Touch Attack vs Attack of Opportunity

Hey guys.

I have this miniscule problem.
We make this variant channeling rule - that you can via touch channel all energy into one being with bonus damage/heal.

The question now is - should such touch attack provoke attack of opportunity, considering touch attack assumes casting/channeling player/NPC must touch enemy with bare hand, and unarmed attacks provoke AoO by RAW.

Or for simmilar but RAW situation - what about cleric casting touch attack spell round earlier and discharging it in touch attack later - therefore casting outside of are of AoO, but TA normally.

“Armed” Unarmed Attacks: Sometimes a character’s or creature’s unarmed attack counts as an armed attack. A monk, a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, a spellcaster delivering a touch attack spell, and a creature with natural physical weapons all count as being armed (see natural attacks).

So no, delivering a touch spell does not provoke.

Melee touch attacks and supernatural abilities do not provoke.

And if you fail to touch, you're still holding the charge, which means you can touch as an Attack of Opportunity until it discharges.

...

The question now is - should such touch attack provoke attack of opportunity, considering touch attack assumes casting/channeling player/NPC must touch enemy with bare hand, and unarmed attacks provoke AoO by RAW.

Or for simmilar but RAW situation - what about cleric casting touch attack spell round earlier and discharging it in touch attack later - therefore casting outside of are of AoO, but TA normally.

As Nefreet noted above +

“Armed” Unarmed Attacks: Sometimes a character’s or creature’s unarmed attack counts as an armed attack. A monk, a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, a spellcaster delivering a touch attack spell, and a creature with natural physical weapons all count as being armed (see natural attacks).

Whether an action provokes or not is handled on the Actions in Comat table.

Specific abilities that aren't part of normal attack actions that require more than a free or immediate action to use cannot be used to make attacks of opportunity, but, as stated before, if the action is already spent and the ability is being held, it can then provoke.

A caster cannot cast shocking grasp as part of an AoO, but a caster who cast Shocking grasp earlier and still has the charge can use it as an AoO. Same with any other similar ability- it doesn't have to be spells.

Keep in mind that only spells and spell-like abilities with the range of touch can be held. Channel energy is a supernatural ability, and so it'd have to be houseruled for it to be able to be held as a charge like touch spells can be. That also means a missed touch attack means a wasted use of channeling.

There is not enough time to cast in an AoO but you can touch with something you have active.

To use a spell or ability you have to have with an AoO that spell or ability has to be ready to use immediately. Many spells have a one touch per round (until the start of your next turn) limitation.

That I know - maybe I was wording it wrong - but I was asking about opposite situation - when my cleric try to touch-channel someone in battle, and whether touched one should get AoO against cleric.

If spell delivery per se do not provoke AoO (which is bit bizarre but OK) - then I guess my channel rule should follow simmilar scheme.

Channel energy is a supernatural ability, and so it'd have to be houseruled for it to be able to be held as a charge like touch spells can be. That also means a missed touch attack means a wasted use of channeling.

Worse - it means non-touched discharge ;)

Channel doesn’t provoke so this made up abitlity to use it in the different way also should not provoke and nothing else in this ability provokes so looks like a no to me

In the Rules forum I choose not to discuss house rules and generally stick as close to RAW as necessary, I do comment sometimes.
I feel discussion of home rules are more appropriate for the Homebrew forum.

BTW - your answer is here. Reread the thread if needed.

IF you home rule Channelling(Su) can be used as a touch attack AND it can be held, then the touch attack acts as an Armed Attack and does not provoke.
The channelling in and of itself being Supernatural(SU) does not provoke.
A held touch spell CAN be used in an AoO, discharging the spell if the touch is successful.

Your GM should be aware that most touch spells can be held for Caster Level rounds (with an obviously glowing hand).

Come again?

Holding the Charge: If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the charge indefinitely.