Can I use Combat Expertise with Ranged Attack Spells?

Can I?

No, it specifically says "attack action or full attack action in melee"

And it's very rare to use the Attack action or Full Attack action with a ranged spell anyway - you'd normally use the Cast a Spell action.

Now, that's not to say that you can't use Combat Expertise if you're taking the Attack action with a ranged weapon... as long as you're doing it in melee.

According to the Combat chapter, two creatures are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other.

If I have a longbow, and I'm five feet away from an orc with a falchion, then a/ we are enemies of each other, and b/ either threatens the other (he threatens me), so we are engaged in melee.

Thus, if I take the Attack action or Full Attack action, even though I'm making an attack with a ranged weapon (which will provoke an AoO), I am taking that action in melee, and thus qualify for using Combat Expertise.

If I cast Scorching Ray, however, I am not taking the Attack action in melee, I am taking the Cast a Spell action in melee, and thus do not qualify for using Combat Expertise.

-Hyp.

Slightly related... what if you are casting a (melee) touch spell? Normally you have 3 options to do the touch attack:

1) deliver the touch attack with the same standard action of casting: this is the most common way, but here you are using the action "cast a spell" which is not the "attack" action

2) use the special option for touch spells only = cast + move + attack in the same round

3) cast the spell some time earlier, hold the charge, then deliver the spell with the attack action, or even as part of a full attack action

The 3rd option seems to qualify easily for combat expertise, but not the other 2. What would you do?

In melee you can use Combat Expertise with a Touch spell, as long as you did not make the attack as a free action during the round where you cast the spell. Why? Because then you are using the attack action to deliver the spell.

Bye
Thanee

What Thanee said.