charge is a very specific reference to spells and powers that discharge on a successful touch. By saying that a player can hold the charge implies that Hammer lasts indefinitely until used, which is not the case. It has a very specific duration.
InkBlot 07-13-07, 12:58 AM	OK. Either way, I'm sure the OP now has a very clear picture of how hammer works.