Touch Spells and AoO

[Li Shenron]

Can you please help us on this subject?

If a spellcaster casts a touch spell, he can hold the charge and deliver the touch attack later. Casting the spell provokes an AoO. Since he is making an unarmed attack, delivering the touch attack provokes a second AoO, isn't it? In Tome & Blood, it is suggested to take Improved Unarmed Strike exactly to prevent provoking the second AoO (since with the Feat you would be considered armed).

Is it correct? Before reading Tome & Blood, we have always forgotten the second AoO!!! Anyway, it becomes very uncomfortable for a spellcaster with low AC to use touch spells without the Feat, since they can cast on the defensive, but cannot avoid provoking the second AoO... (they can avoid the first AoO by casting, moving and then touch-attacking)

Can you also deliver a touch attack with a weapon? Exactly to be armed and don't provoke the second AoO.

 

[Henrix]

No, when you make a touch attack you are considered armed. The touch spell is threatening.

The only reason for him to take Improved Unarmed is if he wants to strike the foe with an unarmed attack as he delivers the touch spell.

You cannot deliver a touch attack with a weapon, as soon as the hand with the prepared spell touches anything else, the spell goes off.

 

[Snofox]

welcome to Snofox's iirc post

you don't provoke an AoO for delivering a touch attack. the spell you are trying to deliver presents a obvious and viable threat to the creature, that is to say, you are ARMED. it says something to that effect in the PHB section on touch attacks (don't have my reference materials handy). carrying a weapon in your off hand would also be ok, but you would suffer the standard penalties for two weapon fighting.

 

[gfunk]

Check out the PHB, p. 125 under "Touch Spells in Combat:"

"Touching an opponent with a touch spell is considered to be an armed atack and therefore does not provoke attacks of opportunity..."

If you take Improved Unarmed Strike, then you can discharge your touch spell by punching your target. However, this attack will be against the creature's normal AC rather than its touch AC (but unlike touch spells, you deal an extra 1d3 subdual damage ).

The Unarmed Strike feat selection would work okay for Monks who can actually do significant damage with their hands. In this case, it would make some sense for a Monk to cast a spell with a range of touch and discharge it by hitting an opponent rather than simply touching him.

 

[Li Shenron]

Ok, I see, so AoO only if you want to make an unarmed attack (subdual damage) and discharge the touch spell at the same time, but no AoO if touching only. I was confused by the Tome & Blood paragraph, but it was correct.

Thank you very much! We were seriously worried of always having played it in a wrong way...