Now maybe I'm just thick but I'm not sure of how area effect spells work with AOO.
What I do know is that ranged attacks provoke an AOO, including spells, but do area spells count as ranged spells?
Let's assume that these were all cast defensively.
Example 1. Burning Hands this is an area of effect spell that starts in the adjacent square to the attacker, does this count as a ranged attack, and thus provoke attack of opportunity?
I'd have guessed not, but I'm not sure here.
Example 2. Fireball is an AOE spell that originates from a point chosen by the caster, typically at some distance from their current position, would this count as a ranged attack, and thus provoke AOO?
To me this would seem like a clear cut case of a ranged attack, but since there's no attack roll arguments have been made within the group I play with both for and against it provoking.
Example 3. Flaming Sphere places a harmful object within a target area, and I'm aware that repositioning it does not provoke (As far as I know at least), but would putting it on the field to begin with qualify?
I doubt it, but I thought I'd ask for the sake of completeness.
So can someone help me out here please?
All of these will provoke if you don't cast defensively and make your concentration check and such.
None will provoke as ranged attacks. Ranged attacks as spells are generally ray spells, or ones you're rolling attack rolls for.
None will provoke as ranged attacks. Ranged attacks as spells are generally ray spells, or ones you're rolling attack rolls for.
Thanks for the clarification, is there anything in the rules/errata that spells that out specifically though?
I'd like to have something I can point to if it comes up again, the group I'm in can spend more time arguing about the rules than actually playing I'm afraid.
If you look at Table 8-2 in the Combat section of the Core Rulebook, it specifies what actions incur an AoO.
Casting a spell will normally incur an AoO (unless cast defensively).
Making a Attack (Ranged) also incurs an AoO.
However, none of the spells you use as examples are ranged attacks. You don't make attacks with them, you simply cast the spell and the effect appears within the range of the spell. Even Flaming Sphere only moves as you direct but doesn't make attack rolls.
A Ray spell specifies you attack with it as if armed with a ranged weapon. An example would be Scorching Ray. So this sort of spell would draw an AoO for making a ranged attack since it counts as making an attack with a ranged weapon.
A Ray spell specifies you attack with it as if armed with a ranged weapon. An example would be Scorching Ray. So this sort of spell would draw an AoO for making a ranged attack since it counts as making an attack with a ranged weapon.
Thanks for the further clarification.
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It's only a ranged attack if you're rolling a d20 to hit.
So yeah, there are ranged spells that are considered attacks, without being ranged attacks. That may seem somewhat weird, but it's how it works;
1) Spells that make a to-hit roll are considered weapons, and can for example be modified by Weapon Focus (touch) or WF (ray). But they also get the downside of "weapons": if they're ranged, they provoke.* Aside from being weapons, they're also attacks.
2) Spells without a to-hit roll can still be attacks, if they do something aggressive. This is a much vaguer category. It's main importance is in deciding whether it will break the Invisibility spell. However, even if these spells happen to be ranged, they're not ranged attacks.
*I think. It does seem consistent, but I had never thought of it before. It never really comes up, I always move out of the threatened area before casting anything.