Quick question on Duskblade channeling

[NunoM]

Quick question as i'm AFB and will probably be needing it tonight

Can a Duskblade channel a spell through the melee attack for a grapple or trip attack, even if using the unarmed attack?

I do have spikes in the armor, but they don't assist much in these cases, or am i missing something?

Thank you!

[whitetyger009]

I would have to say no.

the reasoning behind this is that you can channel and attack as part of a full round action.  anything that would interfere with spell casting would not allow you to channel the spell.  so unless the spell has no somatic or material components you could not cast it during a grapple. 

also the channel ability allows you to cast the spell through your weapon, and unless you have improved unarmed strike you do not count as having a weapon when you are unarmed.

with a trip attack, again, it says unarmed attack.  however, with weapons that allow you to make a trip attack I would say that you could also channel the touch spell.  in this case you would not get the weapon damage just the spell discharge damage and the trip effect. 

[NunoM]

I follow your reasoning, just a small detail, though: the 3rd level Duskblade's channeling ability specifies "as a standard action, you can channel a spell through a melee weapon as part of an attack" (not an exact quote, but the info is spot on; as i said, i'm AFB), so i don't need a full round action to do it.

Ok. I can't channel a spell through the unarmed attack. If i was holding a guisarme for a trip attack, i would have no problems.

Some more questions on this to clear it up:
- What do the armor spikes do for your unarmed attack? Isn't it the same as using a spiked gauntlet which "arms" your unarmed attack? So... can't they be used to perform a trip attack?
- Can i make a trip attack using the touch attack made to deliver a touch spell?

Side note: the situation is truly dire, so a few PC characters are expected to fall in the next round... my own included. Going nova seems the way to go, but i don't have the swift casting ability (only 3rd level), and i'm closing down on a fully charged caster (he has just arrived on the scene). I want to lock him down somehow and thought of grappling or tripping him, and, at the same time. inflict as much damage as possible in a single round. I'm holding a glaive, so i can't trip him with it, and i don't have time to increase the hit probability, by casting "True Strike" and full-PW the guy + channeling.
Before you ask: retreat doesn't appear to be an option...

EDIT: typo
RE-EDIT: some more text.

[whitetyger009]

what is the AFB you mentioned?

[Nanshork]

what is the AFB you mentioned?

AFB means Away From Books.

[Gazzien]

You can, in fact, trip him with it. You don't need a 'trip' weapon to trip someone; it just allows you to drop the weapon instead of being tripped yourself, should you fail by 10+. IIRC. Confirmation on this, anyone?

[RedWarlock]

Yeah, you can trip with any weapon, there's just a few that are better at it. The +4 bonus and such.

[whitetyger009]

ok to channel a spell with an attack you need a standard action.  its all one action.  my wording was misleading before I apologize. 

@Gazzien yes you can trip using an unarmed attack to do so.  other wise you need a weapon that allows a trip attack.  without improved unarmed strike you can not channel a spell with your unarmed strike because you don't have a weapon.  improved unarmed strike lets you always count as being armed, thus able to channel the duskblade spells.

armor spikes do nothing for your unarmed attack, they do add damage during grapple.  and again if you are in a grapple you can't channel.

according to the PHB 159 yes your trip attacks are made as a touch attack even with the weapon.  now if your channeling a spell the spell will discharge if you are successful.  your weapon makes contact the spell goes off.

[NunoM]

...I'm back to my books

Yeah, you can trip with any weapon, there's just a few that are better at it. The +4 bonus and such.

Could you give me a source on this, please? I couldn't find rules stating that you can use any weapon to perform a trip attack (at least in 3.5). IIRC, you can only use unarmed attacks and special weapons for it. This article even mentions it.

How about the touch attack to deliver the touch spell? Can i use that as an "armed" unarmed attack and cause damage at the same time as i start a trip/grapple?

[linklord231]

Only some weapons can be used to make trip attacks.  But, you can always make trip attacks unarmed - you just provoke AoOs for it as normal for unarmed attacks. 

[NunoM]

Ok... Leaving in a few minutes for the session...

One final question (before i head out to my PC's [highly probable] impending demise):
- You can only take an AoO if you're considered armed, correct?
  The reason i'm asking is because i don't think the caster has a weapon in hand yet. If i move in for a grapple or trip, he might not be able to take advantage of the AoO i cause...

[NunoM]

All done... We lucked out, or the DM made a (forced?) mistake and the wizard got in reach of my glaive, although behind the cover of his teammate (a cleric)...
I was able to cast "True Strike" and nail the guy with a full Power Attack + channeled "Shocking Grasp" (my last spell for the day) + 2 damage bonus for "Knowledge Devotion" (hit and spell) for 40hp damage, dropping him prone*. After that, i was able to retreat to a safe distance, before he, or his teammate, could react on their turn (my character was down to 2HPs). The other PCs dropped the cleric, and one of the druids summoned a creature to the 5ft next to the mage. In my turn i re-approached within 5ft of the prone mage and prepared a ready action ("If he casts a spell, i strike him with the armor spikes"). He triggered it, and another 7 hps damage sealed the deal.

A bruised and battered party lived to fight another day...

*We have a house rule: "If the damage dealt in a single attack is greater than 1/2 the full HPs of the target, the target is staggered. Also, roll a FORT save (DC 15) or fall prone."

Thanks for the input, guys!

[RedWarlock]

...I'm back to my books

Yeah, you can trip with any weapon, there's just a few that are better at it. The +4 bonus and such.

Could you give me a source on this, please? I couldn't find rules stating that you can use any weapon to perform a trip attack (at least in 3.5). IIRC, you can only use unarmed attacks and special weapons for it. This article even mentions it.

How about the touch attack to deliver the touch spell? Can i use that as an "armed" unarmed attack and cause damage at the same time as i start a trip/grapple?

Huh. I'm wrong. Never mind me.

[ksbsnowowl]

what is the AFB you mentioned?

AFB means Away From Books.

You know, I only just figured that out a few months ago.  For the longest time I thought there were a lot of airmen stationed at Air Force Bases around the country, and they just needed their D&D fix while at work.