Casting Defensively: Provoke AoO with Ranged Spells

[Elephant]

From another forum I read:

Attacks of Opportunity and Spellcasting:

I've always playeds that if threatened, and a caster makes their Cast Defensively check, that they can cast their spell (whatever it may be) without provoking any attacks of opportunity.
One group that I've been playing with uses the line of logic that if the spell is personal or a melee attack (Inflict Wounds), there's no AoO, but if the spell is a ranged attack
(Magic Missle, Melf's Acid Arrow, Fireball), the act of making the ranged attack provokes.

(Now, admittedly, when the caster doesn't cast defensively, it shouldn't really matter, as they provoke for the spell, and the same action can only provoke 1 AoO.)

Similarly, activating a magic item that makes a ranged effect, in my experience, does not provoke (unless the item is a scroll). In this group, the activation does not, but the making the effect ranged does.

Opinions? I'd ove some examples, too.

(http://community.livejournal.com/dnd3e/376586.html)

It was such a strange idea that I thought it would be interesting to see what the good people here on ENWorld say.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

To get it out of the way: the fireball doesn't require an attack roll, so you can't count it.

The rest: I'd say that aiming a spell is a lot easier than aiming your average ranged weapon. You just point your finger and fire away (If that's even necessary, maybe you only have to look at the target). I'd say that doesn't provoke an AoO.

 

[Hypersmurf]

'Making a ranged attack' doesn't actually provoke an AoO.

The Attack (ranged) Action provokes an AoO (per Table 8-2), and 'attacking with a ranged weapon' provokes an AoO (example in the text of attacks of opportunity).

So in a Full Attack action (AoO: No), you still provoke when you shoot your crossbow, because you are attacking with a ranged weapon.

Scorching Ray is a weaponlike spell, but does the ranged touch attack count as 'attacking with a ranged weapon'? The ranged touch attack doesn't use the Attack (ranged) Action (it's part of the Cast a Spell action, which you avoided the AoO for by casting defensively), so it will only provoke an AoO if you consider it to be 'attacking with a ranged weapon'.

-Hyp.

 

[Elethiomel]

(Now, admittedly, when the caster doesn't cast defensively, it shouldn't really matter, as they provoke for the spell, and the same action can only provoke 1 AoO.)

Just to point out that this is erroneous, too. If a character has reach and Hold the Line and is charged by another character with a non-reach weapon, the defending character gets two AoOs. One for movement out of a threatened square, and one for being charged. Charging is one action that includes movement and an attack, but in this situation it provokes two attacks of opportunity.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Just to point out that this is erroneous, too. If a character has reach and Hold the Line and is charged by another character with a non-reach weapon, the defending character gets two AoOs. One for movement out of a threatened square, and one for being charged. Charging is one action that includes movement and an attack, but in this situation it provokes two attacks of opportunity.

And if the attack at the end of the charge is a Disarm, say, he'll provoke a third.

-Hyp.

 

[Elethiomel]

And if the attack at the end of the charge is a Disarm, say, he'll provoke a third.

Only if the defender is a monk or has a spiked chain or otherwise threatens both at reach and adjacent.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Only if the defender is a monk or has a spiked chain or otherwise threatens both at reach and adjacent.

True.

-Hyp.