My DM says that ranged touch attacks and rays are essentially interchangeable terms. I am not so sure. I am quoting from the SRD as I'm at work:
Ray: Some effects are rays. You aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon,
though typically you make a ranged touch attack rather than a normal ranged
attack. As with a ranged weapon, you can fire into the dark or at an
invisible creature and hope you hit something. You don't have to see the
creature you're trying to hit, as you do with a targeted spell. Intervening
creatures and obstacles, however, can block your line of sight or provide
cover for the creature you're aiming at. If a ray spell has a duration,
it's the duration of the effect that the ray causes, not the length of time
the ray itself persists. If a ray spell deals damage, you can score a
critical hit just as if it were a weapon. A ray spell threatens a critical
hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical
hit.
Touch Attacks: Touching an opponent with a touch spell is considered to be
an armed attack and therefore does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
However, the act of casting a spell does provoke an attack of opportunity.
Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks and ranged touch
attacks. You can score critical hits with either type of attack. Your
opponent's AC against a touch attack does not include any armor bonus,
shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. His size modifier, Dexterity modifier,
and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.
Here's my take: From the above, it doesn't state that a ranged touch attack
takes into account cover or firing into melee. In the Ray, it specifically
states that you aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon. A ray is like an
arrow that needs an unblocked line to the target. Stuff can get in the way.
With a ranged touch attack, you simply need line of effect to the target,
which doesn't take into account penalties for "firing into melee" or "cover provided by a creature betw me and the target".
And yes, I realize the DM is always right, but we're all amenable in our group to following the rules as they are intended.
Thanks in advance!
Brian
Ray: Some effects are rays. You aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon,
though typically you make a ranged touch attack rather than a normal ranged
attack. As with a ranged weapon, you can fire into the dark or at an
invisible creature and hope you hit something. You don't have to see the
creature you're trying to hit, as you do with a targeted spell. Intervening
creatures and obstacles, however, can block your line of sight or provide
cover for the creature you're aiming at. If a ray spell has a duration,
it's the duration of the effect that the ray causes, not the length of time
the ray itself persists. If a ray spell deals damage, you can score a
critical hit just as if it were a weapon. A ray spell threatens a critical
hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical
hit.
Touch Attacks: Touching an opponent with a touch spell is considered to be
an armed attack and therefore does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
However, the act of casting a spell does provoke an attack of opportunity.
Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks and ranged touch
attacks. You can score critical hits with either type of attack. Your
opponent's AC against a touch attack does not include any armor bonus,
shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. His size modifier, Dexterity modifier,
and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.
Here's my take: From the above, it doesn't state that a ranged touch attack
takes into account cover or firing into melee. In the Ray, it specifically
states that you aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon. A ray is like an
arrow that needs an unblocked line to the target. Stuff can get in the way.
With a ranged touch attack, you simply need line of effect to the target,
which doesn't take into account penalties for "firing into melee" or "cover provided by a creature betw me and the target".
And yes, I realize the DM is always right, but we're all amenable in our group to following the rules as they are intended.
Thanks in advance!
Brian
