Range-touch Spells: Do they suffer from the –4 penalty on attack rolls into melee?

[Secane]

Do range-touch spells suffer from the –4 penalty on attack rolls into melee?

This question pop up during a PFS game. In the end the GM ruled that they don't.
The reason is that the line on "Shooting or Throwing into a Melee" states:

"If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll."

With Spells being ruled as not a weapon.

Is this correct?

And if not, is there an FAQ or official post... ANYTHING that I can show to the group at the next game to help clarify this?

[IejirIsk]

rays are considered weapons... but i dont know how many ranged touch are considered rays...

[Daehsquinn]

"A touch spells is considered to be an armed attack." p185 CRB

So, yes, ranged touch spells do suffer from the -4 penalty, but you use the feat precise shot (and point blank!).

[Secane]

That helps thanks!

Still I really wish the wordings for range touch attacks be more clear. This issue was not beneficial for my group.

[osinbar49]

I am running it that way. After all, it's the same situation. You are trying to hit a moving target while avoiding hitting your own people.

[IejirIsk]

Or could go the other route... dont take a -4, but depending on roll, maybe a chance to hit either... but one of my DM's has a moniker of Meany Mouser, so...

[Nefreet]

The easiest way to look at it is that attack rolls, in general, are all affected by the same things. Bless, Haste, Prayer, and the like, give you a +1 to-hit, while concealment effects may cause you to miss. Since a ranged touch attack (whether it be a spell, an alchemist's bomb, or a gunslinger's firearm) still requires an attack roll, the normal -4 for firing into melee applies.

[Secane]

@Nefreet

I understand your point. Which is why I wish the rules would be clearer on this point.

Something like "If you make a range attack at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll." Would help make it much more easy to understand.

At a table, when facing unclear rules, tempers can flare as players start arguing on how to interpret rules to give themselves the best advantage. :(