AoO and Casting Cure light Wounds

[Jabberwonky]

Looking for some clarification:

Does casting Cure Light wounds when a foe is adjacent to you provoke an attack of opportunity from the foe?

What if you are using it as a touch attack against said creature?

What if you are using it to heal an ally?

I've played in a myriad of games that house ruled in varying ways, I'm curious what the consensus is here. Thanks!

[Oladon]

Yes. Casting a spell while threatened provokes, regardless of anything that happens after.

However, if you begin your turn outside its threatened space, you could cast the spell, move, and then use the free touch attack. This would not provoke (though you still might do so by moving out of a threatened square).

[Azmyth]

Casting in melee will always provoke (unless you cast defensively and make a successful concentration check). Most often, I see divine casters cast the spell and then step up to deliver the touch (either healing or harming).

[Grick]

Jabberwonky wrote:

Does casting Cure Light wounds when a foe is adjacent to you provoke an attack of opportunity from the foe?

If the foe threatens your square, and you don't cast defensively or cast the spell as a swift action, yes.

Jabberwonky wrote:

What if you are using it as a touch attack against said creature?

A spellcaster delivering a touch attack spell is making an “Armed” Unarmed Attack, which does not provoke.

Jabberwonky wrote:

What if you are using it to heal an ally?

When delivering a touch spell in combat, you can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself. The rules don't explicitly say that this doesn't provoke, but it doesn't say it does provoke either, and provoking wouldn't make any sense at all.

Azmyth wrote:

Casting in melee will always provoke (unless you cast defensively and make a successful concentration check).

Just to be clear, if you attempt to cast defensively and fail the concentration check, you lose the spell, but you do not provoke.