How do you use Spell Combat (+ Spellstrike)?

[amont319]

It seems difficult for me to have Regongar use Spell Combat. I know that it is in fact implemented (it's not just completely bugged) because I have seen in the combat log cases where the -2 from spell combat is applied and he does attack twice in a round (the regular attack plus the spellstrike attack). But most of the time I don't see the -2 and only one (spellstrike) attack is made. I am making sure that both spellstrike and spell combat are selected, and I click once for a regular attack and then click the spell and click the monster again to order the spell.

[bumpboy23703]

Have you tried casting an attack spell like Touch of fatigue/Shocking grasp?
When an attack spell like them is used, he uses Fatigue then attacks twice.

[DRunkCoWBoy]

are you talking about the mangus? Mine uses spellstrike all the time but it has to be a touch spell. He will even sit there and miss 5 times and on the third time his weapon connects the spell will go off to.

[DRunkCoWBoy]

also it needs to be turned on. My mangus always auto turns it on.

[Bladeheart]

Could someone please tell me how these 2 skills are suppose to work and, what type of spell they are suppose to work with?

EDIT: I suppose I should also ask, is this working as intended?

[DRunkCoWBoy]

i dont use regongar, my main is a magnus. I dont pay attention so much to the rounds but its very easy to tell that he casts way faster than everyone else as long as he only has a 1 handed weapon and the other hand free, that is the spell combat. The spellstrike has to be a touch spell and possibly just the level 1 spells, not sure if ive seen it work with frigid or not, but you will see him cast it and his off hand will be glowing and have glwoing words and runes on it and such so you know the spell is loaded. Now the next part is that his weapon has to actually connect, which is difficult sometimes considering he has that -2 attack because of it. When the weapon connects youll see the spell go off and all the visual effects that go with it. if the weapons never hits he will just keep it loaded until you get in another fight.

[Bladeheart]

Think I understand; thanks for the explanation, I'll check it out.

[Nodjia]

Can anyone explain to me the order of operations that makes spell-combat work? I have been completely unsuccessful in using it so far... I'm 5th level and I've failed to use it maybe 30 to 40 times.

When I am adjacent to a target (no moving required at all), I have tried the following:
1) Attacking melee first, then when I try to cast a spell after, I have no "action left" it doesn't cast.
2) Casting a ranged spell like "web", and again, I have no "action" left to melee.
3) When I cast a "touch spell" the character immediately attacks with her sword, but doesn't follow up with a 2nd attack. Which my understanding I should get 2 "actions" the spell cast and the attack (both at a -2 penalty if the spell involves to-hit roll)

4) I tried this with the "wand combat" feat that allows the magus to use a wand as the "casting effect" of the spell combat ability, and after using the item I cannot melee anything in range.

It feels to me like this ability just doesn't work at all in the engine. I can confirm from the to-hit and damage logging that I am only ever making one attack even when casting a touch spell through the sword. And to be honest, sometimes I look at the damage log for those spell combat + spellstrike hits, and I'm only seeing dice for the spell itself (shocking grasp) and no 1d8 for my aldori dueling sword. I'm debating a complete re-roll and just want to ask if anyone found an order of operations that can make these core abilities work?

[Orange]

Originally posted by 1stAL «Cpl» N. Guilty:

Can anyone explain to me the order of operations that makes spell-combat work? I have been completely unsuccessful in using it so far... I'm 5th level and I've failed to use it maybe 30 to 40 times.

When I am adjacent to a target (no moving required at all), I have tried the following:
1) Attacking melee first, then when I try to cast a spell after, I have no "action left" it doesn't cast.
2) Casting a ranged spell like "web", and again, I have no "action" left to melee.
3) When I cast a "touch spell" the character immediately attacks with her sword, but doesn't follow up with a 2nd attack. Which my understanding I should get 2 "actions" the spell cast and the attack (both at a -2 penalty if the spell involves to-hit roll)

4) I tried this with the "wand combat" feat that allows the magus to use a wand as the "casting effect" of the spell combat ability, and after using the item I cannot melee anything in range.

It feels to me like this ability just doesn't work at all in the engine. I can confirm from the to-hit and damage logging that I am only ever making one attack even when casting a touch spell through the sword. And to be honest, sometimes I look at the damage log for those spell combat + spellstrike hits, and I'm only seeing dice for the spell itself (shocking grasp) and no 1d8 for my aldori dueling sword. I'm debating a complete re-roll and just want to ask if anyone found an order of operations that can make these core abilities work?

