Touch Spells and Improved Unarmed Strike

[schporto]

In Complete Arcane there is an explanation of how you can use Improved Unarmed Strike to deliver touch attacks, and deal normal damage and the spell damage. Can someone explain how this works a little better? Using an Enlightened Fist, or Sacred fist can he:
1. Move normal, Cast Touch Range Spell, get 1 unarmed attack delivering both unarmed damage and spell damage (assuming contact).
2. Cast Touch spell, get full attack, getting spell damage on any hits until the spell is discharged.
3. Move, Cast touch spell, wait till next round, full attack getting spell damage and unarmed strike.
I'm just a bit confused on touch spells.
Thanks.
-cpd

 

[Hypersmurf]

1. Move normal, Cast Touch Range Spell, get 1 unarmed attack delivering both unarmed damage and spell damage (assuming contact).
2. Cast Touch spell, get full attack, getting spell damage on any hits until the spell is discharged.
3. Move, Cast touch spell, wait till next round, full attack getting spell damage and unarmed strike.

I'm assuming a wizard for the moment, because I don't know off-hand if either of the Fist classes have class abilities that change this.

No, no, yes.

The 'Cast a Spell' action includes touching the opponent (a melee touch attack) when casting a touch spell. It does not include punching the opponent (a melee attack).

Thus, if you want to use the unarmed strike to deliver a touch spell, that melee attack needs to come from a separate action. If the spell were cast as a swift action, you could hold the charge and then take a standard action to hit someone. If it were cast as a standard action, you would hold the charge, and then either deliver the spell as an AoO (even without IUS, you count as being armed while holding the charge, though without IUS you will provoke an AoO yourself for the unarmed strike), or in the next round as part of an attack action or full attack action (or charge action).

Most touch spells will discharge on the first successful attack. If they don't, you can continue to apply them throughout the full attack until they're gone.

Note that a critical will only apply to the strike damage, not the spell damage.

-Hyp.