Talk:Focus (3.5e Equipment)

What exactly is a weapon like spell? --Dragonexx (talk) 22:31, 10 December 2017 (MST)

A weapon-like spell is any spell with an attack roll. That is, rays, melee touch, and ranged touch spells. I found the text to quote, but not which book it's in.

Any spell that requires an attack roll and deals damage functions as a weapon in certain respects, whether the spell deals normal hit point damage, nonlethal damage, ability damage, or energy drain. Such spells can threaten critical hits, can be used in sneak attacks, and can be used with favored enemy damage bonuses. You can even use a number of combat-enhancing feats from the Player’s Handbook to improve the effectiveness of weaponlike spells, as noted in Chapter 3 of this book.

All such spells deal damage as spells, not weapons, so Strength modifiers to damage and magical effects that increase weapon damage (such as the bard’s inspire courage ability and the prayer spell) don’t increase damage from a weaponlike spell. Likewise, a weaponlike spell that deals normal damage can’t be used to deal nonlethal damage or vice versa (except when modified by the Nonlethal Substitution feat or in accordance with the specific regulations of a nonlethal spell duel as described on page 176).

(EDIT: Apparently it was clarified in Complete Arcane. Makes sense, since that's where the warlock is.) -- Eiji-kun (talk) 17:39, 11 December 2017 (MST)

When you say "Weapon-like spells can be channeled through the weapon", do you mean this as in the Duskblade's Arcane Channeling feature? So the spell would be delivered via a weapon attack? Given that you don't mention a lack of provoking attacks of opportunity, I'm assuming the spell would have to be cast normally and the weapon attack would be a separate action, is that correct? Also, how are spells which could normally affect multiple targets handled, like scorching ray? Only the target struck by the attack is affected? Renshae (talk) 09:39, 9 April 2022 (UTC)