Do Sunbeam provoke AoO after the inital casting ?

[duboisjf]

What kind of action is using sunbeam after the initial casting.

Obviously, casting it is standard casting, but after that do it provoke AoO when you use one of you remaining beam in subsequent rounds ?

The description only mention it's a standard action to do so.

I looked at the table for AoO but can find something that fits.

Since there no attack roll needed, it's not a ranged attack and I don't think it should count as casting a spell.

Any opinion on this ?

[jjcrpntr]

Hard to say, it says you can use a standard action each round to summon another beam. But you aren't casting. In my game I'd probably rule that it doesn't provoke.

[duboisjf]

My Dm stated it doesn't provoke AoO so it's okay for that part.

But now I'm wondering how should it be handled if I want to use it while grappling.

[jjcrpntr]

I don't see why that would be an issue. You aren't having to cast anything so there wouldn't be a concentration check.

Depends on your DM but i'd probably say you could use it while grappled.

[nedz]

The rules are silent on whether calling forth one of these beams provokes an AoO. It might possibly be interpreted as a Ranged Attack but I think that this would be questionable. It could also be interpreted as part of the casting of the spell and thus provoking, unless the calling were done defensively.

The rules are also silent on using this in a Grapple; unfortunately, the Grapple rules contain a list of actions you can take If you're Grappling (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#ifYoureGrappling) and this kind of action is not on that list, so by strict RAW you cannot use this when grappling.

[legionof1]

I would be of the mind that it keeps going with out AoO regardless of situation after the initial casting. Pointing ones hand(the standard action) at a direction to my mind is not something that would make one open to attack.

[duboisjf]

about using it in grapple :

A succesfull grapple check as the attacker allow to maintain the grapple and damage the opponent with unarmed strike, a natural attack, or an attack made with armor spikes or a light or one-handed weapon.

I guess we can agree that pointing my hand at my opponent is equivalent as punching him or hitting him with a dagger.

By the way all of this stuff is related to a strategy against undead caster in which my cleric will attempt a grapple the round after casting sunbeam. So each round I'll use a Sunbeam and then a channel energy as a move action because I have Quick channel.
Add over that Nimbus of Light from Sun domain and ring of the grasping grave that stop healing from negative energy for 1d4 round. Of course I'll have the appropriate defensive spells like death ward.

[Hecuba]

The rules are silent on whether calling forth one of these beams provokes an AoO. It might possibly be interpreted as a Ranged Attack but I think that this would be questionable. It could also be interpreted as part of the casting of the spell and thus provoking, unless the calling were done defensively.

Paizo explicitly gives us the casting time as 1 standard action. (http://paizo.com/prd/spells/sunbeam.html) The subsequent beams are part of the effect, not the casting.