Okay

1st- Make sure the ability is toggled on,
2nd- Equip a 1h weapon and keep the other one free
3rd- Spell combat works as a FULL-ROUND ACTION, meaning you can not move and use it. Your character must start its "turn" next to the enemy to able to cast a spell + have an attack. (much like how martials need to start next to the enemy in a turn to use all attack rolls )
Otherwise you will simply cast a spell as a standard action and await your next turn to attack as melee.


Spellstrike does not need spell-combat because instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver a touch spell, "a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell".

Hope it helps

[lemartes]

Originally posted by Orange:

Originally posted by 1stAL «Cpl» N. Guilty:

Can anyone explain to me the order of operations that makes spell-combat work? I have been completely unsuccessful in using it so far... I'm 5th level and I've failed to use it maybe 30 to 40 times.

When I am adjacent to a target (no moving required at all), I have tried the following:
1) Attacking melee first, then when I try to cast a spell after, I have no "action left" it doesn't cast.
2) Casting a ranged spell like "web", and again, I have no "action" left to melee.
3) When I cast a "touch spell" the character immediately attacks with her sword, but doesn't follow up with a 2nd attack. Which my understanding I should get 2 "actions" the spell cast and the attack (both at a -2 penalty if the spell involves to-hit roll)

4) I tried this with the "wand combat" feat that allows the magus to use a wand as the "casting effect" of the spell combat ability, and after using the item I cannot melee anything in range.

It feels to me like this ability just doesn't work at all in the engine. I can confirm from the to-hit and damage logging that I am only ever making one attack even when casting a touch spell through the sword. And to be honest, sometimes I look at the damage log for those spell combat + spellstrike hits, and I'm only seeing dice for the spell itself (shocking grasp) and no 1d8 for my aldori dueling sword. I'm debating a complete re-roll and just want to ask if anyone found an order of operations that can make these core abilities work?

Okay

1st- Make sure the ability is toggled on,
2nd- Equip a 1h weapon and keep the other one free
3rd- Spell combat works as a FULL-ROUND ACTION, meaning you can not move and use it. Your character must start its "turn" next to the enemy to able to cast a spell + have an attack. (much like how martials need to start next to the enemy in a turn to use all attack rolls )
Otherwise you will simply cast a spell as a standard action and await your next turn to attack as melee.


Spellstrike does not need spell-combat because instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver a touch spell, "a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell".

Hope it helps

so spellstrike is just for casting touch spell with melee modifiers ?

is there a situation where you want to activate both skills ?

[Stink Bug]

Originally posted by lemartes:

Originally posted by Orange:

Okay

1st- Make sure the ability is toggled on,
2nd- Equip a 1h weapon and keep the other one free
3rd- Spell combat works as a FULL-ROUND ACTION, meaning you can not move and use it. Your character must start its "turn" next to the enemy to able to cast a spell + have an attack. (much like how martials need to start next to the enemy in a turn to use all attack rolls )
Otherwise you will simply cast a spell as a standard action and await your next turn to attack as melee.


Spellstrike does not need spell-combat because instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver a touch spell, "a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell".

Hope it helps

so spellstrike is just for casting touch spell with melee modifiers ?

is there a situation where you want to activate both skills ?

A low AC enemy with a lot of health, since spellstrike amounts to an extra melee attack.

I had a hard time wrapping my head around spellcombat and strike too ‘till I tried the Eldritch Archer; since that archetype doesn’t have to move as much as a melee character, you can make full attacks much more often and thus frequently see spellcombatstrike working. Anyone who uses with the turn-based mod will also be able to reliably pull them off too, since you’ll have much more control over your positioning.

[feliscon]

Originally posted by lemartes:

Originally posted by Orange:

Okay

1st- Make sure the ability is toggled on,
2nd- Equip a 1h weapon and keep the other one free
3rd- Spell combat works as a FULL-ROUND ACTION, meaning you can not move and use it. Your character must start its "turn" next to the enemy to able to cast a spell + have an attack. (much like how martials need to start next to the enemy in a turn to use all attack rolls )
Otherwise you will simply cast a spell as a standard action and await your next turn to attack as melee.


Spellstrike does not need spell-combat because instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver a touch spell, "a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell".

Hope it helps

so spellstrike is just for casting touch spell with melee modifiers ?

is there a situation where you want to activate both skills ?

They combine together, so Spellstrike + Spell Combat = one additional weapon attack at -2 for all attacks AND that attack also carries a touch spell.