Ray Spells and Rogue Scout Archetype

[Several Ducks]

My question is specifically about the Skirmisher(Ex) ability of the Rogue's Scout archetype. The Skirmisher ability says "whenever a scout moves more than 10 feet in a round and makes an attack action, the attack deals sneak attack damage as if the target was flat-footed."

My question is whether a ray spell such as Acid Splash count as an "attack action" for the purposes of triggering the Skirmisher ability. I know that under the Special Spell Effects rules it says: "All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks." That means that if I hit someone with an Acid Splash while they aren't aware of my presence, I can deal sneak attack damage due to me hitting them with an attack while they're flat footed. However, I don't know whether casting this spell counts as an "attack action". With Skirmisher can I just move 10 feet and use Acid Splash to deal sneak attack damage even if my opponent is aware of my presence?

[Xaimum Mafire]

Actions in Combat

Technically, casting Acid Splash is the action of "Casting a Spell/Spellcasting." The Attack action is hitting someone with a manufactured or natural weapon. By RAW, this wouldn't work, but only the most strict GM wouldn't allow it.

Sidenote: Acid Splash isn't a ray spell; Ray of Frost is. The only reason that matters is if you take Weapon Focus (Ray), it wouldn't apply to Acid Splash.

[Red Metal]

Specifically, an attack action is using a standard action to make an attack (see this FAQ about Vital Strike)

[blahpers]

In case that's still too vague: An "attack action" is using a standard action to perform the "Attack" standard action defined in the Combat chapter of the Core Rulebook. Using a standard action to do something that happens to involve a single attack is not sufficient (hence why using Vital Strike is not an "attack action", as that feat defines its own action). It must be the action defined in the Combat chapter.

So, given that, unfortunately, it does not work. Casting acid splash is the "Cast a Spell" action, not the "Attack" action, as Xaimum Mafire stated.