Chill Touch Ruling
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:10 amJared,
This one only really affects you. After our discussion, here's how I am ruling. I added in brackets below what I think clarifies the point. There are two things that clarigy the point. 1) Instantaneous duration 2) (and probably more importantly) If the spell can affect the same creature mulitple times.
If the spell is instantaneous then you're done with the one attack. If it's a non istantaneous spell then you can stack the attack damage. I don't have an example of such a spell, but that would be the first distinction.
Although you might think Chill Touch is less powerful than Shocking Grasp, after thinking about it I think it is balanced for a 1st level spell in the versatility; undead turning feature and the fact that it can do Strength Damage. Both things that might be handy in different circumstances, but not as appealing to a damage dealing version of a Duskblade.
Here's the modified FAQ answer:
How does the duskblade’s arcane channeling class
feature (Player’s Handbook II, 20) work with spells that
allow multiple touch attacks, such as chill touch?
For a spell that allows you to make multiple touch attacks
against separate creatures (such as chill touch), you only
channel one touch of the spell through your weapon attack,
regardless of the number of touches allowed by the spell.
If the spell’s duration is instantaneous (as chill touch),
[then]its effect is expended by a single weapon attack, even if the spell would normally allow multiple simultaneous touches.
If the [non instantaneous duration] spell allowed you to make multiple simultaneous touch attacks against the same target, treat it as if you had
targeted the enemy struck by your weapon with all the eligible
attacks.
That's the ruling. Probably means you won't take it but that's what I think is a fair way of interpeting the FAQ answer. and that is in line with the Duskblade class. (as we discussed, the Duskblade is not a fighter class for multiple opponents)
Also, in the wording of the FAQ reponse, it implies the second distinction, chill touch should not be allowed on the same creature multiple times. The spell description itself is a bit vague there as well, but I would rule that if it's used normally, then you can touch multiple creatures, but not the same creature repeatedly. Which is what the one time/level part is about in the description... it's trying to get across how many different creatures you can affect with it.... 3rd level = 3 different creatures (if used normally, not through Arcane Channeling). It has to be able to be used on the same creature multiple times for the damage to stack using Arcane Channeling.
Hope that clears it up for you. (If it doesn't, take pity on me and realize that I'm writing this after you left and so it's not my most coherent hour
)
This one only really affects you. After our discussion, here's how I am ruling. I added in brackets below what I think clarifies the point. There are two things that clarigy the point. 1) Instantaneous duration 2) (and probably more importantly) If the spell can affect the same creature mulitple times.
If the spell is instantaneous then you're done with the one attack. If it's a non istantaneous spell then you can stack the attack damage. I don't have an example of such a spell, but that would be the first distinction.
Although you might think Chill Touch is less powerful than Shocking Grasp, after thinking about it I think it is balanced for a 1st level spell in the versatility; undead turning feature and the fact that it can do Strength Damage. Both things that might be handy in different circumstances, but not as appealing to a damage dealing version of a Duskblade.
Here's the modified FAQ answer:
How does the duskblade’s arcane channeling class
feature (Player’s Handbook II, 20) work with spells that
allow multiple touch attacks, such as chill touch?
For a spell that allows you to make multiple touch attacks
against separate creatures (such as chill touch), you only
channel one touch of the spell through your weapon attack,
regardless of the number of touches allowed by the spell.
If the spell’s duration is instantaneous (as chill touch),
[then]its effect is expended by a single weapon attack, even if the spell would normally allow multiple simultaneous touches.
If the [non instantaneous duration] spell allowed you to make multiple simultaneous touch attacks against the same target, treat it as if you had
targeted the enemy struck by your weapon with all the eligible
attacks.
That's the ruling. Probably means you won't take it but that's what I think is a fair way of interpeting the FAQ answer. and that is in line with the Duskblade class. (as we discussed, the Duskblade is not a fighter class for multiple opponents)
Also, in the wording of the FAQ reponse, it implies the second distinction, chill touch should not be allowed on the same creature multiple times. The spell description itself is a bit vague there as well, but I would rule that if it's used normally, then you can touch multiple creatures, but not the same creature repeatedly. Which is what the one time/level part is about in the description... it's trying to get across how many different creatures you can affect with it.... 3rd level = 3 different creatures (if used normally, not through Arcane Channeling). It has to be able to be used on the same creature multiple times for the damage to stack using Arcane Channeling.
Hope that clears it up for you. (If it doesn't, take pity on me and realize that I'm writing this after you left and so it's not my most coherent hour
)