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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mvincent" data-source="post: 4271321" data-attributes="member: 27034">The FAQ is not errata... it merely clarifies the current rules (which are pretty obvious in this matter). The FAQ answer is mentioning ranged touch attacks because that was the question it was answering. I did not include the full question earlier for brevity, but here it is:"Several spells, such as scorching ray and meteor swarm,require the user to make multiple ranged touch attacks.Does the caster have to use the full attack action to use allthe ranged touch attacks these spells allow? If so, how doesthis work? Does the caster have to hold the charge (like atouch spell) and then use the full attack action later? Alsowhat attack bonus does the caster use? Can the caster usehis full attack bonus for each ranged touch attack, or doesthe caster’s attack bonus decrease by 5 for each attack?What happens if the caster uses the Quicken Spell feat andcasts the spell as a free action? What attack bonus does heuse then? How many ranged touch attacks can he make?Do the caster’s other actions during the rest of the roundaffect his attack bonus when using the spell?Both of the example spells have a casting time of 1standard action and an instantaneous duration. The caster usesthe cast a spell action (a standard action), and makes all theranged touch attacks the spell allows as part of that standardaction (not as part of the attack or full attack action); makingthese attacks is not an action at all.The caster uses his full attack bonus for all the rangedtouch attacks from either example spell. Any other spells thatallow multiple ranged touch attacks work the same way unlesstheir descriptions specifically say otherwise.Casting a quickened version of either example spell worksexactly the same way (although you’d have to be an epic-levelcharacter to cast a quickened meteor swarm); the caster makesall the ranged touch attacks the spell allows as part of the freeaction he used to cast the spell. The caster generally uses hisfull attack bonus for each ranged touch attack. Any otherattacks the caster might make during the same round as thequickened spell have no effect on the caster’s attack bonus forthe ranged touch attacks; however, if the caster does somethingthat gives him an attack penalty on all his attack rolls until hisnext turn, such as fighting defensively, that attack penalty alsoapplies to his ranged touch attacks from the quickened spell."</blockquote>

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