Hello Rules forum, I have a list of questions all related to a single spell I'm having issues with. Storm of Blades.
So the spell lets you destroy X sword in hand, and then fire X copy of sword at an opponent, 1 copy for every 2 caster levels, maxed out at 5 copies, 10th caster level.
Here are the questions:
Assuming the caster is able to cast without provoking while in melee...
Ranged attacks provoke attacks of opportunity. What part of a range attack does this?
Given ranged attacks provoke, but no where in the spell does it say you specifically make the attack yourself, are you provoking? You cast the spell, but the spell launches the swords.
Assuming you do provoke, and these are swords, Point Blank Master doesn't work because swords aren't range weapons, does Close Quarter Throwing work in removing the provoking action of the ranged attack?
1) Making the ranged attack does this. (Declaration, I guess)
2) The spell says that you make the ranged attack rolls, so you are making the ranged attack.
3) I don't think so, but I wouldn't find it unreasonable to ask GM if he'd/she'd allow it.
I don't know how often you are in melee range when you cast spells, but most casters I see just step back and blast away... Could I ask why it is important for you to be in melee range when you do this?
Oh, its not important to be in melee, I was just confused on this spell and how it would work. The only time I could think of range attacks provoking would be in melee, so I figured I'd just ask about it in that situation. Thanks for the info!
Making a ranged attack roll is the part that provokes, which represent the action of making the attack. So, each time you fire a bow it provokes, and in your case each time you shoot one of the swords it would provoke (though monsters rarely have combat reflexes).
If the spells says you make a ranged attack/ranged touch attack you are making it, and it provokes. Imagine it as the energy of the spell launches the sword, but you are focusing to direct the energy to determine where it launches them. That focus is what provokes.
I don't think Point Blank Master or Close Quarters Thrower would work technically, since they aren't ranged weapons and you aren't actually throwing them. However, as a GM I would probably allow it since spending a feat on something to modify how a spell works which you can only cast a few times is probably not a very good investment, so it's probably okay.
After reading the spell description, I'm left with a question. What action is it to launch the swords?
Since the duration is instantaneous, it would be one of two answers, each with their own caveats.
- It takes a standard action to fling the sword. This means that you'll be spending up to six rounds on the casting of this spell. Since the spell is instantaneous, the swords would continue to float next to you indefinitely?
- They all fling out the same round. This seems more likely to me. However, in the OP's scenario, you'll provoke up to six times in that single round. Once for casting, and once for each sword you fling.
GinoA:
You are making up to 5 ranged attacks, so if you are in a position to do so, you provoke 5 times.
It does not take a standard action to fling the sword. The casting time is 1 standard action with a duratio of instantaneous, so the casting and the launching of the swords is all in the same single standard action.
This is no different than a archer having a full attack action firing his bow while engaged in melee insofar as number of attacks of opportunity they are provoking.
Making a ranged attack roll is the part that provokes, which represent the action of making the attack. So, each time you fire a bow it provokes, and in your case each time you shoot one of the swords it would provoke (though monsters rarely have combat reflexes).
If the spells says you make a ranged attack/ranged touch attack you are making it, and it provokes. Imagine it as the energy of the spell launches the sword, but you are focusing to direct the energy to determine where it launches them. That focus is what provokes.
...
You threw ranged touch attacks into the mix, but it is not always true that spells with multiple ranged touch attacks provoke for each attack roll. Scorching Ray only provokes once for attacking even when it has multiple attack rolls.
Ranged Touch Attack Spells and AOOs: When you cast a spell that allows you to make a ranged touch attack (such as scorching ray), and an enemy is within reach, do you provoke two attacks of opportunity?
Yes, you provoke two attacks of opportunity: one for casting the spell and one for making a ranged attack, since these are two separate events.
(Note that at spell that fires multiple simultaneous rays, such as scorching ray, only provokes one AOO for making the ranged attack instead of one AOO for each ranged attack. It still provokes for casting the spell.
This answer originally appeared in the 9/11/12 Paizo blog.