[RPG] As a Magus, does Spellstrike take 3 actions

action-economyactionsmovementpathfinder-2e

I'm level 2 right now. My DM says it takes 1 action to melee with Spellstrike, and 2 actions to cast my spell. Which means that's all 3 of my actions… So I can't move to an enemy to use my skill?

I'm pretty new, but this just doesn't feel right. I have to start my turn next to an enemy, or I can never use my skill.

Best Answer

Answer

The Spellstrike activity allows you to Cast a Spell and Strike spending only the two actions required by Spellstrike.

Sources

The Core Rulebook states the following on page 461 under Actions -> Activities:

An activity might cause you to use specific actions within it. You don’t have to spend additional actions to perform them—they’re already factored into the activity’s required actions. (See Subordinate Actions on page 462.)

A subordinate action is described like this in the Core rulebook page 462:

An action might allow you to use a simpler action—usually one of the Basic Actions on page 469—in a different circumstance or with different effects. This subordinate action still has its normal traits and effects, but is modified in any ways listed in the larger action.

[...]

The action that allows you to use a subordinate action doesn’t require you to spend more actions or reactions to do so; that cost is already factored in.

The Spellstrike activity states the following (Secrets of Magic page 37):

You Cast a Spell that takes 1 or 2 actions to cast and requires a spell attack roll. The effects of the spell don’t occur immediately but are imbued into your attack instead. Make a melee Strike with a weapon or unarmed attack.

So Cast a Spell and Strike are subordinate actions to Spellstrike and thus do not require you to spend more actions to perform them, their action cost is already included in the action cost of Spellstrike. (See the Magus Class Description for more info)

Related Topic