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I have a string of logic getting me to the conclusion I want :) Help me decide if I am fooling myself.

Based on this information (correct me if I'm wrong):

  1. Magus's Spellstrike says you can use ANY weapon to deliver a touch attack.
  2. If you're done with your spell combat, on a subsequent turn you could then use a 2hd weapon to deliver your touch attack since it's "ANY" weapon.
  3. A shield can bash people over the head, so it is a weapon of sorts.
  4. A ring of force can create a shield as a free action.

I think the following is the case:

  1. If my magus were to miss his spell combat attacks and still have a touch charge, he could activate the ring of force without discharging the touch attack because he is allowed to use both hands.
  2. On the next turn I can attack again and hit with the spell charge through my sword.

Is this accurate?

Furthermore, there's this Paizo FAQ information:

On a related topic, the magus touching his held weapon doesn’t count as “touching anything or anyone” when determining if he discharges the spell. A magus could even use the spellstrike ability, miss with his melee attack to deliver the spell, be disarmed by an opponent (or drop the weapon voluntarily, for whatever reason), and still be holding the charge in his hand, just like a normal spellcaster. Furthermore, the weaponless magus could pick up a weapon (even that same weapon) with that hand without automatically discharging the spell, and then attempt to use the weapon to deliver the spell. However, if the magus touches anything other than a weapon with that hand (such as retrieving a potion), that discharges the spell as normal.

This to me bolsters my argument because if the weapon hand is the one that has the charge, then I should be able to do stuff with the other hand because they specifically say "that hand" can pick up a dropped weapon and try again later.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I've done some editing which I believe may improve clarity of your question a bit. Among them I've split your list into two sections: the basics you believe (or assert) are the case (points 1-4), and the conclusions you're drawing from those basics (points 5 and 6). I believe this division may assist parsing your logic, but it's probably largely a stylistic choice. Feel free to further edit or revert my edits. \$\endgroup\$ Nov 23, 2014 at 23:25
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think there's a couple of specific questions in here that might elicit more answers, perhaps as different questions: Can a magus use spell combat and spellstrike while wielding a shield as a weapon? Can shield bash attacks be made with the shield created by the ring of force screen? Can a magus who casts a touch-range spell in one round deliver that touch range spell using a two-handed weapon via spellstrike in a subsequent round? Specific questions gets better and more responses. \$\endgroup\$ Nov 25, 2014 at 9:18

1 Answer 1

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This Appears Correct

I'm going to put the sequence you're describing into firmer game terms so it's a bit easier to follow. All this assumes a magus with only two hands.

  • Turn 1: The magus takes a full action to use the extraordinary ability spell combat. The magus makes with his 1-handed or light weapon 1 or more attacks, suffering a -2 penalty on these attacks. The magus then casts a spell with a range of touch.

    This spell is cast with the off hand and, due to the supernatural ability spellstrike, resolved separately from the magus's other weapon attacks, but the attack can be either a attack with the magus's weapon or a touch attack with the off hand. If this attack's successful despite the magus suffering a -2 penalty on the attack roll, the magus resolves the spell. If the attack is unsuccessful or the magus chooses not to make the attack, the magus holds the touch spell's charge. The magus takes a free action to activate his off-hand ring of force shield; activating the ring doesn't expend the touch spell's charge.

    Note: Although the ring of force shield's shield "has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance since it is weightless and encumbrance-free," the shield nonetheless "can be wielded by the wearer as if it were a heavy shield," and a heavy shield permits the user to make shield bash attacks, making it a weapon. The magus's spell isn't discharged as per the FAQ's ruling.

    However, confirm that the DM agrees both that a shield is actually a weapon for the purposes of spell combat and that shield bashes can be made with a force shield. The parenthetical +2 AC in the ring of force shield's description could be either the extent of the force shield's similarity to the heavy shield or a reminder of a heavy shield's Armor Class bonus, and which is decidedly unclear. (Also, dealing damage by bashing a dude with a weightless items? Sure, magic. Whatever.)

  • Turn 2: The magus takes a free action to deactivate the ring of force-shield, either his off hand or his weapon still retaining the spell's charge. The magus takes a free action to put off hand on his one-handed weapon. The magus takes a full-round action to make a full attack. The first successful attack discharges the touch spell's charge. After concluding his attacks, the magus takes a free action to take his off hand from his 1-handed weapon. Then he takes a free action to activate his off hand ring of force shield.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ So the point that is missed is you may miss your attack and have this touch attack hanging around. You can then get the AC out of the force shield and try again next turn to deliver the touch attack. Also it sounds like the sword hand has the touch all the time so dont have to mess with the shield hand. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kendric
    Nov 24, 2014 at 7:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Kendric You're right that I assumed this was some kind of long-term tactic to make an attack with a 1-handed weapon used 2-handed that's also holding a charge... not an accidental sequence because of a missed attack. Did this happen and the DM said, "No," or are you just speculating? \$\endgroup\$ Nov 24, 2014 at 10:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ Gathering consensus before I try to use it in a game:) \$\endgroup\$
    – Kendric
    Nov 25, 2014 at 2:53

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