Finally - Ranged Touch Spells provoke AoO

[The black raven]

concerro wrote:

I hate to necro an old thread, but are you also saying that if I provoke(do not cast defensively) that I provoke a second time from the actual ranged touch attack.

Yes : you provoke for casting a spell and you provoke for making a ranged attack.

[wraithstrike]

The black raven wrote:

concerro wrote:

I hate to necro an old thread, but are you also saying that if I provoke(do not cast defensively) that I provoke a second time from the actual ranged touch attack.

Yes : you provoke for casting a spell and you provoke for making a ranged attack.

Another poster disagreed with me in an old thread, and while I do think his point is valid I disagree with him. Yeah this is shameless promoting to hit the FAQ button on my necro post. :)

[Sarta]

The black raven wrote:

concerro wrote:

I hate to necro an old thread, but are you also saying that if I provoke(do not cast defensively) that I provoke a second time from the actual ranged touch attack.

Yes : you provoke for casting a spell and you provoke for making a ranged attack.

Would also mean one provokes when using a wand to cast a ranged touch spell.

[wraithstrike]

Sarta wrote:

The black raven wrote:

concerro wrote:

I hate to necro an old thread, but are you also saying that if I provoke(do not cast defensively) that I provoke a second time from the actual ranged touch attack.

Yes : you provoke for casting a spell and you provoke for making a ranged attack.

Would also mean one provokes when using a wand to cast a ranged touch spell.

You should provoke for the ranged attack portion. Wands allow you to not provoke for the spellcasting part. They don't give a free pass on ranged attacks.

[LazarX]

King of Vrock wrote:

Why on earth is casting a spell with a ranged touch attack any different to do while threatened than casting a targeted spell while threatened?

In 3.5 you provoked for making a Standard or Full round "Ranged Attack," meaning an attack with a missile or thrown weapon. You also provoked for "Casting a Spell," but could avoid that through defensive casting. How is it any different to cast Hold Person than Scorching Ray??? The Ranged Touch Attack was part of the Casting a Spell action, not a seperate action of its own.

Really I want to know the reasoning behind the change? Is it because touch spells were too good? If that's the case then perhaps it's a reasonable change. Enquiring Minds Want to know!!!

--Vrock Market Crash!

It's actually a clarification of a rule that's been standing since 3.0. Essentially casting a ranged touch spell gives TWO opportunities to provoke an AOO, One that all ranged attackers make for aiming, and the second for casting a spell. You can only negate one opportunity by casting defensively. And it does make a difference when the person who threathens you has Combat Reflexes.

It's not really a change because that actually has been the rule all along. However all that means is that if you succeed in the cast, you're only subject to taking the damage from the AOO, not losing the spell.