If the spell requires a ranged touch attack roll, I believe that provokes
no ranged attack roll, no aoo
Thats how we run it anyway
Well, the ranged attack provokes is a general rule, not specific to the Ray of Frost. Or for spells in general, for that matter.
There's a rule saying you only provoke one AoO per enemy per action, and I'm pretty sure the "Action" in this case is casting the spell, which making an attack is a part of.
So, I'd say 1.
Casting a spell provokes (unless done via Still or cast defensively), and then making the ranged attack also provokes. While the rules say that you only provoke 1 AoO per action, the fact is you're doing two things here - casting and making a ranged attack -- it's just that the ranged attack is thrown in as a freebee.
Of course, you can't be made to lose the spell on the AoO for the ranged attack unless you're knocked out, since you've finished casting the spell.
Think of it this way: If you decided to hold the charge 'til next round because your friend is in the way, you'd provoke both now and next round when you fire the ray -- this is the same, but in a shorter timeframe.
A stilled spell still provokes as it requires concentration, just as a spell-like ability does. Still spell's primary benefit is ignoring armour check penalties, or casting whilst grappled or manacled etc. Supernatural abilities don't provoke as they don't require concentration.
We've always played that casting a ranged attack spell provokes twice, and I'm pretty sure someone from Paizo confirmed that, but my memory isn't what it used to be and getting the attack as a free action after casting the spell makes me wonder if it happens so quickly it doesn't provoke...
If you decided to hold the charge 'til next round because your friend is in the way, you'd provoke both now and next round when you fire the ray -- this is the same, but in a shorter timeframe.
Ranged Touch Spells in Combat: "Unless otherwise noted, ranged touch attacks cannot be held until a later turn."
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This thread from last year addresses this same question. It seems to conclude that a ranged touch attack spell provokes two attacks of opportunity. One is for the spell (and can be avoided by casting defensively), and the other is for the ranged attack.
Being a Spellcaster, if I attempt to cast a Ranged Spell i.e. Magic Missle or lets say Ray of Frost in melee range of a creature how many attacks of opportunities do I have to avoid?
1 AoO for casting a spell
1 AoO for the ranged part of the spell(assuming the creature has Combat Reflexs, multiple AoO per round)
So a total of 2 AoOs for casting a ranged spell in melee range? I ask this question, b/c it seems a little over done and redundant.
Yes, two attacks. You can avoid one with defensive casting, but not the ranged part (unless you got a special ability that states you can).
"Ranged Touch Spells in Combat: Some spells allow you to make a ranged touch attack as part of the casting of the spell. These attacks are made as part of the spell and do not require a separate action. Ranged touch attacks provoke an attack of opportunity, even if the spell that causes the attacks was cast defensively. Unless otherwise noted, ranged touch attacks cannot be held until a later turn. "
And also
"Combat Reflexes and Additional Attacks of Opportunity: If you have the Combat Reflexes feat, you can add your Dexterity modifier to the number of attacks of opportunity you can make in a round. This feat does not let you make more than one attack for a given opportunity, but if the same opponent provokes two attacks of opportunity from you, you could make two separate attacks of opportunity (since each one represents a different opportunity). Moving out of more than one square threatened by the same opponent in the same round doesn't count as more than one opportunity for that opponent. All these attacks are at your full normal attack bonus."
So casting the spell and making the ranged attack each provoke a separate attack of opportunity, and if you have combat reflexes you can take both. There is no rule which states that you can only provoke one AoO per action (there is one that says you can only make one attack per AoO provoked), so the question of whether casting the spell and firing it are the same action or not is irrelevant.