You provoke for casting the spell however if you do that outside of AoO range and then move in the attack itself won't provoke.
Before you can "channel" that spell, you have to cast it.
That means you do cast a spell.
Casting a spell provokes an attack of opportunity, when you cast the spell. The attack you do after you cast doesn't provoke, but by then, you will already have provoked an AoO for casting a spell.
If you want to avoid that AoO, cast defensively.
It might be worth noting that Melee Touch Attacks are considered Armed Attacks and so do NOT provoke Attacks of Opportunity to begin with. Replacing them with regular attacks changes nothing. As everyone else has stated its the Casting (not the attack) that provokes.
That is the correct answer...
Since (A) punching someone (without the "improve unarmed" feat) DOES provoke an attack of opportunity. (Just as touching would-)
The melee touch attack is an armed attack, does not provoke.
Using an unarmed strike to deliver the touch, if you don't have Improved Unarmed Strike, will provoke, because your unarmed strike normally would. (Someone with the feat, or a monk, would not provoke)
Also remember that you can cast the touch spell rounds, minutes, or hours in advance. As long as you don't touch anything, you're holding the charge.
You can also cast the spell and deliver it later that same round after taking other actions
For example: Cast, Move, Touch.
(Or in the case of a Magus: Cast, Move, Attack)
As has been mentioned already the act of casting does provoke - casting defensively prevents that - Combat Casting gives a good bonus on the check, as well as later class abilies.
It is worth noting though, that spell combat can help you:
You can cast your spell, move 5 ft. and then full attack - that way you don´t get the free attack when casting touch spells (unless you use a reach weapon) but it´s nice to cast shied, not having to worry about flunking the roll to cast defensively.
spell combat can help you:
You can cast your spell, move 5 ft. and then full attack - that way you don´t get the free attack when casting touch spells (unless you use a reach weapon) but it´s nice to cast shied, not having to worry about flunking the roll to cast defensively.
Maybe it's just the wording, but it sounds like you're saying you can't take a 5' step before the free attack from casting a touch spell.
A magus could use Spell Combat to cast shocking grasp, take a 5' step, deliver his free attack (either with a touch, or with his sword via Spellstrike) then full attack with his weapon. (Or just cast shield, or magic missile, or whatever, then step and full attack like you said)
Maybe it's just the wording, but it sounds like you're saying you can't take a 5' step before the free attack from casting a touch spell.
A magus could use Spell Combat to cast shocking grasp, take a 5' step, deliver his free attack (either with a touch, or with his sword via Spellstrike) then full attack with his weapon. (Or just cast shield, or magic missile, or whatever, then step and full attack like you said)
I always thought that you could not move between casting and getting the free attack, could you maybe provide me with a source please?
Oh never mind I remembered you are correct, it works - it would not work if you cast the spell as a standard action right?
What the others said, the casting (usually) provokes the melee attack doesn't.
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I always thought that you could not move between casting and getting the free attack, could you maybe provide me with a source please?
Oh never mind I remembered you are correct, it works - it would not work if you cast the spell as a standard action right?
Touch Spells in Combat: "In the same round that you cast the spell, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) as a free action. You may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the target."
It works for anyone casting a touch spell, as well as a Magus, with Spell Combat and/or Spellstrike, or neither.
At a Pathfinder Society Game I was in not to long ago, one of my fellow players interrupted my turn with a (unwarranted and unwanted) question that held up the game for more than half hour.
If you are performing the Spellstrike ability in melee- Does it provoke an attack of opportunity?
Sounds like the question was quite warrented if you were trying to cast a touch spell while threatened in melee.
While I disagree because the "casting" is more of a channeling really...
No, it really is casting a spell.
Spellstrike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell.
and it is being incorporated into your attack action- so unless the swinging of your sword somehow provokes an A.O.O.....No, it is the opposite. The attack is incorporated into casting the spell.
Then the GM tried to rationalized it to me saying it "made sense for balance purposes" (which is a total copout) It is already balanced by the fact that you are using normal weapon "to hit" rules and not "touch AC" and if you miss with the weapon- the spell also would miss.
Not a copout, that is the way way it works. The balance of having to hit AC rather than touch AC is getting to deal weapon damage along with the spell. Also if you miss with the touch spell, it sounds like you might still be "Holding the charge".
Touch Spells in Combat: "In the same round that you cast the spell, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) as a free action. You may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the target."
It works for anyone casting a touch spell, as well as a Magus, with Spell Combat and/or Spellstrike, or neither.
Thank you very much, i searched in the magic chapter - this will benefit my level 2 magus on smugglers shiv quite a bit over the time ^^
